Incentive Development for Car-Free Visitor Journeys

Background to this project: The West Midlands Growth Plan will create a new West Midlands Net Zero Five Year Plan. As a nationally accredited destination development partnership, West Midlands DDP has a responsibility to support and align this through regenerative tourism within the region and to share learning and best practice with other destinations across England.

Therefore, we wish to appoint a consultant, or partner agency, who will work with our regional attractions and venues to develop and market incentives that encourage visitors to arrive via car-free journeys and by using active travel, to support our regional net zero aims. A range of businesses representing a cross-section of the DDP geography will be selected to work with the appointed supplier to develop and market visitor incentives which will encourage car-free journeys.

Project Aims This project will support regenerative tourism within the West Midlands. Firstly, by encouraging more visitors to arrive by train, bus, bike, and foot, it will deliver a sustainability benefit by contributing to efforts to reduce CO2 from private vehicle emissions.

Secondly, it will open up access to venues for travellers without a car – thus making everyone welcome – and supporting greater inclusivity. By working with the appointed supplier, businesses will feel informed and empowered to develop targeted incentives for car-free visits.

The supplier will also offer marketing support to businesses to drive awareness and consideration of making car-free visits among target audiences. This project will build visitor / leisure use of the region’s public transport, creating incentives to improve the network connectivity and evidence to close out any ‘last mile’ barriers, where bus, tram or train connections stop short of visitor attractions and experiences.

Finally, the project will act as a pilot to inspire more businesses across the West Midlands to adopt incentives that will help visitors to travel car-free. Case studies from the project will help businesses to understand how they can contribute to net zero and attract new visitor audiences – achieving positive sustainability outcomes – both environmentally and financially.