Anyone who has worked with us will know we are a bit phobic of launch events for our strategies. We prefer to celebrate what you achieve with the strategy, not simply the publishing of it. That said, if you’re going to the effort of bringing stakeholders together to make this milestone, then do something creative that starts you on that road together; a stepping stone, not a milestone. 

So what happens when a client has commissioned a ‘launch’ event? Last week, Alex & Amy did not launch the Cultural Masterplan we have been developing in North Northamptonshire – at the launch event. It’s not even finished yet. Instead we hosted a Summit, attended by over 70 stakeholders. Why, and what did we do that made it worthwhile?

• We presented the draft Masterplan, so stakeholders had another opportunity to see where their inputs have been applied, and invited fresh feedback (both on the day and in writing afterwards). Through our collaborative engagement process, we can state that c.200 stakeholders have co-created the Masterplan. It’s the best way to create genuine ownership, and is a powerful message when the finished document eventually goes before local politicians for approval. 
• We always look to use cultural spaces rather than civic or commercial. We hosted the event at Kettering Arts Centre, which helped to build their profile – and our venue hire budget went to support a local community arts centre.
• We again used our budget to pay back into the local economy by funding the Creative People & Places organisation Made With Many to facilitate conversations and capture ideas and actions. 
• We asked attendees to start drafting the action plan, including making commitments of their own organisations. Co-design needs co-delivery. This shared responsibility builds sustainability into the approach and ensures this is a place-based Masterplan, not just a local authority plan. 
• In inviting attendees to critique an outline governance model, we made sure stakeholders had a say in not only what they need to do, but how it will be managed. This helps build a mandate for cultural leaders to make and implement decisions on behalf of the sector. 
• We shared a statement supplied by Arts Council England in support of the draft Masterplan, and which invited conversations to explore funding opportunities. 
• The Northamptonshire Community Foundation presented ideas for how it could support new approaches to grant-making for the cultural sector, including some case studies. 
• Policy and key agenda alignment is hugely important. Culture needs to show how it can contribute across all facets of society. A panel of local leaders from across the county – working in environment, community, young people, visitor economy, heritage and education – discussed how they would like to collaborate with the cultural sector in delivering the Masterplan. 
• We asked all attendees to table the final Masterplan and action plan at their own boards – or whatever formal process they use – to further hardwire it into the sector. This further embeds the message that the Masterplan is for everyone to support and deliver collaboratively. 

So, not a launch, but rather another step to build endorsement, active input and support.

None of this is earth-shatteringly original. But it all reinforces the integrity of the process and resulting Masterplan. It confirms that, once we as consultants step away, there is an actionable route-map with shared understanding and motivation to deliver it. Capacity has been identified, future funding opportunities cultivated, and next steps agreed. 

We take an awful lot of pride in, and put an awful lot of effort into, building relationships within a place – to ensure that our work is relatable, actionable, realistic, appropriate and hopefully transformational. Producing a good strategy is important, but what happens next is really what it is all about. The transition from consultants helping to develop a strategic plan to local stakeholders delivering it is a critical period. Governance, leadership, communications, monitoring… That’s why we don’t just sail off into the sunset, even if a launch event is delightful! 

We’re really excited to see how the sector in Northamptonshire moves forward with this over the next few months. They’re ready for it, and have skilled people who can make good things happen. And of course, we be keeping in touch to help when we are needed. After all, we’re a stakeholder now too.

Last week, our team of intrepid consultants ventured all the way to…Manchester…to explore the latest trends and insights in booking systems and customer journeys. Read on for their reflections on how technological and data innovations are influencing the sector: 

A key theme of this year’s Ticketing Professionals Conference was the urgent need to embrace the ongoing technological revolution. Over the past 25 years, rapid advancements in home computing, smartphones, and social media have often left the ticketing industry playing catch-up to deliver the best customer experiences. Smaller venues, institutions, and destinations, in particular, risk falling behind or relying on outdated processes.

Now, with AI poised to transform every aspect of our work, it’s crucial that we at CTConsults not only adopt these changes but also lay the groundwork and provide support for our clients—ensuring that organisations, institutions, and destinations do not get left behind. (Andrew Adshead)

I was impressed by how much innovation is happening in ticketing right now. There’s a lot of new tech being developed, like allowing audiences to bid on seat upgrades, borrowing from the airline model in a way that makes sense for live events. AI is playing a growing role, especially in making dynamic pricing models more responsive. I was also interested in how venues are tapping into social media, with user-generated content doing much of the selling for them. It’s clear the industry is shifting in a big way. (Rachel Sipes)

Being a first timer to the conference one thing that struck me was the range of organisations at the Ticketing Professionals Conference. Alongside national providers were independent venues, local collectives, tech developers and regional cultural partnerships. It highlighted just how connected and collaborative the sector is. What stood out to me and something I will remember is that: ticketing should be accessible and adaptable, regardless of the size or structure of your organisation. (Ryan Nevin)

A key takeaway from the conference is the realisation that data alone isn’t the answer. It’s meaningless unless transformed into actionable insights, as insights are what drive change. Data and insights are discoveries, and discovery is inherently creative. It’s okay to try, learn, and experiment with limited risk. Insights mean nothing without influence, particularly when it comes to influencing stakeholders. Change can’t happen without that influence. Starting small to test changes, and learning from failures to understand why something didn’t work, offers valuable lessons and drives continuous improvement. (Jady Ng)

Our travel trade consultant Karin recently delivered a workshop on “how to work with the travel trade” on the Isle of Man, and we asked her to share her experience of the island: 

“Please observe our Manx tradition and say hello to the fairies as we pass the Fairy Bridge.”

I think a lot of destinations could learn from the Isle of Man when it comes to sense of place.

I was on the bus from Isle of Man Airport to Douglas when the above announcement came over the tannoy, inviting everyone to join in a Manx tradition. Every single person on the bus – locals and visitors – said “hello fairies” as we drove past the bridge.

Ten minutes into my visit to the Isle of Man, this already gave me such a strong sense of the place I had arrived in. Quirky, traditional and very beautiful. It told me: on the Isle of Man, we respect traditions and fairies. And we welcome our visitors to join us.

I’m always telling my clients and workshop participants about the importance of telling their story, and it doesn’t get better than this.

The rest of my visit continued to exceed all expectations.

The Isle of Man offers so much to visitors – rich history and heritage, a variety of accommodation options, beautiful scenery, lovely restaurants and bars, and plenty to see and do. This became evident during the workshop, which had a great turnout of accommodation, transport and activity providers, as well as attractions. 

The local DMO, Visit Isle of Man, arranged the workshop to support their goal of growing tourism sustainably on the island. One way they hope to achieve this is by attracting more high-spending visitors, allowing visitor numbers to grow at a slower pace while increasing overall spend. 

International visitors traditionally stay longer and spend three times more on average than domestic visitors, so it makes sense to focus on this market. 

With almost 80% of international visitors booking through an intermediary, the workshop explored how working with the travel trade can help the suppliers reach a wider international audience. This includes both traditional travel trade (such as tour operators and destination management companies) and digital trade partners (like online travel agents and marketplaces). The workshop was designed for suppliers with beginner and intermediate knowledge of the travel trade. 

Like many other places, the Isle of Man has a large number of SMEs working in tourism, and when you’re busy running a business, finding time for sales and marketing can be tough. We explored how partnering with the travel trade can be a simple and cost-efficient way to reach a large international audience. 

The participants in the workshop were very enthusiastic, and we had great conversations around the challenges and opportunities. 

And this is one of the things that stood out most during my visit to the island – everyone I met was incredibly friendly and curious. 

Not just the workshop participants, but also the people at the bus stop in Peel who involved me in their conversation seamlessly, the photography student who offered to take my picture when I struggled to get a selfie in the bright sunshine, and the restaurant in Castletown who made sure my dinner was served in time to catch my bus back to the airport.

It reminded me that a place is very much about its people, and not just its impressive castles, beautiful scenery and great food – though the Isle of Man has plenty of that as well. 

The Isle of Man really ticks all the boxes for a great destination. It’s quirky, beautiful, full of history, and welcoming. 

It’s a truly special place that I hope more international visitors will discover soon. And when they do, they will also be charmed when they are asked to say hello to the fairies. 

Shout-out to:

I stayed in a lovely guest house with bags of personality and a warm welcome from Shirley, the owner. Located in an area called Little Switzerland, on Switzerland Road, the guest house was, of course, called Edelweiss. Bonus – it’s dog friendly!

My seafood dinner at the Garrison Restaurant in Castletown was amazing. I’m still dreaming about those scallops. 

The Isle of Man was very accessible, which I really appreciate as a responsible tourism advocate. As I visited in the low season, the heritage trains were not running, but I managed to explore the island from Douglas in the east, to Peel in the west and Castletown in the south, in just one day, using the island’s excellent bus services.
#IsleOfMan #TravelTrade #TravelTradeReady