Evaluation of the additionality of the Commonwealth Games Business and Tourism Programme

The Business and Tourism Programme (BATP) seeks to maximise the benefits of the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games to the UK and the region as a business, investment and tourist destination. A critical element of the evaluation of the BATP is an assessment of the additionality of the programme i.e. the in-flows of investment and tourism to the UK and the West Midlands which are directly attributable to the programme, as distinct from those which would have happened anyway. The BATP programme is jointly procuring Evaluation Services through a collaborative approach through WMGC Ltd and Department for International Trade together as Contracting Authorities. The Procurement comprises evaluation of the additionality of the BATP Programme based on the elements comprising: (i) Evaluation of marketing campaigns (perceptions research) WMGC Delivered Element. (ii) Evaluation of Leisure Tourism activity and (visitor surveys) WMGC delivered (iii) Evaluation of UK House (research with UK House delegates) DIT Delivered These projects will provide essential data and intelligence to demonstrate that the activities being funded by the programme are having the anticipated impact and are helping to realise the benefits that we forecast would be achieved. The Survey work will seek evaluation of the impact of key activities within the leisure tourism workstream. As well as associated marketing campaigns the BATP leisure tourism workstream includes: (i) The establishment of a digital platform to welcome visitors to the West Midlands, including mobile showcases and the facility to book accommodation, visits to attractions and itineraries. The most popular and well used aspects of the area's visitor offer, visitor satisfaction and visitor expenditure. To undertake surveys of visitors to different locations in the West Midlands to include key visitor attractions, conference and exhibition facilities, major hotels, shopping centres, transport hubs, visitor information centres and Commonwealth Games venues. If Covid-19 restrictions are still in place when surveys are required it may be necessary to adopt on-line, rather than face to face approaches. A series of surveys are required in order to: (i) Provide baseline intelligence on visitor motivations, profile and behaviour before the BATP begins to have an impact. (ii) Track changes as BATP activity gathers pace. (iii) Evaluate the position at a later date when marketing and promotional activity and improvements to the region's visitor welcome have begun to have a more lasting impact - we welcome tenderers' ideas and recommendations on timings for this. A random sample of at least 1,000 interviews in Birmingham and at least 2,000 in the wider WMCA area need to be completed in each wave of research. Local residents should be excluded from the survey. The interviews should be undertaken using fully trained market research interviewers and be conducted under the Market Research Code of Conduct (ii) A programme of support for the region's tourism businesses to help them recover from the impact of the Covid-19 lockdowns and develop the capacity and capability to offer an excellent welcome to visitors to the West Midlands. Research is required which identifies the following: a) Visitors' motivations to visit, their degree of exposure to BATP marketing and promotional activity and the sources of information they have used to research and plan their trip. b) Any changes to the profile and demographics of visitors to the region over the course of the BATP.