Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire has teamed up with Derby City Council’s Visit Derby team to launch a new campaign, supported by funding from VisitEngland, to inspire visitors to enjoy the best of both worlds on a Derby-based short break this summer.
Visitors are being encouraged to “Escape the Everyday” on a unique range of bookable experiences in the area as part of the campaign, which aims to support the recovery of cities and regional gateways by promoting short breaks and boosting visitor spend. The local campaign aligns with VisitEngland’s national Escape the Everyday campaign which has been running for two years.
It marks the second year running that Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, the area’s official destination management organisation, has been successful in its bid for VisitEngland funding to deliver the national campaign on a local level.
The campaign runs until the end of June and positions Derby as a great base for a cultural break, where visitors can discover the UK’s most central city whilst exploring the nearby delights of Britain’s original National Park and the wider county of Derbyshire.
Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire and the Council’s Visit Derby team – the destination management organisation for Derby– have worked with local businesses to create engaging content for the campaign, which targets 25-34-year-olds living in the UK with no children and will run across digital channels including Facebook and Instagram.
The campaign drives online ‘traffic’ to visitpeakdistrict.com/escape-the-everyday, where visitors can book a range of experiences with a focus on sustainability, unmissable events and reconnecting with loved ones.
Derby-based experiences include canoeing along the River Derwent; sampling fresh street food at Bustler Market; wine tasting in the surroundings of the UNESCO Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site; and track cycling at Derby Arena.
The Peak District and Derbyshire’s varied outdoor offer is showcased through hands-on activities including abseiling, rock climbing and alpaca walking.
The campaign is funded by the VisitEngland Destination Management Organisations’ Recovery Marketing Fund.
Jo Dilley, Managing Director of Marketing Peak District & Derbyshire, said:
"We’re delighted to be one of the destinations across England to have been successful in bidding for VisitEngland’s Escape the Everyday funding and, together with our partners at Visit Derby, we look forward to encouraging visitors to enjoy the best of both worlds on a Derby-based short break this summer.
“Whether you are looking to discover rich cultural heritage, stay in a peaceful retreat or enjoy adrenaline-fueled adventures, Derby is the perfect base for exploring the wider Peak District and Derbyshire area and this campaign aims to showcase the sheer quality and variety of our unique city and countryside offer.
“As well as supporting the recovery of local visitor economy businesses, this campaign also paves the way for future partnership working with Visit Derby to help raise the profile of our destination as a whole and boost long-term growth. ”
Stella Birks, Visitor Services and Development Manager of Derby City Council’s Visit Derby team said:
“We are delighted to have been successful in the bid for VisitEngland’s Destination Management Organisations’ Recovery Marketing Fund worth £80K. Together with our partners at Marketing Peak District and Derbyshire we have worked with our Derby businesses to create exciting bookable experiences in Derby and the wider area. This campaign is a great way to support the recovery of Derby’s visitor economy as well as showcasing what a fabulous place Derby is to visit and the experiences available”.