Visit Dorset, Dorset Council’s tourism team dedicated to supporting and promoting the county’s visitor economy, successfully delivered an exclusive member networking event on 13 November 2025.
The free, in-person event brought together tourism businesses from across Dorset to network, share best practice, and explore how membership with Visit Dorset and involvement in the new Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) can help them promote their businesses and collaborate to attract more visitors to the region.
Hosted at the award-winning Highlands End Holiday Park in Bridport, the event featured insightful presentations from Robin Tjolle, Regional Development Lead for the South West at VisitEngland, and Samantha Richardson MBE from the National Coastal Tourism Academy. Both speakers provided updates on Dorset’s new Destination Management Plan and explained how businesses can play an active role in shaping the county’s visitor economy for future growth.
Attendees also enjoyed a short video presentation from Professor Peter Jones, highlighting the Dorset Tourism Awards and encouraging local businesses to enter. He outlined the benefits of participation and shared success stories of previous winners who have gone on to represent Dorset at national level.
The Visit Dorset team presented their marketing strategy and key campaigns for 2026, showcasing the latest in a series of inspirational videos titled “Dorset – A Naturally Inspiring Place to Visit.” Businesses were encouraged to engage with Visit Dorset by sharing new features, social media content, and imagery to amplify Dorset’s message and strengthen collaborative efforts.
Cheryl Stapleton, speaking on behalf of Visit Dorset, said:
“We were delighted to see so many businesses come together to learn from one another and share innovative ideas. We hope attendees found the presentations and networking opportunities valuable, and we look forward to hosting similar events at other venues across Dorset in the future.”
Visit Dorset manages the official tourism website for the county, www.visit-dorset.com, which attracts over 5.2 million visits annually. The site includes a dedicated industry section offering up-to-date information and resources to support Dorset’s tourism businesses.
Download the presentations via the links below.
LVEP Visit Dorset Update - Robin Tjolle
Destination Management Plan Update - Sam Richardson
Visit Dorset Member Update - Visit Dorset
Why enter the Dorset Tourism Awards
Social Media Member Toolkit - For those helpful hints and tips
