The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 19.0427 Tuesday, 22 July 2008
From: Dan Decker <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Tuesday, 22 Jul 2008 10:16:30 EDT
Subject: Shakespeare Tourism
Does anyone have a reference source for numbers on global "Shakespeare Tourism"?
How many people a year travel to see a play, visit a birthplace, see Juliet's
actual balcony, all that.
[Editor's Note: Interesting that you asked. I just saw the following, from the
online Birmingham Post:
<http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-news/2008/07/21/shakespeare-tourist-attraction-calls-in-administrators-65233-21377614/>
Shakespeare tourist attraction calls in administrators
A company behind a Shakespeare tourist attraction in Stratford-upon-Avon has
been forced to call in the administrators.
Dynamic Attractions Ltd, which runs Shakespearience and the 120-seat Waterside
Theatre, said it had suffered after a massive drop in visitor numbers to the
Warwickshire town.
The company, which employs 23 staff, says the strength of the pound against the
dollar has meant fewer American tourists travelling to the UK this year.
But administrators Kroll insisted the independently-run Waterside, which also
includes the Shakespearience tourist attraction, would continue to trade while
the situation was reviewed. The theatre opened in December 2004, built in the
style of a traditional Elizabethan playhouse and authentically timbered to
create an intimate atmosphere.
One employee said: "We are open as usual while they try to work things out, so
we hope people don't think we're closed.To be honest, it's not just the credit
crunch that has affected us. We flooded last year and we think that has had a
knock-on effect as well."
Other businesses have blamed the credit crunch and disruption caused by the
redevelopment of the Royal Shakespeare Company Theatre and Bancroft Gardens for
discouraging tourists and Stratford Council leader Les Topham warned of even
tougher times ahead for Shakespeare's birthplace.
He said: "This is very sad news for the whole town. We don't want to see any of
our tourist attractions closed down because tourism is obviously so important to
the area.
"The credit crunch is affecting everyone in Stratford and you can see it just by
looking at the number of people on the streets.
"Some days it doesn't seem so bad. But I was driving around the town the other
day and it did seem much quieter than usual, with fewer foreign visitors than
we'd usually have at this time of year.
"We just have to accept that the credit crunch is here to stay and that we're
not the only ones in for a tough time.''
He added: "We've seen mad cow disease, foot and mouth and floods in the last few
years, so I'm sure we'll come through this and maintain Stratford-upon-Avon as
the world class tourist attraction it is today.
"The best advice I can give people is that I've been in business for over 30
years myself and I've seen this all before. We just have to ride it out the best
we can.''
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