There is no doubt that the London 2012 Olympic Games are going to put the UK in the spotlight this year. But what can we make out of it in the Westcountry, being so far from London and with so many restrictions around aligning marketing activity with the Games if you’re not an official sponsor?

Whilst for commercial ventures this might prove difficult, for destination and visitor marketing the Olympics – and the Torch Relay in particular – present a great opportunity to showcase our visitor offer to the world.

This week (Monday 19 March) the route of the Olympic Torch was announced along with some of the torchbearers, many of whom had been nominated by their local community to carry the flame through their city, town or village.
 

Plymouth's Olympic torchbearers, Andy Netherton, Poppy Mills, Jordan Anderton, Frances Johnson and Ian Sherriff

Down here in Devon and Cornwall we have the incredible advantage of being part of the first day of the Torch Relay, one of the most iconic elements of the Olympics.

Starting in Lands End on the morning of Saturday 19 May, the Torch’s first day will see it travel through Cornwall, across the Tamar Bridge and into Plymouth. Destination Plymouth (a DCA client) will welcome the Olympic Flame on Saturday night for its very first evening celebration, with a glittering party up on Plymouth Hoe.

An iconic flame, in a dazzling location on Plymouth’s stunning waterfront, with fantastic free entertainment – what a proposition! What’s more, the international news interest in the start of the Torch Relay will broadcast beautiful images of Plymouth and Cornwall around to the world.

In terms of promoting our region’s visitor offer on a regional, national and international level we need to grasp this moment in the global spotlight and make the most of it – we can be sure we won’t see it again in our lifetimes. 

Posted by @MissBishops