Who Manages the Network

Network Management Group (NMG)

The work of Tourism Network North East is directed and overseen by Network Management Group. This group is made up of the four Chief Executives of the Area Tourism Partnerships and the Heads of Tourism and Marketing at One North East.

In addition to the Regional Framework and Network Operating Plan, NMG is responsible for agreeing a series of plans to guide the detailed activities of the Network. NMG meets monthly and is supported by a number of Working Groups. These groups focus on specific areas of development and put forward recommendations on strategic direction to NMG for approval.

Working Groups

• Marketing and PR Working Group

The Marketing and PR Working Group is made up of representatives from each of the ATPs, One North East Tourism and Hadrian's Wall Heritage Limited. It uses the wealth of experience and expertise of group members to ensure that the region achieves the greatest benefit from investment in marketing and PR activity regionally, nationally and internationally.  It has responsibility for overseeing the implementation of the Network Marketing Framework including UK consumer marketing and PR campaigns, business tourism, international tourism and group travel.  It is supported by the Press & PR and Digital Marketing Actions Groups.

• Business and Skills Working Group

The Business and Skills Working Group is made up of representatives from each of the ATPs, One North East Tourism and Hadrian's Wall Heritage Limited. However it also has representatives from Business Link, Business Enterprise North East, the Learning & Skills Council and One North East's Business and Enterprise team.  It oversees the Network's business engagement activities and ensures good linkages with the Business Support Simplication Process.

• Desti.ne Operations Group

The Desti.ne Operations Group, made up of representatives from the ATPs and One North East Tourism, reviews all the Network information flows and databases from collection through to distribution.  It oversees major technical developments and support issues for Desti.ne, the Network's shared e-business platform and from April 2009 has responsibility for overseeing the implementation of the new contract to provide the platform.   It is supported by the Information Collection Action Group and informed by the TIC Network Liaison Group.

• Research Working Group

This is a high level group that looks in detail at the Network's research programme and - even more importantly - considers the key trends that the research identifies and the implications for future network activities. The research programme overseen by the Group includes STEAM (volume and value), accommodation occupancy, market segmentation and visitor surveys, and a quarterly survey involving a regional industry panel. All of this information is also published on this website in the research and statistics section.

• Product Development Officers Group

The Product Development Officers Group is attended by ATP officers with primary responsibility for product development issues and the sub-regional ATMaPs.  The role of the group includes the identification of strategic product development issues and priorities as well as providing a forum for the exchange of information on major capital projects that are likely to impact on the visitor economy. 

Action Groups

• Press & PR Action Group

This group brings together the Network's Press and PR specialists.  Meetings provide an opportunity for partners to share updates on journalist familisarisation visits, press enquiries and current press releases.  This group reports to the Marketing and PR Working Group.

• Digital Marketing Action Group

The Digital Marketing Action Group has been set up to address the increased importance of digital and e-communication across the Network's marketing strategies.  The group which is made up of representatives from One North East and each of the ATPs with responsibility for website management, search engine optimisation and CRM database management.  This group reports to the Marketing and PR Working Group. 

• Information Collection Action Group

The Information Collection Action Group is made up of the Data Stewards from each Area Tourism Partnership and representatives from the One North East Information Network Unit.  The group  is responsible for agreeing and overseeing the delivery of the Network's Information Collection Plan that sets out the targets for collecting and inputting product information into the Desti.ne database which in turn supplies information to a range of tourism websites including Visit Britain, Visit North East England and the ATP websites.  It reports to the Desti.ne Operations Group.