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Devon has a brand identity issue with German tourists who think it's part of Cornwall
By Oli_Vergnault | Posted: December 03, 2016
We all know how much German tourists love Cornwall.
They simply can't get enough of the place and love anything the Duchy has to offer from its rugged coastline to its fantastic rural scenery, from its food to its history and heritage - and they would be right to of course.
But their love of all things Cornish may be too encompassing for the like of Devon, which is often ending up bundled together with its superior neighbour and branded as just Cornwall.
And who could blame our German visitors, tourists and friends? It has been (almost) scientifically proven that Cornwall is better than its neighbour on the other side of the Tamar.
So perhaps now is the time to drop any silly Devonwall nonsense and simply call the whole region - Cornwall.
It would certainly make it easier for German visitors to associate with and might even boost tourism to the region.
Whilst not advocating any regional rebranding in favour of Cornwall, Holger Lenz, the head of VisitBritain in Berlin, told Cornwall Live ahead of the first ever Cornwall Tourism Summit at the Royal Cornwall Showground in Wadebridge, that for many of his compatriots, Devon is often seen as the black sheep of the family in term of Westcountry identification.
He said: "Germany represents the biggest international market for Cornwall. For a mainly landlocked country such as Germany, Cornwall has such a massive appeal with Germans. They love the coastline. Walking is a widespread pastime in Germany and the South West Coast Path is beautiful and a great attraction.
"German visitors are interested in gardens, they love good food, history and heritage. Cornwall offers the perfect mixture for Germans."
He added: "However, there is a huge brand challenge in Germany. Devon is totally unknown in Germany. They think it's just part of Cornwall. The whole region is part of Cornwall. While it may be good for Cornwall, it's not so good for Devon."
The love affair our Germans friends have had with Rosamunde Pilcher's books over the past 20 years seems partly to blame for seeing the whole region as simply one big Cornwall.
Film crews have been spotted both in both counties filming some of 120 film adaptations of Pilcher's books, giving audiences perhaps the wrong idea that Torbay, Exeter, Barnstaple or god forbid Plymouth, are part of one Great Duchy of Cornwall.
Mr Lenz said direct flights from Dusseldorf and Frankfort Hahn to Newquay had also helped boost the Duchy's appeal making it much easier to access.
He said: "These direct flights from Germany to Cornwall have really helped bring more visitors into the Duchy. Otherwise it is difficult to reach and would involve long drives or a change of planes. Direct access has certainly helped get people here."
Asked what his favourite Cornish place is, Mr Lenz said: "St Michael's Mount and the Lost Gardens of Heligan. I just love gardens."
http://www.cornwalllive.com/devon-h...-of-cornwall/story-29953168-detail/story.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosamunde_Pilcher
By Oli_Vergnault | Posted: December 03, 2016
We all know how much German tourists love Cornwall.
They simply can't get enough of the place and love anything the Duchy has to offer from its rugged coastline to its fantastic rural scenery, from its food to its history and heritage - and they would be right to of course.
But their love of all things Cornish may be too encompassing for the like of Devon, which is often ending up bundled together with its superior neighbour and branded as just Cornwall.
And who could blame our German visitors, tourists and friends? It has been (almost) scientifically proven that Cornwall is better than its neighbour on the other side of the Tamar.
So perhaps now is the time to drop any silly Devonwall nonsense and simply call the whole region - Cornwall.
It would certainly make it easier for German visitors to associate with and might even boost tourism to the region.
Whilst not advocating any regional rebranding in favour of Cornwall, Holger Lenz, the head of VisitBritain in Berlin, told Cornwall Live ahead of the first ever Cornwall Tourism Summit at the Royal Cornwall Showground in Wadebridge, that for many of his compatriots, Devon is often seen as the black sheep of the family in term of Westcountry identification.
He said: "Germany represents the biggest international market for Cornwall. For a mainly landlocked country such as Germany, Cornwall has such a massive appeal with Germans. They love the coastline. Walking is a widespread pastime in Germany and the South West Coast Path is beautiful and a great attraction.
"German visitors are interested in gardens, they love good food, history and heritage. Cornwall offers the perfect mixture for Germans."
He added: "However, there is a huge brand challenge in Germany. Devon is totally unknown in Germany. They think it's just part of Cornwall. The whole region is part of Cornwall. While it may be good for Cornwall, it's not so good for Devon."
The love affair our Germans friends have had with Rosamunde Pilcher's books over the past 20 years seems partly to blame for seeing the whole region as simply one big Cornwall.
Film crews have been spotted both in both counties filming some of 120 film adaptations of Pilcher's books, giving audiences perhaps the wrong idea that Torbay, Exeter, Barnstaple or god forbid Plymouth, are part of one Great Duchy of Cornwall.
Mr Lenz said direct flights from Dusseldorf and Frankfort Hahn to Newquay had also helped boost the Duchy's appeal making it much easier to access.
He said: "These direct flights from Germany to Cornwall have really helped bring more visitors into the Duchy. Otherwise it is difficult to reach and would involve long drives or a change of planes. Direct access has certainly helped get people here."
Asked what his favourite Cornish place is, Mr Lenz said: "St Michael's Mount and the Lost Gardens of Heligan. I just love gardens."
http://www.cornwalllive.com/devon-h...-of-cornwall/story-29953168-detail/story.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosamunde_Pilcher