Research trip for tourism students

Second year students from the International Tourism Management BA(Hons) course visited the historic town of Lewes to see what it had on offer.

Although the weather was not pleasant with rains and hailstones, it did not stop the students and lecturers. Future students, just a little tip when going on trips: wear suitable clothes for both sunshine and rain!

The students are doing an accessible tourism planning study in partnership with Lewes District Council and its Regeneration Project Manager, Jackie Blackwell. They are spending several days visiting Lewes to assess any access issues with the town’s attractions, streets, café’s, accommodation and transport.

The first problem noticed by students during the trip was the steep roads and narrow pathways and further research will be done by the students in groups in May. They will gather data and information working with the residents and businesses of Lewes. The result of their research will be presented to Jackie Blackwell who will use it to improve the issues identified by the students.

Jackie Blackwell met the group and gave a presentation about tourism planning issues in Lewes which they are looking to develop and improve with the help of the students’ research.

Jackie Blackwell, Regeneration Project Manager confirmed the importance of the students research: “The piece of research that we would like you to undertake will make a difference. I wanted it to be a project that would add value to what we are already doing.

We already have our strategy in place but we’re working closely with a partnership, to be able to try and give them some information that would help them to do a bid, so the work that you do will really make a difference not just to the partnership, but actually to the people that are coming to the town.”

Student Bernadette Aquino said: “The trips give us experience in a tourism related industry. It will help us improve our initiatives to identify issues and help with decision making when deciding on how to improve a destination. We experienced group work, working with the public to gather their opinions on tourism in Lewes and many sectors including attractions, travel, accommodation and food.”