Google was in Torquay this week offering local businesses and residents free digital skills training as part of its pop-up ‘Digital Garage’ coastal tour. Their exports taught tourism and hospitality businesses how to use online media to attract even more visitors and grow their business.
The event was Google’s second visit to the South West, following a successful event in Penzance earlier in the week. First launched in Leeds in 2015, Google’s Digital Garage initiative has already helped give more than 150,000 people across the country the digital skills to succeed with many small and medium businesses reporting growth boosted by digital skills.
With most travel bookings starting with online research, digital skills have become essential to understanding a customer’s purchase journey. For example, studies show that 84% of leisure travellers haven’t decided on an accommodation provider when they start planning a trip. Since they still have an open mind about where they’ll go and who they’ll book with, businesses have an opportunity to use digital tools to make an impression, and inspire potential customers about their destination.
A recent survey by Columbus Direct found that four in five Brits admire the coast for its ‘beautiful, unspoilt beaches and coastline with lots of natural beauty’ yet more than half of them have not visited the British seaside in the past three years. This shows a real opportunity for hospitality businesses and tourist centres to use the power of online tools to find new visitors, take advantage of the recent boost in ‘staycations’ and even think about how to encourage more overseas visitors.
Google’s Digital Garage employs experts to provide one-to-one free mentoring and workshops to anyone interested in learning or furthering their digital skills. Those who attended the event at the Princess Theatre in Torquay included a range of local businesses who wanted to improve their digital skills in order to succeed online.
Speaking at the Digital Garage Torbay MP Kevin Foster said: “Ensuring Torbay’s businesses can connect with customers who shop, book their travel and consult reviews online is vital if our bay is to attract the next generation of visitors to our coast. I am therefore delighted Google brought its Digital Garage to Torquay so local businesses could benefit from hearing about best practice and how to use the digital tools available to produce their own success stories.”
You can find out more about Google's Digital Garage by clicking here.