Expanding partnerships: strengthening sustainable tourism across the region

We are pleased to welcome Visit West as a supporting member of Bristol Climate & Nature Partnership, helping power our work across the city and West of England. In this interview, Kathryn Davis, CEO of Visit West since 2022, shares their insights on the important role sustainable tourism can play in supporting people and place to thrive.

As Visit West’s CEO and sustainability champion, why do you feel it’s important that the tourism industry gets involved in climate and nature action?

This is everyone’s responsibility. Tourism often is scapegoated for poor destination management and for its climate impact, but for my entire career, I have been lucky to work with inspirational people who have demonstrated the economic, social and cultural value of tourism, and how it is possible to have a regenerative approach to ensuring that tourism can be a force for good.

Nature and natural landscapes are critical parts of a place’s appeal, and so we need to work in partnership with many stakeholders to ensure that climate action and sustainability is a starting point, not a consideration that sits to the side of strategic objectives.

How does Visit West currently support sustainable tourism within the West of England region?

We are part of a national working group with other core cities who have been at the forefront of working with representatives from the GDS Index (a global benchmark that evaluates and ranks destinations based on their sustainability performance) and have been involved in projects with Meet England and Visit England, where we explore and share best practice and opportunities. We have worked with and continue to work with organisations such as Green Tourism, The Travel Foundation and FutureLeap, as well as Bristol Climate & Nature Partnership and others to provide advice and support to make things easier for businesses to engage.

In addition to working with and supporting our business community, we also promote good choices for visitors; from travelling to and moving around the destinations and regions, to promoting and supporting local suppliers. Our work extends to supporting the development of sustainable visitor experiences through product development, so that we ensure that the benefits of the visitor economy reach beyond the city centre.

You have been involved in Bristol’s tourism industry throughout your career; have you noticed a change in appetite for sustainable opportunities?

Yes, but I also think sustainability is in the DNA of this area. Through some early work with colleagues, we had strong engagement from the business community in the take up of third-party accreditation to help communicate what people were doing to support sustainable development, and to learn further.  Strong sustainable businesses by their very nature are more place-based and unique. Part of the strength of our tourism offer has been our independent business sector and our strong business network.

While it’s great to see sustainable tourism become more mainstream, it’s important to celebrate that Bristol businesses were early adopters, because ethically it was the right thing to do. There are always opportunities to learn and develop though from other destinations. There are incredible places in Scandinavia, Europe and Asia who are leading the way in sustainability, in part because they value tourism and its importance as a critical part of their national and local economies.

How would you say Bristol’s sustainable tourism compares to the wider UK industry?

It’s difficult to compare, as different parts of the country have different needs and the best sustainable tourism is place aligned.  However, in terms of cities, last year we saw Manchester surpass our position in the GDS index as the leading English destination. This should be a wakeup call that we can’t take things for granted and we need to invest more in the Local Visitor Economy Partnership to support the wider destination ambition.

We will begin to develop a new tourism strategy for the region in 2026, with a strong focus on regenerative tourism, positioning visitor economy as a force for good; supporting jobs, supply chains and enabling businesses to thrive. Our proximity to coast and countryside, green and blue spaces, is critical to achieving this.

What are your hopes for Visit West’s partnership with Bristol Climate & Nature Partnership?

We have always loved and been inspired by the work of Bristol Climate & Nature Partnership. By working more closely through this partnership, we can develop new opportunities, challenge each other and ensure that we get the best outcomes for the place, its people and visitors.

Finally, what are three of your favourite places in Bristol?

It’s almost impossible to pick just three, so they are going to be a little bit general for which I am not at all sorry.

Gloucester Road – for its food culture in particular. A Saturday wander to pick up bread, cheese, fruit and vegetables, as well as so many delicious bakeries, is perfect.  Also, its proximity to Gloucestershire County Cricket Club for a T20 on a sunny Friday evening.

Harbourside – again a cheat, but it is the perfect place for a walk, where you can also pop into a gallery or museum, grab a local beer or a Swoon Gelato, or enjoy some of Bristol’s best restaurants. It’s a perfect people watching spot, and it is home to Watershed.

St Nicholas Market – more food, but also the best place to pick up a present, browse second handbooks and to be reminded that this is the heart of the old city. While there you are walking in hundreds of years of Bristolian and visitor footsteps. Other highlights are the three hands on the clockface, and the amazing tour.

If you would like to support our work to build a zero-carbon, nature-rich, socially just future for our city and region, contact Hannah our Head of Business Development, to discuss partnership opportunities.