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The Staffordshire Council are discussing a 10-year plan to increase tourism in Staffordshire by keeping Alton Towers open all year round. The theme park would create more jobs and more long-term positions if it were open all year meaning that living standards in the area will improve due to having more disposable income. Yet, I also believe that Alton Towers could lower the amount of visitors if they were open all year round as this would evenly distribute the traffic however, if Alton Towers were to be open all year round they would need an attraction to get tourists to visit, this could be an indoor rollercoaster or other events. Customers' top complaint is that the lines are too long, which makes the day miserable. The park is also close to other local attractions, such as Wildlife Park. I believe that Alton Towers could cooperate with Amazing Walls and Wetley Moor Alpacas and provide a combined ticket price. This would entice tourists to stay for more than a single day in the region therefore spending more money contributing the local economy.

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Legal Matters In 2015, four people were injured in an accident involving one of the attraction's most popular rides. As a result, the park was closed due to an ongoing investigation. However, in the months that followed, it was reported that the attraction's visitor numbers dropped significantly. This meant that local businesses that profited from the theme parks had started to suffer such as the shops in Alton that people also visited whilst visiting Alton Towers. Therefore, if something similar happens again in the future, it could have a negative impact on local businesses that rely on tourism from tourists visiting Alton Towers as the accident that occurred in 2015 saw visitor numbers decrease by 11.4%.

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Through employment, Alton Towers contributes to the local community. Alton Towers approximately employs 2,500 local people. During 2019, Alton Towers made £1.74 billion, which has a positive impact on the local area because the money spent at the attractions gets spent locally as wages; this is known as the multiplier effect. As of now, jobs at Alton Towers are seasonal and this isn't beneficial because people become unemployed at other times in the year. However, a 10 year plan is being discussed, which will boost tourism in Staffordshire by having Alton Towers open all year long; this enables for more jobs to be generated and more permanent positions. I also think that if Alton Towers were to be open all year, they could reduce the number of tourists, who enter as customers and complain often about long queues, which ruins their day. By having the attraction open all year, it spreads out the number of visitors throughout, which will also benefit the environment as there will be less congestion and this is a positive impact on the local community. Also nearby is Wildlife Park, a local attraction. Alton Towers could offer a combined ticket price with Awesome Walls and Wetley Moor Alpacas, if they worked along side them. This would encourage visitors to spend more than one day in the local area. As well as contributing to the local economy, Alton Towers supports other local businesses in the area by generating consistent tourism flows. The more money that Alton Towers generates will benefit the local area and will contribute to the local GDP; with more money, the local area can improve their infrastructure which could include new buildings such as hotels, roads and railways which will benefit the local people in terms of accessibility and jobs.

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Alton Towers has fundraising events throughout the year, from McMillion Coffee Morning charity bake sales and fun family nights, to memorabilia auctions to raise significant funds to support Merlin's wand and other charities and campaigns. Alton Towers Resort also makes local donations to support Staffordshire charities and community projects, provides lodging experiences for children of local hospice and end-of-life care beneficiaries, and provides educational support including the Princes Trust. and training programs. Events hosted by Alton Towers are positive because they involve locals and encourage locals to join their vision of tourism. By supporting the local community in this way, both brand and appeal are perceived positively. Alton Towers considers Drayton Manor a competitor. Drayton Manor offers wedding packages. This is something Alton Towers do not currently offer. More and more people want to have their wedding in a unique location, so I think this should be taken into consideration as they could work with local suppliers.

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Alton Tower uses technology for many reasons. Technology enables businesses to reach more customers, serve more customers, and communicate better. Visitors can book online prior to their visit and scan their tickets in the form of a QR code on the site. Additionally, in 2019, Alton Towers teamed up with Coca-Cola to pilot a self-driving robot that delivers drinks to customers. Technology attracts customers and makes things more convenient, but the negative impact is that Alton Towers uses technology instead of using humans for some tasks, even though it employs local staff, for example Selling tickets and scanning tickets upon entry requires less manpower as technology takes its place. This will have a negative impact on local employment in the area. But a positive effect that technology has had on communities is that people are now able to book tickets online, and fewer vehicles line up in villages to buy same-day tickets. this would have a positive impact as it would avoid traffic congestion in the area.

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Each year, Alton Towers invests in green initiatives such as LED lighting, solar power, variable speed drives and water efficiency management at attractions to reduce carbon emissions and climate change. There are many things Alton Towers is doing now to address climate issues. They are avoiding landfills wherever possible by investing in renewable assets on site and recycling waste to generate energy. The attraction has also contributed to reducing plastic pollution and is now committed to removing single-use plastic from its attractions. One example is when they phased out plastic straws in 2018. These initiatives can raise awareness of environmental issues and benefit the environment. This is also good as some tourists are motivated to visit certain attractions if they do something for the environment.

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Merlin Entertainments | Communities
Merlin Entertainments | Environment
https://notlost.com/the-secret-to-enhancing-customer-experience-at-your-visitor-attraction-this-halloween/
Impacts of Tourism Revision Notes B.pdf (goldington.beds.sch.uk)
Popular wedding venue types UK 2019 | Statista
Alton Towers rollercoaster crash: villagers wait for trade to return | UK news | The Guardian