Visit Exmoor and Best of Exmoor have announced a new partnership that will make it easier for visitors to book accommodation across Exmoor, while supporting local accommodation providers and helping to strengthen the area’s visitor economy.
The partnership sees the launch of Visit Exmoor’s new accommodation hub, bringing together every way visitors can find and book a stay on Exmoor in one easy to navigate place.
At the heart of the new hub is a new accommodation booking platform, developed exclusively for Visit Exmoor by Best of Exmoor. Alongside this, visitors can also search accommodation availability with businesses that prefer to take direct bookings, browse Visit Exmoor’s accommodation directory and explore local holiday cottage companies.
Rather than promoting a single way to book, the accommodation hub has been designed to support the whole accommodation sector, recognising that different businesses have different ways of working while making it much easier for visitors to plan their stay.
Businesses choosing to use the new booking platform do not pay any additional commission to Visit Exmoor. Visit Exmoor members also receive an enhanced profile within the booking platform, giving them additional visibility as part of the benefits of membership.
Emma Thomasson, Chief Executive of Visit Exmoor, said:
“Our role is to support the whole visitor economy and that means supporting every accommodation business, whatever booking model works best for them. Some businesses want visitors to book directly, some work through holiday cottage companies and others want the convenience of an integrated booking platform. This new accommodation hub brings all of those options together in one place, making it easier for visitors whilst respecting the choices businesses make.”
“We’re particularly pleased that this has been developed in partnership with another Exmoor business. By working together we’ve created something that genuinely benefits the whole destination. Businesses using the platform don’t pay any additional commission to Visit Exmoor, our members receive enhanced visibility within the platform, and any income generated can be reinvested into promoting Exmoor and supporting the visitor economy. It’s another example of local organisations collaborating to deliver practical benefits for local businesses.”
Chris Lister, Founder of Best of Exmoor, said:
“From the beginning, this has been about creating something that works for Exmoor. Visit Exmoor already inspires thousands of people to visit the area every year and this partnership creates a natural next step by making it easier for those visitors to turn that inspiration into a booking.”
“We’re proud to have developed the platform exclusively for Visit Exmoor and to be working alongside them on a solution that supports businesses of every size. By combining local knowledge with technology, we’ve created a better experience for visitors while helping more bookings stay within the local economy.”
The partnership forms part of Visit Exmoor’s wider commitment to supporting accommodation providers and encouraging sustainable growth across the visitor economy. The accommodation hub gives businesses greater visibility, provides visitors with more choice and creates a simple, joined up journey from inspiration through to booking.
As the partnership develops, Visit Exmoor and Best of Exmoor will continue working with accommodation providers across the area to refine the platform, respond to feedback and encourage even more businesses to benefit from the opportunities it offers.
The new accommodation hub is now live on the Visit Exmoor website, providing visitors with a single place to discover and book accommodation across Greater Exmoor.
Notes to editors
Visit Exmoor is the destination management organisation for Greater Exmoor, promoting the area to visitors while supporting tourism businesses, destination marketing and sustainable growth across the visitor economy.
Best of Exmoor is an Exmoor based accommodation booking platform dedicated to helping visitors discover and book places to stay across the region while supporting local accommodation businesses.
