Back in the early part of the 18th Century, Bath was the must visit destination for the fashionable classes. And at the very centre of the city, the flamboyant, self appointed Master of Ceremonies, Beau Nash, was the person who managed proceedings. It was Beau Nash who set out the rules for how society should behave; he personally greeted all visitors and was responsible for making sure that Bath remained the most desirable of leisure destinations.
Three hundred years later, as we assess the role of destination management, it is remarkable to see the similarities between Georgian Bath and Bath today.
Beau Nash encouraged the building of attractions. The Assembly Rooms were built with his support and encouragement to host entertainment which was the 'hot ticket' of the day.
He organised events. He brought the latest musicians down from London and encouraged dancing and gambling. He created spectacles in the Pleasure Gardens.
He created programme itineraries which set out how visitors might spend their time. His fashionable promenades might be seen as the equivalent of today's walking tours.
He was very aware about the importance of marketing. He knew what would appeal to visitors and knew how to grab people's attention. And he knew that word of mouth was great publicity.
He was innovative and recognised that creating unique offers was key. He encouraged the mixing of classes in social circles which was unheard of elsewhere. In doing so, he created and maintained Bath as a 'must visit' destination of the 18th Century.
Three hundreds years on and fashions have changed. But it's interesting to see how the principles which Beau Nash used to establish a successful and thriving visitor destination are still the very same.
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