Discover Winchester appoints new destination PR partner

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

Liz Lean PR (LLPR) has been appointed as the chosen PR partner for Discover Winchester, a consortium of strategic stakeholders operating under Visit Winchester.

 

The agency, which is headquartered in Dorset and has satellite offices in London and France, was selected following a competitive pitch. Its team will operate the destination press office for Winchester, sourcing and securing media opportunities for Discover Winchester members.

 

LLPR is delivering a strategic communications strategy for the consortium to engage with target audiences through editorial coverage. The agency has been briefed to promote the city as a vibrant and cultured destination for families, couples, and groups.

 

Liz Willingham, managing director at LLPR, said: “We are delighted to have been chosen to represent Discover Winchester. The city and its surrounding district are a real haven for cultural discovery, independent shopping, and family-friendly activity. We feel incredibly privileged to be able to support the Visit Winchester team in celebrating all that the city and rural areas has to offer on a national and international stage.”

 

Discover Winchester currently represents a range of major attractions in Winchester including Hampshire Cultural Trust, Winchester College, Winchester Science Centre, Winchester BID, and Marwell Zoo.

 

Councillor Lucille Thompson, Cabinet Member for Business and Culture at Winchester City Council, said: “Winchester’s visitor industry is a valuable contributor to the overall economy of Winchester district, and we’re excited to work with the LLPR team to further support businesses across the sector. Their proposed innovative press and PR campaigns will target new and traditional media channels, showcasing our extensive visitor offer to existing and new audiences.”   

 

A major element of the PR brief for Discover Winchester is to support the promotion of activities associated with the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth next year.

 

LLPR's appointment comes as part of Winchester City Council’s continued commitment to marketing and promoting the district as a visitor destination. Visit Winchester has also recently launched a new website to showcase its diverse, cultured offering on a refreshed user-friendly platform.

 

Demonstrating its credentials in the sector, LLPR won at the 2024 Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Excellence Awards. The company was praised for its ‘Best Day Ever’ tourism campaign for Paultons Park, taking home the Beauty, Fashion, and Lifestyle trophy.

LLPR is a reputation-first communications agency founded in 1998 that supports firms across a range of sectors with services including public relations, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, crisis management, social media, influencer engagement, and event management.