Keith Blundell

Keith has a thirty year career at the forefront of destination management in the UK. He became an independent consultant in 2012, after contributing to Liverpool’s success as Head of Tourism for the City Council, where he was responsible for managing relationships with the visitor economy sector, developing the city's Cruise Terminal and maximising the long term benefits of the European Capital of Culture 2008. Keith works independently, trading as Blue Chip Tourism, and as an associate with consultancies included TEAM-tourism & Amion. He has worked extensively throughout the UK in major destinations including Snowdonia, Pembrokeshire, Manchester, Liverpool and the Isle of Wight. Keith also developed shortlised UK City of Culture bids for Leicester (2013) and Stoke-on Trent (2016-17).

Consultancy specialisms include:
Destination management structures, income generation and funding models;
TBID and Levy expertise;
Arts/culture and tourism connections;
Strategic destination planning;
Alignment of destination/cultural strategies with wider city objectives and programmes ;
World Heritage Sites & Tourism;
UK City of Culture;
Cruise Tourism for Ports/Destinations;
Partnership development, stakeholder management & coordination.

Major projects include:

Destination Management Plan for Southampton;
Isle of Wight DBID;
Establishing a new DMO for Pembrokeshire;
Income Generation for the City of London;
International Gateway Feasibility Study and itinerary planning for Manchester;
Benefitting from Tourism Study for Gwynedd (Snowdonia);