Let’s work together to boost coastal tourism in England.

Last week we released the Vision for the coast, an exciting initiative informed by the views of more than one hundred coastal destination representatives, business leaders, academics and leading tourism organisations. These views, gathered and discussed at our first annual Coastal Tourism Forum last year, combined with valuable research have helped us form this document. Our aim is to work with coastal tourism businesses and destinations to help develop tourism on the coast in a holistic and collaborative way, giving coastal tourism a new stronger voice and creating a positive change in perceptions. You can read the full press release here.

So, what’s inside the Vision document?

We offer two versions, a short four page summary and action plan, and the complete Coastal Visitor Economy -Vision, Strategy and Action Plan.

The following sections appear in the full version of the Vision document.

Executive Summary

Current Situation

Within this section we give a brief overview of the state of coastal tourism in England, dissecting the strengths of the coastal offer and explaining its challenges, we offer realistic opportunities for growth and also the threats that need to be overcome.

Vision

We explain the 4 main objectives:

  • Improving the Visitor Economy to support wider sustainable growth
  • Develop a quality experience, distinctive activities and places to visit
  • Greater working together
  • Presenting a positive image of the coast

The Action Plan

This gives a breakdown of our objectives and a range of actions for their completion, these are to be delivered by a working group comprising industry leaders, business owners and tourism experts; alongside is an indication of the funding required to make it happen. We then discuss the priorities for action and ways to measure impact moving forward, ending with a list of critical factors for success. Also included are the priorities for action for the industry.

How do I access the documents?

You can access the short and full document for free on our Resource Hub here.

Our Resource Hub is free to use, simply sign up for a wealth of information for coastal destinations and tourism businesses alike, from best practice guides to latest research and statistics; you can expect how-to guides, useful videos and plenty more.

The Vision in the media

“Tourism body calls for sea change in coastal tourism”TravelGBI

“Setting a new vision for English seaside towns” Coastal Communities Alliance

"Setting a new vision for English seaside towns" Travel Daily News International

Southport Online news