​Tourism Minister launches coastal tourism report

Tourism Minister David Evennett gave his solid support and commitment for coastal tourism today when he launched our new report 2016 Coastal Tourism to a packed room of tourism industry representatives and organisations.

“I’m here to champion tourism so it’s encouraging to hear that seaside tourism is showing signs of growth,” he said.

“We need to encourage more employment on the coast particularly among young people and raise awareness of what there is to do in our seaside resorts particularly for international visitors.

“Britain’s coastline is a beautiful and valuable asset and this report underlines the importance of seaside tourism not only to local communities but the nation’s economy as a whole.”

The report reveals that seaside tourism has regained its pole position as England’s largest holiday sector for overnight trips and despite often being seen as an industry in decline, it’s worth £8bn to the economy.

The coast attracts 13.7m trips and represents nearly one third of overnight holiday stays in England.

However, as the report highlights, there remain a number of significant challenges.

“While there’s no doubt that the coastline is much-loved and cherished by the nation, for many it’s not a high priority,” said NCTA director Samantha Richardson.

“What’s needed is stronger communication with clear messages, carefully targeted for their audience.”

Read more on the opportunities and key findings for coastal destinations in our 2016 Coastal Tourism report here