Resort regeneration is primarily the responsibility of local government, and although tourism can often be the catalyst for regeneration, it is not the only, or even prime solution in every instance.
DCMS works to get tourism mainstreamed into wider Government thinking. The Government expressed its commitment to the regeneration of seaside resorts in 'Tomorrow's Tourism' (1999) and continues to recognise the significance of tourism to coastal economies. Trips to the seaside represent an important sector of domestic tourism.
Following 'Tomorrow's Tourism', the English Tourism Council (ETC) set up an industry-led taskforce to be addressed in order to assist the revival of England's seaside towns. The report 'Sea Changes', produced in February 2001, made several recommendations to those involved in regeneration, including Local Authorities, Regional bodies and Central Government.
Two important publications on resorts were published in 2003. 'Shifting Sands', a joint CABE/English Heritage publication, highlighted the importance of good design to resort regeneration. 'The Seaside Economy' was published by Sheffield Hallam University. This was an extremely valuable study of the economies of seaside towns. Its results challenged many of the accepted common assumptions about resorts. The Hallam research did not find a general picture of decline; in fact between 1971 and 2001 the resorts featured in the report had gained 320,000 new jobs. They had also received a net increase in population of 366,000 though many of these new residents were not economically active. The report showed that many resorts were economically successful and continued to be considered desirable places to relocate. However, there were also spots of real deprivation.
DCMS continues to support resorts in a number of ways:
- Funding VisitBritain to promote Britain overseas and England domestically. In 2003 VisitBritain, in conjunction with the English Marketing Advisory Board, published its England marketing strategy.
- The Regional Development Agencies have been given strategic regional responsibility for tourism and have been charged to mainstream it into their economic planning.
- As tourism advocate, DCMS will ensure tourism's interests are represented in Government; this will benefit those with tourism-driven economies.
DCMS is also working with a cross-government Ministerial group, chaired by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, examining ways that departments can work colloboratively for the benefit of seaside communities.
DCMS has observer status with the British Resorts Association and attends its meetings to keep up to date on the concerns of resort managers and to inform them of government policies and activity.
