Tourism strategy to bring more money and jobs to Brighton and Hove

The Visitor Economy Strategy, going before the Brighton and Hove City Council tourism, development and culture committee on Thursday (September 27) is aimed at bringing in more money and jobs.

Target areas in the plan include bringing in more conferences and encouraging more year-round visitors.

More overnight and midweek high-spending leisure and business visitors are described in the report to councillors as key to developing the tourism industry.

The new plans aims to: improve the environment; create sustainable tourism growth; develop a strong place brand; and invest in partnerships.

Brighton’s current brand identity is ‘a creative city with a blend of modern culture and exotic architecture, sea and countryside, and a distinctive free-spirited atmosphere you won’t find anywhere else’, the report said.

A new identity would look to include health, history and the environment.

Tourism supports 21,760 ‘actual’ jobs according to the report going before the committee.

In 2016 tourism was worth £886 million to businesses in the city, with more than nine million day trippers and one-and-a-half million overnight and overseas visitors.

Brighton and Hove receives twice as many daytrippers as competitors such as Cambridge, Bournemouth and Southend.

More than 1,000 small businesses are involved in the tourism industry in some way.

The council is described in the report as ‘delivering a significant proportion of the tourism product’ in the city.

Key areas the council is responsible for include historic houses, museums, visitor information services, conference venues, the seafront, outdoor events, parks, highways, signs and public toilets.

The report said: “It [the council] has a major impact on the visitor experience through the decisions it makes in terms of planning, development, conservation and transport issues and through its environmental health, trading standards and licensing roles.

“The council also supports the city’s tourism businesses through many of its communications and marketing activities and in particular through the work of Visit Brighton, positioning and promoting the destination as a leading tourist destination.”

The tourism, development and culture committee is due to meet at Hove Town Hall at 4pm on Thursday, September 27. The meeting is open to the public.

Sarah Booker-Lewis is the Local Democracy Reporter for Brighton & Hove.

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