Bournemouth rated best beach in UK

BOURNEMOUTH Beach in Dorset is named the best-rated beach in the UK in the Travellers’ Choice awards for Beaches, announced today by TripAdvisor, the site that helps you find the latest reviews and lowest prices.

Not just a favourite in the UK, #Bournemouth #beach also celebrates the title of fifth best-rated in Europe and 14th in the world, ranking above beaches in locations world famous for their miles of golden sands and crystal clear waters, including the Seychelles, Australia, Turkey and Sicily. 

Bournemouth’s seven mile stretch of sandy beach has something to offer everyone with its traditional seaside attractions, famous beach huts for hire, water sports and stunning views of the Isle of Wight and the Purbecks. The bay also boasts its own micro-climate, giving it some of the warmest sea temperatures in the UK.

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Science by the seaside

THE British Science Association (BSA) is pleased to announce that the British #Science Festival 2017 will take place in #Brighton September 5-9. The University of Brighton and the University of Sussex will co-host the Festival. The annual event is one of Europe’s leading and longest-established science festivals.

Visitors should expect to find talks, debates, workshops and performances about cutting-edge science from world-leading academics. Topics will cover the whole scientific spectrum including technology, engineering and social sciences.

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Eastbourne celebrates seaside nostalgia

#SUMMER holidays in the UK’s sunniest place are being celebrated by Heritage #Eastbourne in a free ‘Vintage Summer Holidays’ exhibition at the Redoubt Fortress, Open until September 5, it illustrates the resort’s journey from a Victorian seaside ‘tennis town’ to a 1970’s mass market seaside town.

From arts and crafts, seaside holiday history, and Lewis Carroll’s holidays in Eastbourne to archive film footage of Eastbourne holidays from yesteryear, the exhibition celebrates the town’s reputation as a bustling seaside resort.

Visitors will discover what brought holiday-makers to Eastbourne from as early as the 1870’s, when health vacations and sporting breaks were popular, through to the 1900’s when people travelled from far and wide to spend lazy summer holidays on the beach.

Children can get hands-on by making postcards and holiday memorabilia, while parents can relax in the parade ground with a coffee from the vintage Outpost café.

There’s a photo-booth section in which visitors can put on a sunhat and a moustache, pose in a deckchair and re-create a vintage photograph from a past holiday, and visitors can read the diary of a young Victorian girl holidaying in 1873 and discover what family holidays were like in 19th century Eastbourne.

The exhibition is open daily, 10am-5pm.

www.EastbourneMuseums.co.uk

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St.Ives Britain’s ‘most expensive’ resort

ST. IVES in #Cornwall is the most expensive #seaside resort in Britain, according to a survey by Cheaprooms.co.uk, which compared prices in 30 popular coastal destinations. 

The results were compiled based on the average price for the cheapest available double room in a hotel or guest house during the month of August. Only properties located within walking distance of a beach and rated at least three stars were considered.

With an average rate of £164 per night, St. Ives tops the league. Oban, on the west coast of Scotland, and Poole, on the south coast of England, are second and third, with average rates of £132 and £128 respectively.

At the cheaper end of the scale, with an average rate of £42 per night, Blackpool ranks as the most affordable UK destination. Other inexpensive places to feature include Swansea (£56) and Llandudno (£52) in Wales.

Britain’s top 10 expensive resorts

1. St. Ives (Cornwall) £164

2. Oban (Scotland) £132

3. Poole (Dorset) £128

4. Falmouth (South Cornwall) £113

5. Sidmouth (Devon) £112

6. Bude (North Cornwall) £84

7. Brighton (East Sussex) £84

8. Whitby (North Yorkshire) £84

9. Bournemouth (Dorset) £84

10. Portrush (Northern Ireland) £84


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‘Seaside Czar’ can turn the tide and revive resorts

THE British Hospitality Association (BHA) says a Seaside Czar should be appointed ‘to help Britain’s forgotten seaside towns fight back from decades of decay’.

Called Creating Coastal Powerhouses, the report says businesses in seaside towns are more likely to fail – especially if they provide accommodation – and urges the government to create Coastal Enterprise Zones to encourage investment.

The report says people living in seaside towns are more likely to be poorly educated, unemployed, unemployable, lacking in ambition, claiming benefits, and living in multiple occupation housing.

A separate survey, conducted by Bourne Leisure, found that more than half of the British public have not visited the British seaside in the past three years, and 65% believe that the British seaside is run down and in need of investment.

Nine out of the 10 most deprived neighbourhoods in the UK are seaside communities, according to the Department for Communities and Local Government 2015 Index of Multiple Deprivation.

The report highlights several reasons for the decline, including the collapse of shipbuilding and fishing, the demise of the traditional annual holiday by the seaside, growing drug use, and cutbacks in budgets affecting maintenance of public places, street cleaning, and tourism promotion.

The BHA cites the successful regeneration of Folkestone in Kent and the Jurassic Coast in Dorset and East Devon as examples of how the British seaside can recover.

Ufi Ibrahim, chief executive of the BHA, said: ‘Our members recognize the problems facing many coastal communities, but we also know there are fantastic opportunities to boost these places and help revive the Great British Seaside holiday.

‘250 million visits are already made to the UK’s coast each year, generating £17 billion to the economy. But we know there is a lot more to do – and that can only happen with a concerted effort by a committed government and the private sector. Together we can turn the tide and bring a smile back to the seaside.

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Blackpool – More overnight stays as visitors happier

VISITORS to #Blackpool are staying longer and are happier with their #holiday, according to the latest Omnibus survey for the first four months of the year. More than two million adults visited the resort between January and April. 

While the overall total of visits is roughly in line with 2015, there has been a dramatic increase in the ratio of staying visitors. More than 50% of those two million-plus visits included an overnight stay, up from 36% last year – the highest proportion of overnight stays since 2011.

Visitor satisfaction ratings with the resort increased, too, with 87% of visitors saying that they enjoyed their stay in the town – up from 79% over the same period last year.

Early indicators also show businesses enjoying a bumper month for trading in May, particularly during the school half term holidays, making up for the wet Easter holidays.

Sales of the Blackpool Resort Pass also jumped, with more than 2,000 sold between January and April, while the number of unique visitors to the Visit Blackpool website broke records again, with 339,000 people visiting the site in the first four months of the year.

In-bound rail passengers to the resort increased by 10%, while the number of tram passengers rose to more than one million between January and April.

Visitors surveyed cited the town’s coastal location and the Pleasure Beach theme park as their two top reasons for visiting the resort in the spring months.

In total, visitors to Blackpool contribute £1.33 billion to the local economy, supporting some 24,000 jobs.

www.visitblackpool.com


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£90 million boost for coastal tourism

THE UK GOVERNMENT has made £90 million available for coastal areas over the next four years to help boost tourism, create jobs, and provide training.

Grants of between £50,000 and £4 million are available to organizations such as coastal community teams, charities, local councils, development agencies, enterprise partnerships, private companies, and voluntary groups.

Communities secretary Greg Clark said: ‘We’re investing £90 million in exciting new business ideas across our much-loved seaside areas – bringing not just a wave of enthusiasm but also creating thousands of good new jobs, too. With grants of up to £4 million available, I’d urge our coastal entrepreneurs and communities to get involved.’

The £90 million fund will be additional to the £120 million the government has already made available via the Coastal Communities Fund.

Previous investments by the fund include £1.9 million to Blackpool City Council to transform its illuminations, and £500,000 to Hastings Borough Council to improve the seafront and visitor attractions. Scarborough’s market was awarded £2.7 million for refurbishments, and the Welsh National Sailing Academy and Event Centre in Pwllheli got £120,000 to create a sailing venue which brings an extra 10,000 visitors in a year. The National Coastal Tourism Academy in Bournemouth was awarded £2 million to set up a coastal activity park and train coastal businesses.

The academy’s annual report, Coastal Tourism 2016, shows that seaside tourism has regained its position as England’s largest domestic sector for overnight holiday trips. Seaside tourism is worth £8 billion to the economy, with 13.7 million seaside trips, making up nearly one third of overnight holiday stays in England.

The report suggests coastal communities can boost growth by attracting more off-season visitors, developing health and wellness breaks and reinventing seaside towns as business event destinations.

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Blackpool rocks for affluent Brits

A TWO-YEAR campaign to shift perceptions of #Blackpool has resulted in an increase in affluent tourists who want to visit the seaside town. 

The local tourist board launched the Blackpool's Back campaign in 2014, re-positioning it as a family resort, highlighting its world-renowned attractions.

Among ABC1 respondents who have seen the campaigns advertisements, 65% in the north and 67% in Scotland would consider a visit to Blackpool, compared to 51% and 44% respectively who hadn't. Visitor satisfaction rates are on the increase for the second year running, from 89% in 2014 to 93% in 2015 (84% 2013).

Summer 2015 saw the resort record the highest visitor figures in August for three years.

A revamped #Blackpoolhasitall campaign will run for a third year in 2016, with TV advertisements in Scotland and the north of England.

Head of the Blackpool Cluster for Merlin Entertainments, Kate Shane, said: ‘Now we've successfully shown that Blackpool is definitely back, we're ready to show that Blackpool has it all, too. There are lots of exciting developments this time around to encourage even more parents to come and share their own childhood memories, or create new ones together."

Statistics from Google show Blackpool is second-only to London in the most-searched-for destinations in the UK so far this year, with Stonehenge, Centerparcs and Bath making up the rest of the top five.

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More villa options in Sitges

RENTAL agency Sitges Hills Villas has added properties to its portfolio in response to rising demand for #villa #holidays this season. 
 
The agency specializes in high quality holiday properties in and around the popular seaside resort of #Sitges, south of Barcelona.

Commenting on the surge in bookings Ali Scriven, Sitges Hills Villas marketing director said: ‘Our business has grown every year, but the increase in demand this year is exceptional and we have had to move quickly to source new properties.

‘Sitges is a cultured and cosmopolitan resort that has avoided over-development and this, combined with its close proximity to Barcelona and other world-class tourist attractions, has helped to grow its international recognition.’
 
Sitges Hills Villas has more than 70 properties ranging from beach front apartments to luxury country properties sleeping up to 30 guests. Its services include gourmet food delivery, wine and cava tours, a personal chef, babysitters, transport, bicycle hire, and event tickets.
 
www.sitgeshillsvillas.com


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They do like to be beside the seaside …

MORE than half (58%) of Britons are expected take a holiday or short break on the coast this summer, according to the annual Travelodge holiday index. The report also claims that Britons will spend more than ever on their UK holidays this year. 

It estimated they will spend an average of £729 on their breaks ‘to give the UK economy a welcome boost of almost £20 billion, up from £16.5 billion last year’.

The report – which has surveyed 3,000 British adults for the past six years – shows that 2016 is set to be the biggest year for seaside breaks since the study started.

Coastal locations dominate the list of most popular destinations, with Cornwall rated top for the second consecutive year, followed by Devon (3rd), Blackpool (5th), Brighton (8th), and Scarborough (10th).

After seaside holidays, the second most popular type of UK trip is the city break, with the top locations including London, Edinburgh, Manchester, York, and Liverpool.

The third most popular type of holiday is in the countryside. Among the rural holiday hotspots for 2016 are the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales, Scottish Highlands, Norfolk Broads, and the Cotswolds.

The study claims more than two-thirds (67%) of Britons are taking a staycation break this year.

The average British family is taking a one-week holiday supplemented by four short breaks throughout the year.

A Travelodge spokeswoman said: ‘A new trend we are seeing is more Britons taking a three-in-one holiday. This includes taking a city, rural, and coastal break as part of a one-week holiday.’

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‘Lost generation’ unaware of seaside options

A STUDY claims English coastal destinations could see ‘significant growth’ if they focused more on attracting the young adult market. 

The National Coastal Tourism Academy (NCTA) report Coastal England: Are young people a lost generation’? cites independent research involving 12 in-depth interviews and a survey of 1,500 young people aged between 18 and 35. 

• Respondents were unsure of types of coastal destinations or what they could do when they got there 
• Almost three-quarters regard it with a sense of nostalgia 
• One third said they could not think of anywhere appealing 
• Four in five said they would rather visit elsewhere

Samantha Richardson, NCTA director, said: ‘This research could help transform the way in which coastal destinations view and communicate with this age group and highlights significant opportunities for growth that appeals to this market.

‘The results demonstrate that under-35s need access to the right information on what there is to do, the wide range of accommodation on offer, the interesting food, cultural activities, and itineraries and events tailored to this age group. What has also emerged is the need to target specific sectors for 18 to 35s, treating those with and without children differently.

‘Longer-term, there are real opportunities focused on active and wellness holidays. With the right product development and a drive on awareness, coastal destinations could see significant growth in these markets.’

The NCTA is a Coastal Communities Fund project that analyses the nature of coastal tourism to help boost jobs and the coastal tourism economy.

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Help needed to boost seaside tourism

THE importance of seaside tourism in Britain has been highlighted by the House of Commons’ Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee. In a report, it says the English coastline has towns and resorts which are growing in popularity – Bournemouth, Wadebridge, Deal, and Scarborough are given as good examples and other areas are suffering from years of decline. 

‘There are great contrasts’ the report states, ‘between those areas of growth and the areas of decline which are characterized by high unemployment (particularly among school leavers), tired infrastructure, with poor transport and digital connections. It is important that reversing the fortunes of these coastal areas remains a priority for the government.’

The committee said it would like to see funding for the National Coastal Tourism Academy, which has made a ‘great start in its work providing case studies and materials that could be adopted by seaside destinations’.

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Butlin’s to bring seaside apartments to Bognor Regis & Minehead

FOLLOWING the success of its seaside apartments at Skegness last year, #Butlin’s has confirmed it will introduce them to its Bognor Regis and Minehead resorts in 2016. 

The two- and three-bedroom apartments have open plan living areas, patios, balconies, kitchens, and shower rooms.

A four-night break at Butlin’s Minehead resort is priced from £79 per person, based on four people sharing a seaside apartment at Butlin’s Minehead in March.

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Seaside rollercoaster restored

BRITAIN’S oldest wooden rollercoaster – built in 1920 and now Grade II listed – has been restored and is back in action on the seafront in #Margate, Kent. 

The scenic railway fell into disrepair when the town’s Dreamland amusement park closed in 2006, and was destroyed in an arson attack in 2008. But leading restoration experts have spent more than a year re-building the roller coaster, retaining its original character while ensuring it meets 21st century standards.

Its restoration marks the completion of the new amusement park at #Dreamland, a £28 million development project with more than 17 restored rides and amusements recalling the golden age of the British seaside.

Eddie Kemsley, CEO of Dreamland, says: ‘The opening of the UK’s oldest wooden rollercoaster is another fantastic reason for people to come to Margate and to visit Dreamland. This historic milestone comes after the enormous success of the opening of the park, which contributed to a 55% increase in hotel stays in Margate, year on year.’ 

The rollercoaster – operated by a full-time brakeman – comprises more than 320 tons of timber, 100,000 screws, and a mile-long track.

www.dreamland.co.uk

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Welcome to Blackpool! …

… will be the message from the town’s Resort Ambassadors as they show visitors the way around Blackpool’s £2.4 million Lightpool project. 

The team, funded by a £2 million grant from the Coastal Communities Fund, will help direct people to exhibits that are coming to the town centre. It will also have a role outside the Illuminations season, welcoming people to the town, offering advice to visitors, and providing travel and tourism tips.

Lightpool will enhance the Illuminations using creative content, the most noticeable change being the introduction of projection mapping technology. As well as the display along the six mile stretch of Promenade, a projection show will adorn The Blackpool Tower buildings.

Coun. Gillian Campbell, deputy leader of Blackpool Council, said: ‘We’ve got a huge range of new features for this year, as well as returning favourites and community sections and, of course, our new #Lightpool project.’

The full display runs from September 4 to November 8.

*Blackpool’s first electric lighting was in 1879 when eight Siemens arc lamps illuminated the Promenade. The effect was described by Victorian visitors as ‘artificial sunshine’.

Leisure pass launched in Blackpool

#VISITBLACKPOOL has teamed with the Leisure Pass Group to introduce a credit card-style Blackpool Resort Pass, giving visitors faster and more convenient access to six featured attractions in the seaside resort.

Priced at £55 per person, the pass entitles customers to one visit over a seven-day period to each of the following:

Blackpool Pleasure Beach (including the rides)
Nickelodeon Land
Blackpool Tower Eye & 4D Experience
Blackpool Tower Dungeon
SEA LIFE Blackpool
Madame Tussauds Blackpool

Customers can upgrade to the Blackpool Resort Pass Plus (£80 per person), which adds Blackpool Zoo, Sandcastle Waterpark, and Blackpool Model Village & Gardens.

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Bournemouth tops seaside search league

TRAVEL interest to UK coastal destinations has increased by up to 64 per cent according to new data from hotel comparison site trivago.co.uk.

Hotel searches made during the hottest days (June 29-July 1) were compared to searches made the previous week. #Bournemouth emerged as the UK’s favourite seaside resort, followed by Blackpool, Brighton, Scarborough, and Whitby.

The most expensive coastal destination in July was St Ives in Cornwall, where an overnight stay cost an average of £160. This was followed by Poole (£140), Portsmouth (£127), Newquay (£117), and Brighton (£116).

The cheapest prices were found in Blackpool (average of £60 per night during July 2015), followed by Skegness (£62), Scarborough (£79), Weston-super-Mare, and Southend-on-Sea (both £82).

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