Lancashire to shine in national VisitEngland coastal campaign

Marketing Lancashire and VisitEngland have launched its domestic coastal marketing campaign to drive breaks to all seaside destinations on England’s North West coast.

The £1m funded campaign, 'All on England's North West Coast', will feature key Lancashire destinations, and kicks off on 16 February.

The campaign is putting the spotlight on destinations, attractions, experiences and accommodation providers to build back demand for domestic breaks.

Stephanie Peacock MP, minister for tourism said: “The government is committed to championing our regions and reminding people of the great destinations right on their doorstep.

 “We are proud to shine a light on the stunning coastal resorts of the North West. These places have their own rich story to tell and deserve the jobs, investment and the pride that a thriving visitor economy brings.

“VisitEngland’s campaign is a key example of the necessary innovation and partnership needed to ensure the success of our domestic tourism sector.”

Andrew Stokes, VisitEngland director, said: “With warmer weather on the horizon now is the perfect time to consider booking a domestic break on England’s North West coast, boosting the economy and supporting jobs and local communities.

"Whether you are looking to connect with nature or revisit childhood memories, England’s North West coast has it all, with fantastic stories to tell and wonderful experiences and products for everyone to enjoy. 

"From restorative retreats to dune walks and forest trails and from theme parks and fish and chips on the pier to quirky museums and hidden art, there truly is a magical break for everyone.”

Vikki Harris, Marketing Lancashire Marketing and partnerships director, said: "Lancashire is blessed with 137miles of coastline, offering visitors an incredible mix of natural wildlife and biodiversity, cultural heritage and quirky tales, landmarks and historic gems.

"We have some of the country's favourite seaside resorts from the thrilling seaside superstar, Blackpool and the genteel delights of Lytham St Annes, to historic towns and villages such as Fleetwood, Heysham, Morecambe and Silverdale, each with their own unique story to tell.

"Lancashire's coast is a haven for families, providing a healthy mix of outdoor attractions and seaside fun; it also provides coastal experiences and adventures for those who want to be more active, to explore and to recharge their batteries. 

"We are proud to be part of All on The North West Coast and look forward to working with our partners to reveal Lancashire's coast of contrasts in a new light, to new and returning visitors."

VisitEngland research shows that England’s coastal destinations have been seeing fewer visitors in recent years with numbers down 11 per cent year-on-year.

And there is a huge opportunity if more of us holidayed at home. Converting just 10 per cent of what Brits spend on travelling abroad to holidaying here could deliver an £8bn boost annually to our economy.

This pilot campaign will support VisitEngland to make the case to government for similar marketing activity in the future.

VisitEngland is working with Tripadvisor and Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) Marketing Lancashire, Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership and Cumbria Tourism on the campaign which targets families with young children and adults aged 25-44.

The digital campaign will run across VisitEngland and partners’ channels including on Instagram and Facebook, with North West coastal content ranging from short films articles, interactive guides and coastal ‘show reels’ to encourage visitors to discover more and explore further.

There will also be content created by Olympian Greg Rutherford on trips to the region alongside radio ads featuring Greg and on Tripadvisor’s purpose-built hub where Brits will be able to book their coastal breaks directly. To access the hub go to: www.tripadvisor.co.uk/northwestcoast

Local tourism businesses, visitor attractions and destinations are encouraged to get involved with the campaign, with a new dedicated section of VisitBritain.org featuring content that can be adapted to promote local experiences available here:  https://www.visitbritain.org/all-north-west-coast-campaign

Tourism is one of England’s largest, most valuable industries - supporting hundreds of thousands of small-to-medium sized businesses, more than two million jobs and worth £127bn to the economy in England.