FEATURE
A
ccording to the National Coastal Tourism Academy (NCTA),
domestic and day trip coastal tourism is collectively valued at
£8bn to the English economy, representing 31% of domestic
overnight holiday trips and 8% of tourism day visits. It sees the
introduction of the Coastal Communities Fund, which has been extended
to 2020, as a hopeful sign that the government is beginning to give more
priority to boost coastal destinations. NCTA has also used its share of
government funding for Visit England’s new projects to encourage
international visitors, including the Coastal Pass - an interactive booking
tool that allows visitors to create their own itinerary and book directly. It
is currently being trialled with Dutch travellers using the east coast ferry
to Hull or Harwich. The organisation notes that challenges remain
though, with coastal tourism businesses still facing staffing challenges
relating to recruitment, engagement and retention.
Visit Britain and Visit England are also keen to boost seaside tourism
and take advantage of the potential growth. The tourist board reports
that 37% of all domestic holidays in England were to the seaside in 2016.
It expects that as these locations continue to reinvent what they offer
and their popularity will only increase. So, what has drawn Brits to
embrace the love of the classic seaside holiday again? What makes it so
unique and distinct?
The British seaside experience brings up that associated imagery of
piers and buckets and spades but also the weird and wonderful British
quirks. There is an edginess and escapism to the British seaside trip too -
the ‘dirty’ weekend away and the ‘anything goes’.
A lot of this reflects the recent history of British seaside resorts. The
classic Victorian style design of the landscapes, and the heyday in the
1970s before the once booming towns fell into decline as Brits were
drawn by low-cost flights abroad - a trend that remains today.
As such, many of the resorts were left neglected and with an image of
being dated and as tacky as the ‘saucy’ postcards. The recent recession
also impacted certain seaside towns and their communities. But it’s that
grittiness that has attracted creatives to flock to the shore side, which
has inspired their art, film and music. They have taken the rundown
landscapes and buildings and celebrated them for the kitsch they are -
turning the tide on the bleak image of washed up British seaside towns.
Though where the artists begin a trend, the opportunity for
commercialism quickly follows.
Whether you believe the gentrification effect or not, for many, there
has been some much-needed regeneration to declining seaside towns.
Margate has become noticeably popular; its world class Turner Art
Gallery opened in 2011 and has since received over two million visitors
and contributed more than £41 million into the local economy. One of
the classic Victorian seaside towns that fell into economic decline, it is
enjoying a renaissance thanks to artists, high speed rail links and the
reopening of Dreamland, the UK’s oldest pleasure park.
Scarborough, the second most popular domestic holiday destination in
England during 2015 according to the Great British Tourism Survey had
almost 1.4 mil