English Tourism Week is an annual celebration of the tourism industry showcasing its economic importance to local economies and communities. This year, the week is running March 17-26, and the theme is ‘Celebrating amazing experiences and amazing people’. The aim is to highlight the role played by all our visionary and hard-working people and businesses working in the sector to ensure visitors to our local area “have amazing experiences and add to the vibrancy of local communities”.
£100.8 billion was spent on tourism in England in 2019, with £13.1 billion in the South East, and pre-pandemic, the industry supported 2.6 million jobs in England. Locally, in Rother District, we see around £329.2 million spent in the local area as a result of tourism, supporting around 7,837 jobs for local residents and those living nearby. In Hastings, the total value of tourism activity is estimated to have been around £385.9 million (based on 2019 figures), supporting around 7,030 jobs locally.
Tourism to Hastings and Rye is vital for our local economy and the sector has plenty of room for growth. In my Rye News piece for September last year, I wrote about tourism, and touched on the need for local authorities to provide policy support and an environment in which tourism-related businesses can flourish. I also wrote that all levels of government have an important role to play in the delivery of tourism and they need to work closely with the private sector. I am, therefore, disappointed at Hastings Borough Council’s decision to withdraw its funding to Visit 1066 Country – a vital and long-standing local tourism partnership (destination management organisation), which has a good reputation locally and nationally. I have, of course, raised my concerns with Hastings Borough Council about its short-sighted and somewhat parochial decision, but it is not for turning.
In my capacity as chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Coastal Communities, I was instrumental in steering a report by the organisation, Pragmatix. This report, unlike previous reports on coastal communities by various governments, looked at the opportunities as well as the challenges coastal communities face. One of these opportunities is in tourism and a recommendation made in the Pragmatix report to government is to provide additional assistance for destination management organisations (DMOs) and businesses to develop products and experiences to suit changing consumer needs and extend the seasonality of the tourism season. The report highlights how important collaboration and partnership working is between businesses, local authorities and DMOs. I wholeheartedly agree with Sarah Broadbent in her recent article for Rye News (February 23), especially her comment that together, the 1066 region is stronger.
I recognise the issues Hastings BC and Rother DC have as regards the current local government funding formula and I am campaigning to change this, to better reflect deprivation and the needs of coastal communities. Long-term, sustainable funding to support projects and strategies across their lifespan is very much needed. However, Hastings BC should prioritise its largest economic sector – leisure, tourism and hospitality; 1066 Country marketing is vital in this sector’s survival and growth, irrespective of current or future government funding.
We live in a stunning part of the UK, so let us remember to open our eyes to our amazing experiences offer and the amazing people which make up our local tourism sector and take advantage of the charm and adventure right on our doorsteps, to support our local businesses and people, especially during tourism week.
Image Credits: Chris Lawson .
It is impossible to disagree on the importance of tourism in our area. It creates income and significant employment opportunities. However, it does create a number of side effects for the people that live in Rye. I suspect the employment is mainly in low paid jobs in shops, B&Bs and hotels. The high street risks being mainly tourist focused with lots of cafes, restaurants and arty shops reducing the day to day shopping opportunities for residents. The high number of holiday lets in the centre of town and high house prices in and around the old town driven by wealthy ‘outsiders’, does reduce affordable housing for long term residents. And it makes the old town look like a ghost city at night and other times. Heavy (seasonal) traffic creates noise (not least motor cycles), dangerous driving and parking issues. Other infra-structure is strained as well.
All these pressures make for difficult living conditions for many residents in Rye, not least the less privileged amongst us that are often the long term residents of the town.
I recognise that this is not a problem that only Rye has, but it seems to me that a more realistic view and a balanced approach to ‘leveling up’ should focus on promoting higher value tourism, combined with promoting businesses that provide other employment opportunities, creating and sustaining housing for all (including a limit on house use that is not for full time occupation) and dealing with traffic and other infra-structure pressures.
I’m a newly co-opted town councillor for Rye Town Council. I found that the town council cares immensely about these issues but has very little direct power. However, it and other influencing bodies, including elected ones like our district council, county council or elected/prospective MPs, can do their bit in trying to influence these issues in positive and balanced way.
I can definately say that in the nearly 40 years I lived in Rye, I have not benefitted the slightest bit from Tourism. Most of the impact is negative. I am pretty sure that applies to the majority of inhabitants of Rye.
I would say you most definitely do benefit from tourism even if you don’t feel it directly. Without tourism Rye would be virtually empty, it would be a ghost town. Seeing all the visitors, especially on Friday’s and Saturday’s, brings so much life to the area. The shops are busy, the restaurants and pubs are full. Those tourists are spending money and keeping Rye alive and kicking. The last thing the residents of Rye should do, especially after the bleak pandemic, is not make tourists feel welcome. You should feel very lucky to live in this small place that people from all of the world want to visit. It’s a privilege to own a home here.
Councillor Vagn Hansen makes some good points about all the issues regarding our town as time swiftly passes us all, in this 21st century. Rye has become the no1 destination for day trippers,and holiday makers over the past few years, The town missed an opportunity for a bypass over 30 years ago, and with the increased traffic, everyone has too suffer, and it will only get worse especially for locals,that live here 24/7.