DCMS (Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport) has announced that the North East has been selected as the location of a major tourism project to attract more investment, welcome more events, support business growth, create new jobs, and boost domestic and international tourist numbers.
The NewcastleGateshead initiative in the North East has been chosen to lead a pilot in partnership with Visit Northumberland and Visit County Durham working across seven local authority areas, as part of the government’s streamlining of Destination Management Organisations (DMOs).
DMOs help businesses and visitors find out about an area and lead the development of the local tourism sector, but last year’s independent review by Nick De Bois, found the landscape is overcrowded and fragmented. To resolve this problem, the government set out plans earlier this year to streamline DMOs by accrediting the top performing organisations so they can grow the visitor economy.
The pilot partnership will receive “£2.25 million to help successfully develop and market the region as a must visit destination, while attracting further private investment and driving growth.”
If the pilot is successful, the government will look to roll the partnership model out to other regions across England.
For more information, read the DCMS press release.