The South West played a significant part in ensuring that the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games were awarded to London, because we believed in the transformational effect of the Games and were utterly confident that the region has all of the necessary attributes to play a key role on the road to the London 2012 Games. 
 
The South West is home to almost 5 million people and hosts more than 26 million visitors each year. It is a region characterised by incredible natural beauty, with more than 1000 km of coastline dotted with sandy beaches, and over a third of the area designated as National Parks or Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The South West is also home to England's only natural World Heritage Site: the Jurassic Coast, whose cliffs at Portland and Weymouth Bay will provide the backdrop to the London 2012 Games sailing events. 
 
The South West is the perfect place for all kinds of sporting activity, not only in traditional sports, but a whole range of high adrenaline activities, with opportunities for some of the best walking and recreational pursuits in the country. We have some of the best multi-sport training venues in the UK located at the University of Bath and Millfield School. Surrounded by coastline, watersports are a core regional focus for Olympians, Paralympians and beginners alike, from world class surfing and kite surfing on the beaches of Devon and Cornwall, and the best Olympic and Paralympic sailing waters in Europe, if not the world, to traditional community sports such as gig rowing. The natural attributes of the region also make this the perfect place for equestrian sports, mountain biking and kayaking. 
 
Tourism is in our blood. We know how to provide a warm welcome for visitors and how to ensure they get the most from their stay. Contrasts within the region's environment are pronounced and never fail to amaze. From the Roman towns of Exeter, Bath and Cheltenham and the pre-historic landscapes of Stonehenge, Avebury and Dartmoor, to working fishing villages and historic cities and ports like Plymouth, Bristol and Truro. We take pride in our culinary reputation, with renowned chefs like Rick Stein, Gary Rhodes, Michael Caines and Jamie Oliver choosing to locate their restaurants in the South West, capitalising on the abundance of top quality food and drink. 
 
Most things that lay seed in the South West grow, and the cultural sector is no exception. We've an enviable reputation for providing just the right conditions to inspire and stimulate artists, musicians, film makers, thespians and authors. Famous names like Thomas Hardy, Robert Lenkiewicz, Agatha Christie and Jane Austen have all left their mark here - not to mention new talent like Joss Stone, Nick Park, Coldplay and Damien Hirst. The region has a rich history of festivals such as Glastonbury, Cheltenham and WOMAD, all of which offer a dazzling array of cultural experiences. 
 
But this is much more than a place to relax. Businesses of all sectors and sizes thrive, benefiting from our entrepreneurial flair and capitalising on the creative spirit that pervades everything that we do. An increasing number of businesses are relocating to the South West tempted by the availability of a flexible and educated workforce, low business costs, impressive international and domestic transport links and a quality of life for their employees found nowhere else in the UK. 
 
We're equipped to stage world class events. Weymouth and Portland hosted the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships in 2006 attended by 63 nations, where our young sailors performed extremely well. We have some of the best venues for training and preparation camps in the UK. We have a highly skilled community that is passionate and committed to being involved; whether in volunteering, cultural or sporting events. With fast and reliable transport links into London, we are ideally placed to ensure that our athletes and international visitors relish their memories of the region. We have all of the building blocks to achieve a lasting legacy from the London 2012 Games.