South West Tourism and the Regional Tourism Strategy
The vision for the Towards 2015 Strategy is: “By
2015, the South West of England will be internationally recognised
as a model destination. This will be achieved by creating a unique
balance between environment, communities, industry and visitor
satisfaction, while earning the long term economic, environmental
and social benefits for the whole region.”
The South West is a beautiful and historic part of England. Its
two National Parks, Dartmoor and Exmoor, cover 1,600 square
kilometres and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) cover
approximately a fifth of the region. The South West Coast
Path, probably England's most beautiful and diverse national trail,
provides residents and visitors with an unsurpassed natural
resource. The Dorset and East Devon coast (Jurassic Coast) was
declared a World Heritage Site in December 2001.
This unique blend ensures the South West of England is a popular
destination for visitors from both the UK and overseas. The
tourism sector is one of the largest parts of the South West's
economy, with domestic visitors contributing, in 2007, some £3.8
billion to the region's economy.
South West Tourism (SWT), which
closed at the end of March 2011, had been the strategic body
driving the development of tourism in the region.