Jobs boost hopes through new Norfolk tourism drive

Council leaders say a new partnership will give Norfolk and Suffolk access to pots of cash which the counties could not previously bid for.

And they hope the newly obtained Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) status, obtained in conjunction with Visit East of England, will boost jobs within an industry crucial for the economy of the counties.

Norfolk County Council leader Kay Mason Billig (Image: Norfolk County Council)

Norfolk County Council leader Kay Mason Billig said: "The influence of tourism on our county is immense in terms of jobs and economic impact, and the new partnership promises to increase investment into Norfolk and raise our profile nationally and internationally." 

Norfolk's tourism industry is worth £3bn, employing 70,000 people at peak season, including in coastal areas like North Norfolk and Great Yarmouth.

Changes in the criteria the government and tourist board Visit England use to award money to boost tourism meant a new partnership needed to be created so the maximum amount of cash can be obtained.

Norfolk was one of the few remaining areas in England without an LVEP, with Cornwall, Yorkshire, London and the Peak District all enjoying the status awarded by national tourism agency VisitEngland.

The status will mean the Norfolk and Suffolk partnership will be able to bid for government cash which was previously off-limits - and that could boost tourism centres like Great Yarmouth, Cromer, Sheringham, Hunstanton and the Broads.

A young visitor enjoys the sand at Sheringham (Image: Bill Smith)

To reinforce the application, Visit East of England received many letters of support, including from Lord Leicester of Holkham, the Broads Authority, Norwich International Airport, Greater Anglia, National Trust East, English Heritage, Transport East and businesses such as Roudham-based English Distillery and the Maids Head Hotel in Norwich.

County Hall officers said if the visitor economy grows at the same level as over the past decade - and with the help of government funding - that would create 9,700 further jobs connected to tourism.

Fabian Eagle (Image: Swaffham Town Council)

Fabian Eagle, the Conservative-controlled council's cabinet member for economic growth, said: "The Norfolk visitor economy is worth more than £3bn a year and is one of our key industry sectors, accounting for nearly 20pc of all jobs in the county.

"A successful Local Visitor Economy Partnership will help us grow the sector even further and support high-quality jobs."