Seaconomics starts cycling sussex

Cross-border initiative designed to regenerate and re-invigorate old coastal tourism resorts

Adur and Worthing councils have launched a brand new initiative promoting the pleasures of cycling to visitors to the area, as part of the Seaconomics project. The leaflet highlights the scenic delights of the coastal cycling route and its visitor attractions.

The relatively easy route follows the curve of the bay from Worthing to Southwick and cycling along it makes for a great family outing with plenty of interesting stop-offs and rest points along the way, including Worthing Pier, Brooklands Pleasure Park in Lancing and Carrots Café at Shoreham Harbour.

The cycling leaflet is available in various locations in the district, can be downloaded HERE or picked up at the Visit Worthing Information Centre.

Alongside the launch of the leaflet the councils are also inviting local tourism businesses to take part in a Cycling Workshop to learn more about what visiting cyclists are really looking for and to develop a ‘Cycle Friendly’ Business Scheme.

Visitors cycling in the area will be looking for cycle friendly accommodation and pit stops, so the councils will encourage local businesses to offer a few simple facilities for them.

Each business could receive a cycle friendly sticker for display at their premises and copies of the leaflet to distribute.

The Seaconomics partnership – Kent County Council , Visit Kent, Worthing Borough Council, Essex County Council (UK), Westoer, Blankenberge, De Panne, Middelkerke and Ostend (Belgium), Le Touquet, Neufchatel-Hardelot (France) and Veere (Netherlands) all face similar challenges in their coastal tourism offer.

The project seeks to find solutions to the challenges of a run-down physical environment, and a decline in traditional industries that no longer meet the expectations of current visitors.  The overall aim is create a dynamic waterfront environment to encourage tourism investment and development, improve business skills, and develop a new and contemporary marketing approach for SMEs and local communities.

The tourism sector is a vital part of the economy in the partner regions. The project will address some of the key issues in the Operational Program such as scarce and poor quality accommodation, structural weaknesses, lack of well trained staff and low quality of services. The project will focus on the following 3 main activities:

Development of the waterfront in the partner regions

Supporting local businesses and entrepreneurship through advice and training for existing and new start up businesses, through one to one advice combined with a series of master classes and workshops for SME’s, and to help SMEs in the 2 Seas area to take the first steps towards trading and doing business on a cross-border basis as a way to help them grow following the recession.

A tourism marketing campaign of the partner regions that cross promotes and includes the development of a sustainable and positive image of the partner areas. This actvity aims to capitalise on the networks developed (at the level of the partnership and SMEs) in order to encourage outside interest in the Seaconomics area as a business destination.

Valere Tjolle

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