Castle Point Council hopes new tourism role will boost local economy
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CASTLE Point Council wants a new plan to boost tourism in the borough, a report has revealed.
The document, to be considered by the council’s cabinet this Wednesday, October 16, says the authority wants to ‘invest in’ and ‘expand’ its tourism industry.
The Conservative administration has created a new position – cabinet member for tourism – which will be held by Tory member Wayne Johnson.
His role will be to ‘increase the contribution of tourism to the economy of the borough’.
Current proposals include improving the use of social media to promote tourism, working with developers to secure investment, and making sure that ‘expansion of tourism’ does not threaten the local environment.
The report says tourism is ‘critical’ to the ‘creation of local jobs and business opportunities’, as well as ‘generating revenue to stimulate the local economy’.
The YA reported last month that the council planned to reinvigorate Canvey Island’s town centre and seafront by regenerating both areas.
Proposals included £1.5million of public realm improvement works in the town centre, and the creation of a new £1.52million seaside ‘visitor attraction’.
The report said the council was struggling to attract new investment in the seafront due to the lack of a ‘long term vision’.
It said: “Without a clear plan for investment in Canvey Seafront, securing new investment will continue to be difficult. A plan will enable the council to better market the vision, provide a focus to attract the right mix of uses, and support funding applications for grant funding.”
The document said it wanted to create a new masterplan for the seafront and adopt a new masterplan for the town centre.
The plan to boost tourism will be debated in a public meeting at the council’s offices on Kiln Road, Benfleet, at 7pm on Wednesday.
