NOW that the schools have broken up, the holiday season will get into full swing so it is probably a good time to focus on one of the major business sectors of Northumberland – tourism.

While the weather may not always be kind to us, this remains a crucial period for a large number of businesses across Northumberland.

The county has a host of tourism assets we should be rightly proud of. From ancient heritage sites to unspoilt beaches, the culture and history on offer attract visitors from far and wide. The tourism sector makes a significant contribution to our economy and has potential to play an even bigger role.

Thinking of a’ tourism business’ in terms of hotels, restaurants and visitor attractions is maybe understandable but it is far too narrow to encompass the range of businesses and activities which fall into this sector. A far wider network of businesses depend upon the visitor economy, from local retailers, pubs and cafes to those service companies who supply and support the hospitality sector.

For many involved in tourism, these are uncertain times. With the demise of One North East, the region is lacking an organisation which can take on strategic marketing and support for the sector. In addition to this, national tourism bodies are facing reduced budgets as part of the Government’s spending cuts; creating a risk that we may end up on the periphery if high value, more developed attractions further south are favoured.

We have already begun to see potential implications of cutbacks such as these. A number of businesses have voiced concern that we continue to see our neighbours in Scotland and Yorkshire marketing themselves to potential visitors while the North East’s ‘Passionate People, Passionate Places’ campaign has come to an end. If we are to continue to develop our tourism sector, this situation needs to be addressed quickly.

If we simply rely on funding from Government we will fall behind other areas who can be more creative within their current funding envelope and fully utilise existing networks to develop a more coherent voice for the sector. To some extent the onus is on local authorities and the emerging Local Enterprise Partnership to ensure this issue is a high priority however it is also up to the business community to both articulate its needs and to develop new ways of collaborating to minimise the impact of spending cuts. If we can do this effectively, then I can see an exciting future for tourism in Northumberland and across the North East.

:: Dave Douglas, NECC Northumberland Committee chairman and operations & HR director at Alnwick-based angling equipment firm Hardy & Greys