The man who will try to entice the rest of the world to Sussex has declared himself ready to wake a sleeping giant.

Diverse attractions, from glitzy piers to rolling hills, world-class opera and regal architecture, have long proved a draw to visitors from Britain and abroad.

But in the last five years, tourism has been dealt blow after blow, with flooding, foot-and-mouth, terrorism and more recently Sars threatening to keep the visitors away.

With people able to choose from more destinations than ever before, the county's tourist bosses are under increasing pressure to spread the word and promote their county.

The time is now right for a revamp and a new organisation, Tourism South-East, has been formed through the merger of the Southern and South-East England Tourist Boards.

It will promote the counties of East and West Sussex, together with Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Kent, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Surrey, the Isle of Wight and parts of Dorset and Wiltshire.

So large is its remit, the largest in the UK, it has been divided into six sub-regions, each of which will have its own committee responsible for designing a local blueprint for tourism.

West Sussex and Surrey form one sub-region while East Sussex, including Brighton, another.

As the first managing director of Tourism South-East, Robert Collier will spearhead a fresh drive to attract visitors to the region.

In a 25-year career, he has held a series of lofty positions including the top job for the East Midlands Tourist Board.

But the opportunity to shape the future of tourism in the South-East, the most populous region in Britain outside London, has given him the kind of fresh challenge only provided by the prospect of uncovering hidden potential and the Sussex economy could feel the benefits within two years.

He said that, as the biggest single receiver of overseas visitors in the UK, the area is in a position to do much better.

Mr Collier said the South-East had to go forward despite a "funding disadvantage" which saw it receive £2 million a year in public sector support, while Scottish and Welsh tourism combined, a smaller tourist industry, received £50 million.

"We've got to think about how we can work together in a more efficient way and how to communicate to the visitor in a way that avoids duplication and mixed messages."

Mr Collier believes those on the frontline of tourism in Sussex will have an important part to play in developing a blueprint for the best way forward, promising a "detailed and informed debate" would take place at local level.

His appointment has been welcomed in East Sussex.

Ron Cussons, director of tourism for Eastbourne Borough Council, said the industry had to move with the times.

"With events all over the world, tourism has been knocked from pillar to post.

"Joining forces gives us strength. Across the South Coast we've got a vast array of attractions. If people come here, they will know Brighton is the lively city by the sea, we in Eastbourne are upmarket with ballet, opera, tennis, and Wealden and Lewes have the rural areas. We can say 'whatever you want, you can have it all here'.

"We need to get out to the big world and tell them what's available on the South Coast."

Roger Thomas, chairman of East Sussex County Council, said: "Tourism is the largest economic factor here. It's true that if you look back over the last 40 or 50 years, that many of the old seaside towns, such as Hastings, had been neglected for a variety of reasons.

"Now, people with property on the front there must do them up and they are trying to put a nice face on somewhere that had been sadly run down.

"In cases like that, you need a powerful ally that can help, not just in Britain but all over the world.

"One of the reasons for the amalgamation is that they can co-ordinate the whole image of the South-East.

"Visitors might be interested in going into Lewes and seeing its old streets or to Glyndebourne for the opera or for a taste of history to Chichester. Or they might want beaches for the children. Perhaps the biggest attraction is the countryside itself. These things have got to be put forward.

"I think in the past people took it for granted. They live in this nice place so why do they want to get other people in? But while we are all at work, local pubs, for example, are being kept in business by visitors. To anyone who says they don't want tourists, ask them if they ever take a holiday."

Jackie Ellis, cultural services manager at Lewes District Council, said smaller destinations did not have the pulling power of somewhere like Brighton but more and more people were being attracted by the idea of a rural break.

She said: "The key thing is to help the businesses to get business, and the more we can work together to achieve that the better."

Monday June 16, 2003