A blueprint is being prepared to help boost the number of visitors to a seaside town in the next ten years.

Independent consultants Locum Consulting is examining how tourism in Hastings can be developed.

It spent the summer talking to tourism leaders and visitors to produce a discussion paper.

Feedback from the paper will produce a strategy aimed at bolstering Hastings' multimillion pound tourist industry.

1066 Country Marketing manager Kevin Boorman said: "Tourism is worth about £400 million to the local economy and supports more than 11,000 jobs.

"It really is big business and it is because it is so important that we've commissioned this work to develop a strategy.

"We are encouraging as many organisations and people as possible with an interest in tourism to respond to the paper so the consultants get feedback from everyone in the industry.

"They can then develop a strategy based both on their considerable experience and the first-hand views of those involved in the industry."

Copies of the discussion paper can be obtained from 1066 Country Marketing, Town Hall, Queens Road, Hastings TN34 1QR or marketingadmin@hastings.gov.uk Responses are required by October 14.

Thursday, September 22, 2005