Sustainable rural tourism

The rural environment is one of the region’s greatest assets, and a key reason why so many visitors are attracted to the South West. The South West Regional Implementation Plan specifies that the £12.8 million of RDPE funds identified for Sustainable Rural Tourism should be targeted at a small number of strategic regional projects that will have a greater impact on the industry as a whole, rather than offering grants to individual businesses.

Between November 2008 and April 2009 more than 50 expressions of interest were reviewed by an independent panel against a set of criteria agreed in consultation with industry partners. Six were identified as offering the best fit, and were asked to work up detailed proposals, all of which are now under consideration.

The six projects are:

• 1SW - Development of South West England as a world-class region for adventurous off-road cycling interlinked with the national, regional and local cycle ways
• Enjoy Water - Developing water-based recreation - ranging from wildlife watching to regional racing and canoe safaris - at eight interlinked hubs situated at reservoirs and reserves in the region
• South West Coastal Path - Plans to create better linkages between the path and the local tourist industry in a way that conserves, enhances, and interprets 83 nationally important historic and archaeological sites along the Coastal Path
• World Heritage Site - Developing the quality and appeal of the World Heritage mining sites in Cornwall and West Devon
• Rural Sports Tourism - Developing the full potential of the region's country sports market and its related supporting industries
• TRAC - Development of the links between the Camel and Tarka multi use trails around the honey pot tourism spots on the coast between Cornwall and Devon.

South West Tourism have worked with the lead applicant in each project, helping to ensure that proposals minimise their carbon impact and  maximise both value for money and the impact upon the rural tourism industry.

For more information about the initiative and the lead organisations for the above proposals, visit the Development section of the South West Tourism website or contact Annette Cole on 01392 360050.