This strategic plan sets out a vision for the visitor economy across the City of Southend-on-Sea over the next 10 years 2017-27.
The aims of the strategy are to provide joint direction to the private, public and third sector for a united ambition to become England’s leading coastal tourism destination and to develop the visitor economy prosperously for the whole City to benefit from.
It is developed in consultation with key partners already established across the City and in particular The Southend Tourism Partnership, The Leigh Coastal Community Team, The Southend Business Improvement District, The Shoeburyness Coastal Community Team, The Southend Business Partnership and Southend-on-Sea City Council.
The Strategy is jointly owned by various relevant groups in Southend and is for the town’s overall prosperity to reach its potential through the social and economic development, recognising the key role that tourism has played and will continue to play in future years to the area. The City Council will play a leading role in facilitating and enabling many areas and in particular have significant responsibility in public realm and infrastructure, but the action plan is for all partners to contribute towards and is not intended as a Council only document, rather a joint vision with broad participation from multiple partners. It should help provide confidence to existing tourism businesses and potential investors that the tourism, cultural, creative and leisure sector in Southend is a ripe location for growth.