A new cutting edge approach to marketing the South East of England is being implemented as a result of some breakthrough tourism research spearheaded by Tourism South East (TSE). TSE and its partners* have undertaken the largest ever regional research project in the UK to help the South East and its tourism industry understand its visitors better – who comes, what brings them here, where they go and what they buy.
This leading edge research enables tourism businesses to gain a profound knowledge of customer motivation and has helped the tourism industry to take a closely targeted and substantially more effective approach to selling the region and their products.

Information on the research, its findings and how TSE plan to deliver this new marketing approach were presented on 15 March at TSE’s Members’ Conference held at the Brands Hatch Thistle Hotel in Kent. The conference brought together a high powered collection of marketing specialists, from innovative thinkers to practical deliverers, to share their experience and knowledge. Over 200 members from the tourism industry attended this free event. Delegates also attended workshops on Viral Marketing, Film Tourism and Exhibition Work.

Kent Tourism Alliance (KTA) and VisitBrighton support this research and have started to implement new marketing campaigns based on the findings. Both Sandra Mathews-Marsh of KTA and Melanie Sensicle from VisitBrighton presented case studies at the conference to demonstrate to delegates how the research can be used to make informed decisions about cost effective ways of reaching new customers and generating more visitor income.

To endorse the marketing initiative SEEDA (the South East Regional Development Agency) has provided for the first time