English Corner

Images: Geoff Moore, www.thetraveltrunk.net

The reinvention of Weymouth

Ben West

UK coastal resort repositions itself to attract all-year tourism.

Weymouth, an attractive seaside town on the south coast of Britain, has had a typical UK coastal resort’s challenges, namely that it has a successful summer season attracting families wanting a ‘sun ‘n’ sand’ beach holiday, and then experiencing tourism revenue greatly reducing in non-summer months. This very seasonal trade is especially challenging for the local population, a high proportion of whom rely on tourism-related employment.

Therefore in recent years, Weymouth, on the English Channel coast in the county of Dorset, has been actively seeking to increase its attraction year round by repostioning itself as a watersports and activities centre.

“Families have holidayed at Weymouth for many decades, with the sandy safe beach being the main attraction and reason for visiting,” says Jacqui Gisborne of Weymouth’s Signpost Cycling. “However, changing weather patterns and the focus on holiday content has shifted towards visitors wanting more of a sense of adventure and achievement from their leisure time. To keep driving the tourism economy forward and to find ways of extending the tourism season, Weymouth had to look at its offer.”

Being situated halfway along the Jurassic Coast, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, means that it is ideal for a variety of watersports. They include jet-skiing, windsurfing, stand-up paddle boarding, rock climbing, powerboating, kite surfing, kayaking, horse riding, golf, diving, snorkelling, canoeing, deep sea fishing, course fishing, coasteering and boating.

There’s also cycling and walking, with numerous tracks and trails along the coast and spectacular countryside. It’s also a mecca for sailing: the waters of Weymouth and nearby Portland have been credited by the Royal Yachting Association as the best in Northern Europe for sailing.

However, because the majority of British residents only consider Weymouth as a beach destination, the local tourist board and watersport providers in the area are working hard to promote the destination as offering much more than that.

Regeneration of the area in recent years has included redevelopment of the esplanade in time for the 2012 Olympic Games. The Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, which includes a 600-berth marina, had been built several years before, and therefore the sailing events of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games were held there.

“The makeup of area is such that it offers a wide range of activities both on land and on water suitable for the beginner or more proficient, which can be accessed and enjoyed all year,” says Gisborne. “The hosting of the sailing events for the London 2012 Olympics certainly raised awareness that Weymouth offered more than just a sandy beach and donkey rides.”

Being from as little as just over two-and-a-half hours from London by train, and also easily accessible from major cities like Bristol and Bath, a large proportion of the British population can consider Weymouth an easy weekend break option.

Tourism has been the largest industry in Weymouth for decades, and the number of people employed in the sector peaked in the late 1990s. It also offers museums, an aquarium, two shopping centres and a revolving observation tower allowing viewers to see for many kilometres around.

Kite festival with 40,000 visitors

There are more than 200 events held throughout the year, including firework festivals, dragon boat racing, beach volleyball, handball and motocross. The annual August carnival attracts around 70,000 people, while the May kite festival sees around 40,000 visitors.

In 2013 local businesses voted in favour of creating the Weymouth Business Improvement District (BID), a business-led initiative supported by the Government to improve the trading environment - and focus since then has very much included increasing awareness of Weymouth’s year-round attractions.

“With decreasing finances to promote the area, a partnership was formed between the local authority and local businesses to work together in proactively promoting the area,” says Gisborne. “Regular meetings, information and ideas were shared on how the area could be developed for new activities.”

The most recent is the new cycle paths developed by Dorset County Council. Says Roy Griffiths of Jurassic Trails Cycle Hire: “Whilst out cycling one morning I realised that the previously individual paths now joined up, giving a continuous cycle path from the east of Weymouth to Portland, a 17 mile (28 km) traffic-free and family-friendly route. I contacted the Council and after a few meetings the route was branded ‘The Jurassic Cycle Trail’, a leaflet was printed and distributed and I started a cycle hire company at the Weymouth end of the trail. This was a prime example of how collaboration between the private and public sector could successfully work together for the benefit of all.”