The Deputy Chief Executive/Director of Corporate Services referred to the current national economic downturn and the more strategic approach needed to support Wirral’s tourism businesses in the immediate future. The approach would be  to market Wirral Peninsula’s tourism offer more effectively and help local businesses increase trade through partnership. With this in mind, the Destination Marketing Office (DMO) had been working closely with The Mersey Partnership (TMP) for the past year, as well as the other district councils, to develop a joint three year “Partners for Tourism Growth” project for European funds. The bid, for funds from the Northwest Development Agency’s (NWDA) operational programme, would directly help local tourism businesses market their services more effectively and efficiently.

This report highlighted the delay to release funds from the NWDA’s programme at a time of greatest need for Wirral’s tourism businesses, and the immediate interim measure recommended to support them through the economic crisis.

Resolved: - That an allocation of £60,000, from the Council’s Match Funding Budget and Reserve be approved, to deliver a 2009 spring marketing campaign to support Wirral’s tourism businesses during the current national economic downturn. This is on the understanding that the funds will be re-imbursed, from the Wirral element of the three year “Partners for Tourism Growth” ERDF bid, if approved.