News Stories and Press Releases

Access the very latest news and browse through the recent archive of press releases issued by Tourism South East.  If you require any further information please contact corporate communications.

If you are a journalist and require further information please contact corporate communications.

Industry e-newsletter, previous versions are available for you to browse.

New Campaign Funding for VisitBritain and VisitEngland

Recognising tourism’s considerable potential to create economic growth and new jobs in 2012 and beyond, the Government has awarded new funding to VisitEngland and VisitBritain for marketing campaigns.  VisitEngland’s money comes from the Olympic pot and is funding TV advertisements with big name stars such as Steven Fry and Julie Walters extolling the virtues of holidays at home.  VisitBritain has been awarded £25million from No.10’s GREAT campaign budget.  Further information can be found in the March/April edition of Destination UK (page 23).

Hampshire & Isle of Wight History Revealed campaign

Dinosaur Isle recently hosted a visit of South East accommodation providers as part of the Hampshire & Isle of Wight History Revealed campaign.

Peter Pusey , General Manager said:  “day visits to the island make up about 15% of all museum visitors, yet many people living on the mainland don’t appreciate that you can buy a train ticket in Portsmouth through to say Sandown on the Isle of Wight and then the museum is just a short walk from the station.  The History Revealed campaign has been a real success in bringing over new visitors to the museum and for those who have made the journey they have learnt how unique the geology of the island is and how important our dinosaur fossils are.”

Peter said: “we like to encourage visitors to the island and to Dinosaur Isle, the group were impressed by how accessible we are”.

Further information on the History Revealed museums and galleries, and suggested itineraries can be found on the history revealed website. 

BBC South East Photo Call

BBC South East has commissioned a portrait of HM the Queen which will be made up entirely of photographs of people from the South East.  It is envisaged that around 10,000 images will be needed to create a huge photo-mosaic of the Queen, the finished work will be approximately the size of a double-decker bus. The photos (colour or black and white, old or new) can be portraits, family photos, shots of people in front of their favourite South East landmark, people in their garden or on a fairground ride – anything at all as long as it shows local faces.  The portrait will be displayed in the Towner Gallery in Eastbourne. It will be unveiled on BBC South East Today on 25^th May and the public will be able to view it – for free - until 10^th June. You can submit your photographs on the BBC website, closing date is 11 May 2012.

TSE News Stories 2012

• 11 May 2012 - Beautiful South Awards for Excellence 2012-2013 Now Open for Entries - new category Tourism Pub of the Year.
• 10 April 2012 - Beautiful South Awards for Excellence 2012-2013 launched, including new category for Pubs.
• 23 March 2012 - New Chairman announced
• 19 January 2012 - Volunteer to spend your summer on the river

News Stories in 2011

• 2 December 2011 - South East's top tourism businesses win Gold at the Beautiful South Awards for Excellence 2011
• 30 November 2011 - New Managing Director appointed
• 10 November 2011 - Finalists announced for Tourism South East's Beautiful South Awards for Excellence 2011
• 9 Novmeber 2011 - Launch of new magazine 'The Hotel Inspector'  includes Welcome to Excellence FREE Prize Draw
• 9 September 2011 - Managing Director moves to interim role 
• 8 August 2011 - Double Celebration at Rye TIC
• 27 June 2011 - Exciting News regarding The Beautiful South Awards for Excellence
• 16 June 2011 - Chairman celebrates customer service training acheivement with local travel operator.
• 19 May 2011 - Business Growth Fund - details launched.  Further details can be found on the the website.
• 18 May 2011 - Olympic Torch Relay Relay, South East locations
• 14 April 2011 - New Managing Director Appointed
• 4 March 2011 - Tourism Policy - Download the Government's new Tourism Policy and read our comments on the Policy.
• 27 January 2011 - Chairman's Update
• 12 August 2010 - Prime Minister's tourism speech

Press Releases

• 31 October 2011 - South East hotels still very much 'open for business' in 2012 
• 15 April 2011 - South East tourism businesses celebrate record wins at enjoyEngland Awards for Excellence 
• 15 April 2011 - Berks & Oxon tourism businesses celebrate wins at enjoyEngland Awards for Excellence 
• 15 April 2011 - Hampshire tourism businesses celebrate wins at enjoyEngland Awards for Excellence 
• 15 April 2011 - Kent tourism businesses celebrate wins at enjoyEngland Awards for Excellence 
• 24 February 2011 - South East Six celebrate nomination for National Tourism Awards 
• 22 February 2011 - TSE searches for new Managing Director
• 15 January 2011 - Excursions™ 2011 welcomed over 200 exhibitors from around the UK 
• 10 January 2011 - Green Ogre to open Excursions™ 2011 

• 17 November 2010 - Regional Tourism Conference 
• 16 June 2010 - Buckinghamshire Railway Centre Hosts Tourism Conference 
• 10 June 2010 - Oxfordshire holds the key for new culture minister and tourism chiefs 
• 2 June 2010 - Beautiful South Awards for Excellence launched by Tourism South East  
• 31 March 2010 - Top county tourism businesses to speak at major Hampshire conference 
• 23 March 2010 - Going for customer service gold 
• 23 March 2010 - Training double celebration for Tourism South East 
• 16 March 2010 - Florence Nightingale and afternoon tea at Test Valley TICs for British Tourism Week 
• 11 March 2010 - Tourism South East go back to their roots for British Tourism Week