Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps her Department has taken to support the tourism industry in West Sussex.

DCMS is committed to ensuring tourism drives growth and jobs across the country, including the constituency of East Grinstead and Uckfield alongside both East and West Sussex. DCMS works closely with the British Tourist Authority (BTA) and the Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) network, including the Sussex and Brighton LVEP, to drive investment and promote the region as a premier destination to visit, live, work, and invest.

Sussex’s coastal destinations were recently spotlighted as part of VisitEngland’s nationwide coastal marketing campaign which rallied local tourism voices to share short videos highlighting their coastlines. Content on VisitEngland’s domestic channels included local food-focused content featuring Worthing and a South East beaches reel highlighting Eastbourne, Cuckmere Haven, and Camber Sands.

Building on this momentum, VisitEngland launched its £2 million "All on England’s Coast" campaign in September. Running through early 2027, the initiative aims to boost coastal tourism during the shoulder season. Beyond coastal activity, Sussex destinations have also featured across wider domestic social activity, including through recent Winnie-the-Pooh-inspired woodland walks content featuring Ashdown Forest.

To drive international tourism, VisitBritain promotes the Bluebell Railway as part of its Kent and Sussex film and TV itinerary, linking the region to its Starring GREAT Britain campaign. This campaign uses the hook of Britain’s rich film and television history to encourage more international visitors to explore across Britain, including many rural and coastal destinations.