£1.2 million being spent to help promote Devon after cryptosporidium outbreak
The money, from South West Water, is to help rebuild the area's tourist industry which suffered cancelled bookings
Last updated 12th Nov 2024
Devon is to get a £1.2 million boost to help promote tourism after May's cryptosporidium outbreak in and around Brixham.
The parasite causes sickness and diarrhoea and at one point - back in May - almost 17,000 properties were ordered to boil their water before drinking it.
The money, from South West Water, is to help the local tourist industry after bookings were cancelled.
Chris Hart chairs the English Riviera BID Company, which secured the money after looking at the worldwide coverage the outbreak received.
He said: "The news had been spread right across the world, in total there was an opportunity to hear see or read about the issue (not including social media comments) 38-billion times across the world - it's an extraordinary number there are only eight-billion on earth.
"We were able to evidence £34-million worth of lost bookings in Devon as a whole - obviously concentrated upon Brixham and the English Riviera but with effects much more widespread than that."
The money, over the next three years, has been pledged for a 'Destination Marketing Recovery Fund' which will involve national advertising campaigns from Spring 2025.
Mr Hart added: “The Cryptosporidiosis outbreak had an unprecedented impact affecting not only short-term tourism to Devon, but also our reputation as being one of the UK’s leading holiday destinations.
"Our goal with this Recovery Fund is to restore visitor confidence, rebuild our reputation, and bring booking levels back to pre-outbreak levels. This partnership marks a critical step in our recovery, and we are grateful for South West Water’s commitment to helping the tourism industry recover from this crisis.’’
Vince Flower, Chair of Visit Devon, said: "The outbreak undeniably impacted Devon’s tourism, causing significant disruption to local residents and businesses, while also challenging Devon’s reputation as one of the UK’s premier holiday destinations.
"The impact of this outbreak, coupled with the need to respond positively, highlights the strength and importance of collaborative partnerships.
Matthew Crabtree, Chair of Brixham Chamber of Commerce , added: "Brixham Chamber was delighted to hear that South West Water have agreed to help fund a recovery marketing campaign designed to mitigate the negative exposure suffered by Brixham, Torbay, and Devon.
"Achieving this outcome is the result of a huge amount of work, and testament to the collaborative approach taken by the organisations involved. Thank you to all those who worked on this especially the team at the English Riviera Bid Company.”