New campaign aims to steer Essex away from TOWIE stereotypes
TV adverts will be broadcast from March
A new advertising campaign in Essex hopes to highlight the best of what the county has to offer, and steer away from the stereotypes.
From March, TV adverts will be broadcast across the country on Sky, to encourage more people to visit Essex and to show the county is more than its 'The Only Way is Essex' stereotype.
Visit Essex - Essex County Council's tourist arm - has been rethinking how it markets the area, and its tourism industry worth £3.4billion, since 2019, placing more focus on Essex’s wide ranging diversity.
So far, campaigns have featured Michelin-starred chefs, scientists and a Coastal Essex film and website highlighting the country’s extensive 350-mile coastline.
Lisa Bone, strategic tourism manager at Essex County Council, told us: "Everything that we do is trying to challenge the perceptions of Essex.
"It's known as a place that's close to London but lots of people don't realize all the hidden gems that we've got. It's such a diverse county, both in place and in people and we want people to know everything that we have to offer.
"Lots of people do know about Brentwood and TOWIE, but they don't know about our culture, history, heritage or all of our wonderful outdoor attractions... the more that we change those perceptions, we'll reach wider audiences and therefore attract new audiences to to Essex."
She also hoped the campaign would encourage tourists to stay in Essex for longer.
"We really want people to come for short breaks. There's a perception that Essex is a daybreak destination but we really want people to come for a short break because what Essex has rivals Cornwall, the Lake District and the Peak District."
The tourism manager also teased some of Visit Essex's other plans: "We'll be doing a big campaign around food and drink as well, to highlight the growing food and drink on offer, including at vineyards, breweries and the cockle sheds in Leigh-on-Sea."
It's hoped the campaign will give Essex's tourism industry a boost after Covid hit hard. Only £1.6bn was generated from tourism in 2020 compared to £3.5bn in 2019.
Other plans to boost tourism in the county include a Big Essex Weekend, which entails tourist attractions, venues and restaurants offering visitors special experiences and discounts, and a food and drink trail.