South West Water has pledged £1.2m as part of a Destination Marketing Recovery Fund aimed at repairing reputational damage and boosting tourism in south Devon. The fund was raised after a cryptosporidium outbreak in May caused around 100 cases of the disease, leading to negative reports worldwide, costing “tens of millions of pounds worth of lost bookings”. Business leaders welcomed the announcement, which will provide funding for promotions, TV advertising and more in Brixham and the surrounding area.
Local business owners spoke about the importance of the funding, with cafe owner Alex Foley explaining that the money would offer “massive advertising campaigns showing just how beautiful it is here.” Guesthouse owner Linda Lowe described it as “desperately important,” saying, “the only way we can get our reputation back in the public eye is to get the marketing out quickly.” Chris Hart, chairman of the English Riviera BID Company said, “it will make a massive difference over the next few years.”
Some of the money raised will be spent on a legacy project, expected to cost around £250k, which will be managed by the local Chamber of Commerce. South West Water said that the fund will help promote tourism in Brixham with the English Riviera BID group. Authentication of water sources has taken place and the water is now completely safe to drink, said a spokesperson. The aim of the funding is to repair reputational damage caused to Brixham and the surrounding area as a result of negative media coverage reporting on the outbreak.
The investment will also enable promotions of the popular tourist destination to continue providing Brixham, and the other related areas, the opportunity to showcase their surroundings and attract new visitors from across the UK and the world. An outcome that will ultimately help support the local economy, which suffered significantly through 2020 and the current COVID pandemic
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