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Hundreds of tourism jobs predicted

600 jobs could be on the cards for the North East’s tourism industry after a successful 2009.

Seven new developments opened their doors in the North East last year, with a combined value of almost £90m. These include the £25m Great North Museum: Hancock, which opened in May and has been visited by more than 600,000 people.

Saltholme Wildlife Reserve and Discovery Park, in Tees Valley, a £7m project, also opened in 2009 and has attracted 88,000 visitors.

The figures come from the Regional Tourism Investment Monitor, set up by One North East to track investment projects with a value of more than £100,000.

Since it was set up in 2004 the Monitor has tracked 76 new tourism developments in the region, bringing a reported £382m-worth of investment and creating 1,400 jobs.

There are also a further 104 projects either under construction or consideration in the region, including Seaton Delaval Hall in Northumberland, Rockliffe Hall Hotel, near Darlington, and the Xcel Conference Centre in Newton Aycliffe.

Stacy Hall, Director Communications & Tourism at One North East said: “Accelerating the rate of investment in the North East’s tourism offer is an integral part of the regional tourism strategy.

“The level of investment in 2009 was fantastic and the overall investment in tourism since the investment monitor was established has already surpassed targets which were set out in the 2005-2010 Regional Tourism Strategy.

“What is particularly significant is that much of this investment was led by the private sector, which demonstrates the levels of confidence in the North East economy.

“Continued private and public investment in tourism developments will ensure that the region’s visitor economy will be able to benefit from the current ‘staycation’ trend.”

For more information on North East England go to www.visitnortheastengland.com

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .