Southport as part of Sefton celebrates "World Tourism Day"

To mark today’s World Tourism Day, Sefton Council is taking to social media to celebrate the Borough’s attractions.

Tourism brings tens of thousands of people to the Borough and in 2018, generated £555 million of income to the local economy.

Spectacular

Sefton’s 22 miles of spectacular coastline define the Borough and are the focus for visitors and tourists as well as being enjoyed by residents.

From the traditional seaside town of Southport in the north to the 100 iron men that make up Sir Antony Gormley’s world-famous artwork, ‘Another Place’ on Crosby beach in the south, Sefton’s coastline has something for everyone.

Walking, cycling, kite surfing, sea-fishing and bird spotting are among the popular activities enjoyed by visitors and local alike.

Wildlife

There are beautiful beaches and a vast stunning landscape of protected sand dunes and woodlands, which are home to an array of wildlife including red squirrels, Natterjack toads, rare sand lizards and exceptional species of flora and fauna. Large numbers of migrating birds use it as a stopping-off point in spring and autumn.

It is for this reason, the Sefton Coast enjoys high levels of protection including Site of Special Scientific Interest, Special Area of Conservation two areas designated as Marine Conservation Zones.

And with the UK’s highest concentration of championship links courses, including Royal Birkdale, our Golf Coast is the perfect place to pitch a holiday.

Events

In addition to its coastline, Sefton also has areas of woodland, impressive parks and a number of annual events including Southport’s World Musical Fireworks Championships, Air and Flower Shows and Comedy Festival.

A recent addition to Southport’s attractions is the refurbished Market featuring mouth-watering delights and delicacies from around the world, with ten stalls and traders, as well as a feature bar and drinks space, to choose from.

Funding

Earlier this year, it was announced that Southport is set to receive £37.5 million of Town Deal funding from the Government. Key themes of the town’s Investment Plan are a new Marine Lake Events Centre, the creation of the UK’s first light, water and sound show in the Marine Lake, and Les Transformations de Southport which will see the streets that inspired Paris’s famous boulevards turned into high-quality public spaces.

Plans to increase tourism in the south of Sefton include a proposal for the UK’s first ‘Flying Cinema’ to transport visitors on a tour of the British Isles and, a Virtual Reality Time-Travel Tunnel will take visitors on a journey through the ‘History of Bootle and Liverpool’, including an experience of the city’s blitz.

These and measures to encourage visitors to nearby Crosby to stay longer, form part of Sefton Council’s Levelling Up bids to the Government, which total almost £34 million.

Find out more about visiting Sefton.

Sefton Council is taking to Facebook and Twitter to share images celebrating Sefton’s attractions through the day.