New £15,000 funding pot announced for tourism initiatives in Eastbourne

Businesses can apply now for grants to support local tourism initiatives, in a new fund launched by VisitEastbourne.

The VisitEastbourne Tourism Development Fund is a £15,000 pot to subsidise new initiatives which help to increase footfall and visitor spend in the town, along with opportunities to improve training, provide research and support a cultural shift towards carbon-neutral business.

Applications are open exclusively to current members of VisitEastbourne – Eastbourne Borough Council’s Tourism delivery arm - from now until midday on Thursday April 27.

Launched at VisitEastbourne’s Spring Networking event last week, bids are invited up to £5,000 per application with no minimum value, and businesses may work together on one bid - nominating a lead partner for the submission.

A shortlisting panel will select those bids which best meet the criteria, all within the total £15,000 funding pot. Projects must take place and be completed by the end of 2023 and each bid will be tracked and measured to monitor its success.

An Eastbourne Borough Council spokesperson said: “This is a new and exciting funding stream to allow members within the industry to support VisitEastbourne’s overall objectives through their own campaigns and activity.

“It follows on from successful partnership working between Eastbourne Borough Council and businesses which took place during the Covid-19 pandemic, such as the Welcome Back Fund and Additional Restrictions Grant. By working with and enabling local businesses, we can deliver so much more to support the visitor experience and increased spending within the local economy.”

The funding pot has been made available by repurposing savings achieved through a significant shift from print marketing to digital methods, and through increased membership income.

Among the primary objectives of the fund are to support and encourage activity that will drive increased footfall to Eastbourne as a tourist destination; activity that will increase consumer spend in Eastbourne; encourage overnight stays in accommodation within Eastbourne and the immediate surrounding areas; and to use the fund as a springboard to encourage new activities and experiences that have longevity and legacy.

Alongside that, the fund aims to support initiatives which open up opportunities for education, research and learning to help Eastbourne businesses better understand their markets, facilitating a cultural shift to a carbon-neutral way of living where possible. The fund also aims to support campaigns that increase brand awareness of VisitEastbourne; improve the experience and offering for residents and complement the activity of stakeholders such as Your Eastbourne BID, Eastbourne Hospitality Association, Eastbourne Chamber of Commerce; and encourage collaborative working between Eastbourne businesses and stakeholders.

Businesses can join VisitEastbourne from as little as £99+vat per year.

The VisitEastbourne Tourism Development Fund is open to applications until midday on April 27. For further information and an application form, email [email protected]