Somerset and Exmoor have a range of exciting developments to share with WTM visitors, including a new train route, a campaign to revive the home of Cheddar cheese and an initiative to boost coastal tourism.
Firstly, Exmoor has been made accessible by train for the first time as Great Western Railway has launched its first new route in over 40 years, in collaboration with West Somerset Railway, England’s longest running heritage railway.
The route, which started in July 2019, promises to provide a tourism boost for car-free entry into Exmoor National Park and allows visitors to travel directly from London or Birmingham in under three hours.
As the home of Cheddar cheese, Visit Somerset and Visit Exmoor aim to showcase British farming and traditional food production techniques with the launch of a new food and drink campaign. The campaign will celebrate the county’s range of artisan food and drink producers including some of the UK’s biggest brands such as Yeo Valley and Thatchers.
In 2020, Somerset and Exmoor will launch a campaign that will uncover the selection of ingredients and experience on offer with the creation of unique food trails. From the production of world-famous cave-aged Cheddar in Cheddar Gorge to strolling through acres of apple orchards at one of the local cider farms, Visit Somerset and Visit Exmoor also aim to boost farm tourism in 2020.
A new strategic initiative to revitalise and boost the economy along the county’s coastline is set to be launched in winter 2019 with a strategy and marketing campaign kicking off in 2020. Along with the launch, a Somerset Coastal Summit will take place to highlight opportunities for local businesses and tour operators.
The Coastal Tourism Initiative will focus on revitalising local economy, developing sustainable tourism activities and encourage coastal communities to work collectively to enhance the Somerset Coastal Tourism experience.
Finally, as London continues to become oversaturated with galleries, explore how rural artists are thriving outside of the capital. 2019 has marked the 25th anniversary of the county-wide Somerset Art Weeks, with over 300 artists exhibiting their work across 135 locations.
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