Bournemouth has set up its own weather service to thwart unpredictable and confusing forecasts. They have launched this service after they claim that an inaccurate Met Office predication put off thousands of potential visitors over a bank holiday. Showers were predicted and led a potential 25,000 visitors to stay at home, event though the beach was bathed in sunshine. It is estimated there was a loss of £1m to local revenue. This service is the first of its kind in the country.

Japanese tourists visiting the Lake District this summer have been asked to donate £5. The scheme is to help sustainable tourism in the Lake District. More than 70,000 Japanese visit the Lake District every year

Tour operators in Japan will encourage customers to donate the voluntary £5 and in return will receive a Peter Rabbit Badge and certificate as a thank you.

Dr Michael Cantlay has been appointed as the new Chair of VisitScotland.

The National Park Authority will be introducing five new local information points in the New Forest, Hampshire. The points will provide a one-stop shop for residents and visitors who are interested in learning more about the National Park and what to see and do in the local area. They will offer information and maps, leaflets and publications.

Forks, in Washington US, has seen a remarkable 1000% increase in tourism due to the vampire film Twilight. Forks is the setting of the film, which is based on a series of books by US author Stephanie Meyer.  There were more visitors in June and July than the whole of 2008. Fans can visit the high school, hospital and police station all featured in the film. Local businesses have responded to the hype with a Twilight themed restaurant and shops selling ‘Bella Burgers’.

The Sunday Times reports that Nottingham has made it into the top 10 tourist destinations in the world for 2010.    The new Robin Hood film opens in 2010.

A £22m project to link Liverpool city centre to the UK’s 2.200 mile canal system has opened.  The canal link is one and a half miles long and runs into Liverpool past historic sites. It is hoped that it will generate 200,000 extra visitors a year and be worth about £1.9m to the local economy.

Guernsey’s tourism industry is hoping for a good season as a result of the weak pound against the euro. Interest in the island as a holiday destination has increased, with a 95% rise in brochure demand on 2008. This has led to a 31,000 reprint of brochures. Most interest has come from Britons, as they want a holiday destination where they do not have to change the sterling in to euros.

As part of plans to create a continuous 16.8km waterfront route for Edinburgh, between Silverknowes and Granton, the first 1km has been unveiled. A ‘destination point’ has been created at Birnie Rocks at the heart of the new 6m wide promenade. The promenade has cost £210,000 to develop. Around 11.6km of the promenade already exists and it will eventually form part of the Scottish Coastal Path and the North Sea Trail.
The next stage of the promenade is set to take shape from May 2010.

Plans for a multi-million pound leisure and retail development at Clyde Gateway, near Glasgow, have been approved by South Lanarkshire Council. Plans for the 268,000sq ft mixed use scheme include a nine-storey 170-room hotel, a nine screen cinema, restaurants and 50,000sq ft of sports retail space.

The proposed development will be built at the heart of the Clyde Gateway site, next to the route of the planned 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games Athletes’ Village and Velodrome. It is hoped that the proposal will help provide a lasting legacy for the area leading up to, and beyond, the Commonwealth Games. The Clyde Gateway initiative aims at tackling the economic decline in east Glasgow and South Lanarkshire.

A £25m 7 point action plan has been introduced by Advantage West Midlands (AWM) in a bid to help boost the region’s tourism industry.   The plan was unveiled at the West Midlands Tourism Summit, and it includes £1m for new television advertising and £12m for an initiative to attract conference, exhibitions and events to the area.  A pilot scheme will also be launched in conjunction with the Department for Work and Pension to increase skills and tourism employment. There will also be new partnerships developed between the regions visitor attractions, offering joint tickets.
Tourism brings in £6bn to the West Midlands, supporting 115,000 jobs across 30,000 companies.

A new 19km purpose built mountain bike trail has opened in Whinlatter Forest Park near Keswick, Cumbria.

The trail is designed for experienced riders and it also includes a new 15km of singletrack, with jumps and cork screws. There is also a bike shop and hire centre.

Hadrian’s Wall Heritage Limited (HWHL) was set up in 2006 by groups including One North East and English Heritage to attract visitors to the Wall.   Of the 450 businesses across its route, 78% said the group was having a positive impact on the economy.  As well as helping to boost the economy the group also helps to protect and conserve the World Heritage Site. HWHL hopes to build the area into a brand, and the businesses which responded positively found that the Hadrian’s Wall brand has raised the profile of the area.

The bid to bring more tourists to the Welsh Valleys has been boosted by £9m of European funding.  The money will go to schemes in five local authorities.   This investment will build on a £5m investment programme made earlier in the year for visitor attractions in the region.   Money is also going towards the £6m project to renovate the General Offices at the former Ebbw Vale Steelworks, which is due to open in 2 years as an interactive family history and genealogy centre.   Over the next 3 years, it is predicted that tourism investment in the region will top £23m. It is hoped that the projects will create around 400 jobs and attract an additional 355,000 visitors a year.

Hammersmith and Fulham Council hope to receive £4 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Parks for People grant to regenerate Bishop’s Park and Fulham Palace grounds back to its seaside Victorian days. The plans show Bishop’s Park’s lake, pond and the 1,000sqm Fulham beach restored. Green space will be landscaped into four gardens, including a managed wildlife wilderness, an organic garden and a functional kitchen for demonstrations on how to prepare organic produce. If the plans are successful then work is expected to begin in 2010.