Visitors flock to tourist hot spots

Tourism South East reckons in a new report that 260 million was generated for businesses in the Wealden area in 2005.

Since then, local businesses have told the Express that visitor numbers have increased markedly

The report also highlights the fact that many tourists visited with family and friends.

Annette Jaggers, 69, a director at Hailsham's Knockhatch Adventure Park, said a lot of visitors to the park came from Northern Ireland and the north of England.

She thought the warm climate in Wealden played a major part in attracting them.

She said: 'I remember 2005 as being a great year for us and it has stayed the same since then.

'We see 100,000 people coming to the park each year.

'Tourism is vitally important to the area.'

Drusillas zoo park has seen increasing numbers of visitors streaming through the gates in the past two years.

Laurence Smith, managing director, said: 'We are not surprised the Wealden district remains a favourable place to visit, given the beautiful countryside and walks, and the excellent range of attractions, pubs and restaurants in the area.'

Sarah Pascoe, Wealden's economic development manager, said the tourism report was commissioned as a basis for decisions to promote tourism in Wealden in the future.

She added: 'We will use this report when working with our partners at district, county and regional levels to develop the infrastructure we need to support tourism.

'We are also launching a new annual tourism business survey.'

Tourism South East is a private and public partnership, the strategic body promoting tourism in south-east England.

Why do you think so many people are visiting Wealden? E-mail [email protected] with your comments.