VisitEngland has announced the start of a new partnership project to deliver local destination marketing and thematic campaigns throughout the country.

The three-year project, ‘Growing Tourism Locally’, will generate £365 million in additional tourism spend and has been funded by £19.8 million from the government’s Regional Growth Fund (RGF) with contributions from VisitEngland and the private sector. 

Aimed at inspiring Britons to take more holidays at home, the project will stimulate employment to grow jobs in the tourism sector by 9,100 over the three years.

The investment focuses on working directly with destinations and the private sector to create a number of dedicated marketing campaigns throughout the country that will focus on specific areas and themes.

Destination campaigns will start to roll out over the next six months while themed campaigns will begin running in early 2013 to stimulate Easter and summer holiday bookings for next year.

Themes will focus on what England is most loved for including: Heritage, Coastal, Countryside, and Culture including Sport and Literature.

Business Tourism is also to receive support from the Regional Growth Fund and will build on VisitEngland’s work with destinations to grow the value of international conferences, events and conventions.

James Berresford, VisitEngland’s chief executive said: “The RGF money is a huge boost for tourism in England.

“This project enables our public and private sector partners to work together to stimulate tourism and ultimately grow jobs throughout the country with particular emphasis on some local areas. 

“This is a great time to launch and we hope that by riding on the crest of a wave of a successful London 2012 Olympic Games we will harness the swell of national pride and inspire Brits to take the home advantage and holiday at home this year and beyond.”