25 September 2008 Despite an enticing invitation to Eastbourne sent to Boris Johnson after his controversial comments made in The Telegraph, the Mayor of London is still choosing to shun the seaside resort that more than 4 million others visit every year.
Statistics from top holiday website, lastminute.com reported a 66% rise in Eastbourne hotel bookings for 2008 and tour operator, Shearings, placed Eastbourne seventh in a British league table of the most popular resorts in light of the ‘staycation’ trend this summer. But despite more than 180,000 visitors using the town’s Tourist Information Centre and 93% more clicking on the resort’s official tourism website, VisitEastbourne.com, the London Mayor is refusing to budge and finds himself the odd one out compared to four million others that will visit Eastbourne in 2008.
Eastbourne Borough Council Spokesperson for Tourism, Cllr Steve Wallis said “I am very disappointed in Boris’ response to our exciting invitation to enjoy a first class visit to Eastbourne. With some outstanding statistics this year, it is clear that Boris is alone in his decision to stay away from Eastbourne in 2008. We will be writing to Boris again using our impressive tourism figures to challenge his negative reply.”
After the outspoken politician declared in his Telegraph column in July that his summer holiday would not be spent in ‘some boarding-house in Eastbourne’, the town’s Tourism bosses invited Boris to ‘Change his View’.
But a brief reply received from the London Mayor last week shows that a visit to Eastbourne is still far from his wish list of holiday destinations for 2008.
In his letter addressed to the Director of Eastbourne Tourism, Boris declines the offer of a visit to Eastbourne and says ‘Alas, I am snowed under at the moment and I won’t be able to take you up on your kind offer.’
But like Boris, Eastbourne’s Tourism bosses are refusing to give in and are penning another letter to Boris outlining exactly why he should take time out to visit the seaside resort that is officially the sunniest place in the UK.
From the impressive accommodation booking statistics to the town’s top sunshine record; from the resort’s growing reputation as a film location to its bumper events calendar; Eastbourne certainly has plenty to offer and Tourism Chiefs hope the latest letter will highlight just what Boris is missing!
For more information on Eastbourne visit the Visit Eastbourne website or telephone 0871 663 0031.
