Sport, Leisure & Tourism

South West England is surpassed only by London as a UK tourist destination and supports a £5 billion a year industry. The sector has over 10,000 businesses, ranging from multi-million pound visitor attractions to small guest houses.

The South West is a beautiful and historic part of England. Its two national parks, Dartmoor and Exmoor, along with numerous Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) cover approximately a fifth of the region. These areas along with the South West Coastal Path and Jurassic Coast make the region a popular destination for visitors from both the UK and overseas. 

With Weymouth playing host to the sailing events for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the South West will receive evermore interest in its sporting, leisure and tourism industries. It is benefitting from a renewed enthusiasm interest in sport and its inhabitants are some of the most active in the country, producing more Olympians than any other region.

The universities in South West England are ensuring that the industry remains at the forefront of innovation through a range of focused services. They are working together via the RELAYS project to enhance the region's sporting, cultural and educational legacy as part of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Follow the links to read more about university centres of expertise and success stories of university and business collaboration in the leisure, tourism and sport sectors.

External Links

South West Tourism

Tourism Skills Network