BOURNEMOUTH’S Pier Approach and Dorset’s Jurassic Coast have been highlighted as examples of what investing in the British seaside can achieve.

A report by the British Hospitality Association (BHA), called Creating Coastal Powerhouses, has called for the appointment of a “seaside tsar” to help more run-down seaside towns recover.

It highlights three “models of best practice for coastal area investment” – Bournemouth’s Pier Approach, the Jurassic Coat and Folkestone Creative Quarter.

Bournemouth overhauled its Pier Approach after the demolition of the Waterfront Imax building, clearing away many of its stalls and rides in favour of restaurants, event spaces, a visitor information point, playground and water feature.

The BHA report notes that the area was one of the first sites to benefit from Bournemouth Borough Council’s Seafront Strategy, “an ambitious 20-year strategy to develop a world-class seafront for Bournemouth”.

It adds: “Excellent transport links have also proven crucial to Bournemouth’s seaside industry; hence a £1.5million investment at the site of the town’s rail and coach station, which has created an attractive and welcoming arrival for visitors to the town.

“Much of Bournemouth’s popularity is also down to its world renowned festivals, with Bournemouth winning Best Event of the Year with Bournemouth Air Festival in 2015; it demonstrates what can be achieved when coastal areas are regenerated through a new and coordinated vision.”

The Jurassic Coast, a World Heritage Site stretching 95 miles from East Devon to Dorset, brings £11m into the local economy each year, the report says.

The coast is managed through a collaboration between the Jurassic Coast Trust and local authorities, with 90 per cent of businesses believing the Jurassic Coast brand had a positive impact on their businesses.

The report notes that 280,000 people are employed in the hospitality and tourism industry in the south west, generating £132m for the region’s economy.

It calls for a package of measures to breathe new life into struggling seaside towns, including the appointment of a seaside tsar to coordinate a coherent response across departments.

The Bournemouth-based National Coastal Tourism Academy welcomed the report.

Director Samantha Richardson said: “All of our work focuses on identifying opportunities for growth on the coast and overcoming barriers facing coastal communities. We know that the seaside has now regained its position as the most popular domestic overnight holiday destination, attracting an impressive 13.7m visits in England in 2015.

“Whilst recognising there is still more to be done and coastal destinations need ongoing support, we’ve uncovered strong and numerous opportunities for growth."