VISIT England has announced that Devon and Partners have achieved a new Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) accreditation for the county.

The status will support a collaboration of local authorities and organisations to promote and manage the growth of Devon’s local visitor economy.

The new LVEP will become part of the national programme managed by Visit England.

This portfolio of nationally supported, strategic, and high-performing organisations will provide local leadership in tourism destinations all over the country.

The bid for accreditation was led by Vince Flower, Chairman of Visit Devon, plus partners from across the county, including Plymouth, Visit Devon and English Riviera BID Company with funding support from the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership.

Tourism and the wider visitor economy are worth £1.6 billion annually to the Devon economy supporting more than 50,000 jobs.

It is estimated that the new structure will enable additional growth in the sector of more than £300 million annually going forwards.

The application was approved by a panel of experts at Visit England and visitor economy policymakers at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Devon County Council will take on the formal role of ‘accountable body’ for the LVEP while Amanda Lumley, CEO at Destination Plymouth, will act as key contact with Visit England.

Vince Flower, Local Enterprise Partnership board director and Chairman of Visit Devon, said: ‘We are excited to announce a significant milestone today, with heartfelt thanks to all who contributed, fostering tremendous support during the application process.

‘This application’s development benefited from seven months of partnership working, involving input from various organisations, interviews with senior stakeholders, an industry survey with 250 responses, workshops, and discussions with partners in Devon.

‘This development marks a strategic leap forward for Devon, and we look forward to collaborating with partners across the region to ensure its success.

‘Special thanks to Tomorrow’s Tourism Ltd for their invaluable assistance.

‘Achieving LVEP status opens doors to national development and marketing opportunities with Visit England, potentially unlocking future funding for initiatives.

‘Crucially, it establishes a trusted lead for the visitor economy, aligning efforts for sustained regional growth.’