SOME of Southend’s most familiar sights are being featured on international television as part of a drive by tourist chiefs to bring more foreign visitors to town.

Southend Council’s tourism team has created a two minute advert promoting the pier and other attractions, as well as some of the top restaurants, which is being shown on Dutch TV. Watch the video here

The short film is being featured on channel RTV’s three regional stations, Noord, Drenthe and Friesland.

Called Londen Aan Zee (London-On-Sea) the footage aims to tempt Dutch visitors to the town with the aim to exploit a newly created air route between Southend Airport and the north Dutch city of Groningen.

Scott Dolling, the council’s head of tourism, said the video, funded by a £50,000 Visit England grant, particularly highlighted the restaurants because visitors from the Netherlands were particularly keen on enjoying good food and the footage shows the food being prepared.

The video Londen-Aan-Zee

Mr Dolling said: “We are targeting Groningen because it is one of the routes in and out of Southend Airport and we are trying to maximise the opportunity of inbound tourism so some of the businesses can get some work out of the airport project, particularly hotels, taxis, restaurants and other attractions.

“It is a traditional tourism base so what we are trying to do is out of season position Southend as a destination so people are not going off through the airport and into London.

“While London is a significant tourist destination, Southend would not be as easily identifiable internationally, so we are saying to those that want to visit London, why not visit Southend as well?”

Mr Dolling said there was the possibility adverts for Southend could be placed on TV stations in other countries with links to the town through the airport, which operates flights to Berlin and Barcelona among other destinations.

The video, which can be viewed via the link, stars Jacqui Dallimore, manager at the Roslin Beach Hotel and council employee Emma Crampton. It also features Dave and Fi Dulake from the Railway Hotel, ice skating outside the Forum, the pier, and Adventure Island.