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Become A Member

Tourism is a key economic driver for the Essex economy. Visit Essex’s core aim is to raise the value of tourism to Essex by promoting day trips and short breaks, and ensuring we have a compelling visitor offer that generates income for the county. We do this by being the shop window for Essex tourism businesses, maintaining a high profile for the county through our digital presence, collaborating with travel intermediaries and encouraging collaboration generally between tourism stakeholders, challenging outdated perceptions and being an advocate for high quality products and services with a warm visitor welcome.

“Visit Essex have always been an enormous support and source of information for us, but through the recent crisis the support was exceptional and crucial to our day to day running of our business. We cannot thank the team enough for always being on the other end of the phone.” Audley End Miniature Railway

During 2019 we launched a campaign to challenge the Essex stereotype called This is Essex which has helped raise Essex's profile and change the narative with both the press and public . Working with Big Wave PR we were delighted to win three PR awards for the campaign and will continue to expand the This is Essex campaign next year.

Visit Essex Membership Benefits & Opportunities

As well as recieving a full page presence on www.visitessex.com your annual membership fee gives you all these key benefits:

► Our website features on page 1 of Google on ‘Essex’ searches and receives approx. 1.2 million visitors each year.

► You have control of your webpage adding content and images and updating when necessary. Your entry will feature in each section appropriate to your business (covered under the same membership fee).

► Opportunity to contribute to our monthly consumer e-newsletter. Average engagement rate is 35%.

► Cost effective or free training courses.

► Partner with us on Social Media to amplify your campaigns and messages to approx. 50,000 followers.

► Preferential involvement in our PR activity including press and familiarisation trips, content, social media and competition promotions.

► Annual conference at which you will have the opportunity to network with key players in the tourism industry. We have speakers relevant to the industry and run various workshops.

► An annual member’s networking event held during the summer, where you will receive updates from the Visit Essex team. This is more informal than the annual conference and a further opportunity to network.

► Inclusion in relevant Visit Essex, Visit England and Visit Britain campaigns and activities where applicable.

► The Visit Essex team at the end of the phone or email for advice or support.

► Receive a monthly members newsletter with latest news and information.

How to join

For more information about membership and how to work with us, please contact Cheryl Owen, cheryl.owen@essex.gov.uk or by telephone on: +44 (0) 33301 30106.