A major £500,000 campaign will aim to prolong Norfolk and Suffolk’s summer holiday season - by urging tourists to extend their summer breaks into September.

The summer season for coastal resorts such as Southwold, Aldeburgh, Cromer and Hunstanton would normally end in August.

But Norfolk and Suffolk’s destination management organisations (DMOs) have clubbed together to encourage visitors to stay that little bit longer or take a staycation in September - after the coronavirus crisis wiped out a large chunk of hotel and restaurant trade.

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The campaign has also received support from the government’s Enjoy Summer Safely initiative.

Pete Waters, executive director of Visit East of England, said the campaign was the “biggest ever in support of Norfolk and Suffolk’s visitor economy”.

He added: “We formed a unique collaboration of DMOs, supported by funds from local authorities, to jointly promote Norfolk and Suffolk for the first time - because we realised that our collective voice would be stronger when we are competing with better-known and better-funded parts of the country.

“The UK government award further demonstrated the benefit of working collaboratively.

“This will give us a fantastic opportunity to promote our tourism offering, extend the traditional season and hopefully give more businesses a fighting chance of surviving through what has been a turbulent time for the visitor economy.”

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With a strapline of ‘Find the paths and places less travelled’, the campaign promotes the two counties’ 9,172 km² of coast and countryside, with lots of space for outdoor activities and the opportunity to get off the beaten track and away from crowds.

It highlights the region’s three Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Broads National Park - with 125 miles of navigable, lock-free waterways - nature reserves, country estates and parklands, as well as picturesque market towns, chocolate box villages and other hidden gems to discover.

After the initial campaign has run in September, there will be more promotions throughout the autumn to encourage autumn visits and bookings for 2021.

VisitEngland director Andrew Stokes said: “This campaign will encourage more of us to get out and discover destinations and quality attractions close to home, right here on our doorstep.

“It will also support local businesses who have been working so hard to welcome visitors back safely, adapting and innovating to meet new ways of working and still providing a great visitor experience.”