A new tourism delivery structure, Tourism Network North East, has been launched in the north east of England.

Comprising One NorthEast Tourism and four Area Tourism Partnerships (ATPs) – Northumberland Tourism, County Durham Tourism, Tees Valley Tourism and Tourism Tyne and Wear – the network is designed to provide tourism businesses in the region with a simpler, more cost effective range of marketing and development opportunities.

The ATPs are new public-private partnerships funded by local authorities, One NorthEast and private industry. Each has its own chief executive and board of directors.

The network will be run by the Network Management Group, comprising the head of tourism and the head of marketing from One NorthEast, Louise Davis and Tania Robinson, and the fourATP chief executives.

“A lot of work has gone in to the creation of the Tourism Network,” said Davis.

“We have been able to reach this point because of the many high quality individuals from both the public and private sector involved in the Area Tourism Partnerships, who are committed to achieving improved delivery and a stronger visitor economy in the region.”

One NorthEast will still be responsible for marketing at a regional level and has recently launched the Desti.ne e-business platform.

Photograph: The Network Management Group. Back Row: Melanie Sensicle, chief executive County Durham Tourism; Louise Davis, head of tourism, One NorthEast; Tania Robinson, head of marketing One NorthEast; Julia Frater, head, Tees Valley Tourism. Front Row: Giles Ingram, executive director, Northumberland Tourism; Paul Hemphill, Tourism Network Manager, One NorthEast; Andrew Dixon, acting chief executive Tourism Tyne and Wear