VisitEngland has awarded the National Coastal Tourism Academy (NCTA) funding from its Discovery England Fund to trial a new Coastal Pass across the east coast of England.

The concept is a travel tool that will allow tourists to create their own itineraries by watching interactive videos drawing attention to various coastal locations and attractions.

To initially be trialled by holidaymakers from the Netherlands, the scheme will extend from the Port of Hull down to Harwich in Essex, covering hundreds of miles of coastline including the likes of Skegness, Cleethorpes, Great Yarmouth and Cromer.

The pass will include themed itineraries for both international and domestic markets, with a focus on touring the coastline, taking part in active experiences, and exploring arts, culture and heritage. For the scheme, the NCTA is working in partnership with ferry companies, accommodation providers, restaurants, retailers and east coast destinations to pilot the tool.

“The Discover England Fund encourages international visitors to explore the regions of England. The Netherlands is the joint third largest international market to Britain’s coast and has direct routes into the major ports of Hull and Harwich, so targeting this market and highlighting the wealth of attractions spanning the east coast seemed a natural fit,” said Samantha Richardson, NCTA director.

“Dutch visitors aged over 45 are a growing market. This age group often has the flexibility to travel off-season so promoting this stretch of coastline year-round and allowing them to design their own itineraries could provide a means to unlocking long-term, sustainable growth.”

The Discover England Fund – a staged three-year fund worth £40m (US$49m, €45m) and announced by the government in last year’s spending review – has been set up to build ‘world-class’ tourism products and experiences that cater to the needs of international visitors to boost inbound spend across England, while also benefitting the domestic tourism market.

VisitEngland is calling for projects worth as much as £250,000 (US$305,000, €280,000) in the first year, with submissions being accepted until 31 March 2017.