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Covid: Norfolk expects boost in UK tourists during pandemic

Martin Barber/BBC Aerial view of Holkham Hall in NorfolkMartin Barber/BBC
The privately-owned Holkham estate includes a stately home and grounds, farmland and beach

The Covid-19 pandemic is restricting holidays abroad and making tourism in the UK more attractive. About 140 million day-trippers visit the East of England each year already. How can greater numbers be managed while protecting the environment?

Tourism is worth more than £10bn a year to the East of England and is one of its biggest employers.

The Holkham Estate on the Norfolk coast manages 25,000 acres of land with a stately home, a nature reserve, a beach and other leisure facilities.

It is a huge draw for tourists, but also has a major conservation role.

Peter Mitchell, Holkham Estate manager,
Peter Mitchell manages the Holkham Estate which includes Holkham Beach - part of Holkham National Nature Reserve

Peter Mitchell, Holkham Estate manager, said: "This is just a stunning location.

"Over the years it has become more and more popular. It is also an important wildlife habitat with some amazing species - lapwings and spoonbills. It's just incredible the wildlife we have around here.

"So this year we've introduced zoning for dog walkers, and keep asking people to keep dogs on their leads in April to September - part of trying to stop the damage that free-running dogs can do to nesting birds."

He said he was "little bit nervous" about the potential number of UK tourists coming to the estate as lockdown eases and ends.

"Last summer, we just about managed to cope. So there's going to be some big numbers," he said.

"This year, we just need to make sure that everything is running as smoothly as possible."

Richard Humphrey/Geograph Wells-Next-The SeaRichard Humphrey/Geograph
Wells-Next-The Sea attracts tourists
Brancaster beach and the clubhouse at the Royal West Norfolk Golf Club
Brancaster, to the west of Holkham, is on a long stretch of sandy, dune-filled beaches in west and north Norfolk

Pinewoods holiday park at Wells-next-the-Sea is part of the Holkham Estate.

Grasses are left long in between pitches and everyone who stays there is encouraged to recycle.

Also the toilet and shower block has a "living roof" with grass planted on it.

Mr Mitchell said: "There are lots of people working very hard to make sure that, whatever happens, it is sustainable."

Tourism is worth £528m a year to North Norfolk.

Mel Catton, who has owned various shops in Wells for nearly 40 years and is also the town councillor in charge of traffic management, said parking in the town needed to be sorted out as the number of people visiting grows.

"We appreciate the need to have tourism, We welcome tourists, it's our livelihood," he said.

Politics East airs on BBC One in the East on Sunday 27 June at 10:00 BST and can be viewed on the BBC iPlayer afterwards.

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