The extra support is fantastic to help the whole of the county to reach its potential, but there is so much to do in the city to help make the most of what we have to offer and ensure that we keep visitors coming back repeatedly - and staying for longer!
Portsmouth needs improving and diversifying its tourism offerings, with high-quality accommodation, more to do and ensuring we have cleaner seas that we can make the most of to attract more visitors.
Here we look at 11 things we think our city needs to focus on to help it reach its tourism potential.
1. More to the city than just Gunwharf Quays
There is no doubting it, that Gunwharf has brought about a real buzz to the city and is a popular destination for locals and visitors alike. But it is important that visitors don't just leave with the impression that this is all there is in Portsmouth - we know our city offers a whole lot more. Gunwharf can play a key role in helping to signpost visitors (and remind residents!) what else the city has to offer and encourage people to go a bit further afield. | Tim Sheerman-Chase/Flickr
2. Accommodation crisis?
Encouraging day trippers is one thing, but getting people to stay for longer is a whole other question and one which needs addressing. And having a great mixture of accommodation options is key to this. It is so sad that more and more of the seafront hotels are now being transformed into flats and HMOs. But many hotels and B&Bs are struggling to fill rooms - relying heavily on busy weekends like Victorious for revenue. There are also very few 'destination' hotels in the area offering a real taste of luxury. These are hotels where visitors might also like to spend much of the day at the spa, hotel pool or in the bar as part of a longer visit to our city. The long-promised conversion of the former Royal Marines Museum is also stuck in the planning phase and has not come into fruition. So sad. | (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) Photo: (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
3. Regeneration of the city centre
We all know that traditional town and city centres are struggling as the retail landscape changes. With the rise of online shopping these areas need to change to meet the needs of people who want to combine a shopping trip as part of a day out or a catch-up with friends. Unfortunately the city centre is a no-go area in the evenings - as in there is nowhere to go! While visitors flock to places like Gunwharf and Port Solent in an evening, the city centre is deserted! A move towards a better cafe culture will no doubt help the city centre, boost the number of day visitors and provide people with somewhere else to go. For those of us still missing the much-lamented food court in the Cascades we know what a draw this can be. Photo: Habibur Rahman
4. Tackle the problems with our water quality
We are an island city, so the water which surrounds us is of paramount importance to residents and visitors alike. But unfortunately a reduction in the quality of our bathing water is more than off-putting. It is essential this is addressed and we aim for a Blue Flag for our beaches which will help to turn around our reputation. We know that sewage discharges are a real issue and it is vital that things like this are addressed or we will have no hope. We need tourists and day-trippers alike will see our city as a destination to visit and means we can really capitalise on our city's waterfront potential. | Blue Flag