Representatives from a number of London's riverside tourist attractions have attended an area marketing evening in a bid to discuss ways to best promote the area to visitors to the capital.

Held on 18 March at the London Bridge Experience in Southwark, London, the event was also designed to ensure that each of the venues in the area is best positioned to take advantage in the predicted increase in visitor numbers from the UK and overseas this year. The evening's speakers included Visit London communications director Ken Kelling and travel trade consultant Mike Newman, who discussed the current state of the tourism industry and regional marketing opportunities in his address to delegates.

Other subjects discussed at the event included advice on reaching group markets, as well as practical marketing suggestions, such as discounting, internet promotion and peer review optimisation. London's riverside attractions are already among some of the most popular in the capital, with the Tate Modern attracting more than five million visitors in 2007, while the London Eye has become one of the most popular paid-for visitor attractions across the UK.

However, in light of the economic downturn, some analysts are anticipating an increase in the number of UK residents choosing to holiday at home this year, while London mayor Boris Johnson recently unveiled the new Only in London marketing campaign to encourage more overseas visitors to the capital.