Merlin Entertainments has appointed Nigel McShine-Jones to help in a concentrated effort to promote its new Legoland Florida theme park to UK trade over.

Mcshine-Jones worked for Delta Air Lines for several years before joining Sea World in Florida, where his responsibilities included promoting the launch of the attraction's very popular Discovery Cove.

More recently he managed his own consultancy providing UK trade support to high profile attractions such as the Kennedy Space Centre.

Due to open in Autumn 2011, the Florida site will be Merlin's fifth Legoland Park and second in the USA.

Paul Cummings, Merlin's group head of Promotions & Trade Partnerships, said: "Mcshine-Jones' appointment reflects our objective to capitalise on the enormous popularity of Florida as a holiday destination for the UK public, fuelled by the theme park and entertainment offer which is second to none in the world.

"However, this a new area for us and Nigel's experience in the US, and in Florida particularly, will be a real benefit now when we are forging new relationships."