Sport England South East (SESE) has launched a new award to recognise the vital contribution sports tourism makes to South East England’s economy.

The inaugural Sport England Sports Tourism Award, part of the Tourism ExSEllence Awards 2007, will recognise the best active and spectator sports businesses and experiences in the region.

Entrants must be able to demonstrate that their sports business or activity attracts visitors from outside the region and is a genuine tourism product or service.

Event organisers, venue operators and festivals which provide visitors with opportunities to take part in sport are all eligible, as are tourism businesses such as B&Bs, hotels and visitor attractions which provide opportunities for customers to watch or take part in sport.

Lisa O’Keefe, spokesperson for SESE, said: “The partnership with Tourism South East will reward businesses which both attract visitors to the region through sport, and encourage more people to take up regular exercise.

Chris Melia, director of Tourism South East, said: “In an increasingly competitive travel market, there are growing numbers of consumers looking for holidays and experiences which involve enjoying sport.

“For example, research has indicated that by 2010, British residents will take some 11.3m activity-based holidays in the UK each year, and particularly in the run-up to the Olympics, we need to make sure that the South East is well placed to provide the sort of world-class experiences visitors are looking for.