TOURISTS spent more than £100 million in East Lancashire last year, according to a new survey.

The survey, produced by the North West Tourist Board, showed that tourism is one of the region's success stories, creating new employment opportunities with almost 4,000 jobs in the Blackburn, Burnley, Hyndburn and Rossendale areas.

More than 3.6 million visitors were welcomed to the area last year either as day-trippers or guests staying for one or more nights.

Oswaldtwistle Mills was cited as an example of this growth industry. The Hargreaves family, who own the popular attraction, moved into tourism when faced with closure after the decline in the textile industry. The retail complex now attracts 400,000 visitors a year and employs more workers now than it did in its heyday as a manufacturer.

County Coun Ian Ormerod, chairman of Lancashire's Hill Country, said: "These figures just show how vital tourism is to our local economy. The public often perceives tourism to mean a fortnight in Benidorm or, at best, a day trip to Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Don't forget tourism also means walking in rural areas, day trips to mill shops, pub lunches and conferences at local hotels."

Tourism is fast becoming Britain's biggest industry. Nationally it employs more than 1.7 million people and generates one in six of all new jobs.

Lancashire's Hill Country, the tourism arm of the East Lancashire Partnership, helps local tourism businesses promote themselves and will launch a new website in June.

The website, which will enable anyone to plan their journey before they leave, is at www.lancashireshillcountry.co.uk

Visitors to the site can register and will be notified when it goes live.