Following VisitEngland's recent campaign which features a map of England where Devon is represented by two trees, stayindevon.co.uk has come up with an alternative guide to the county.
The advert from the government's tourism agency appeared in this week's copy of Time Out and has provoked dismay among many of the tourism businesses across the South West as they claim that it is an unfair representation of the area.
With this in mind, stayindevon.co.uk has created a guide of some of the best things to do in Devon to show that there is much more on offer in the county than it is being credited for on the VisitEngland advert.
Managing director James Morris says, "It is disappointing that such a diverse county is represented simply by two trees. Whilst we support VisitEngland and what they try to achieve, it's important that places such as Devon are given the credit they deserve as a tourist destination.
Knowing what a fantastic place Devon is, when we saw the advert we were a little bewildered that it didn't show this fantastic county in a much better light.
I expect that many other local businesses felt the same way and we just want to assure people that Devon has much more to offer to both locals and visitors alike, as can be seen by the huge number of visitors that come to this region every year!"
According to Stayindevon.co.uk, some of the more accurate representations of Devon could include;
1. Surfing on the north coast – Devon is renowned for having some of the best surfing beaches in the UK, and Croyde Bay regularly hosts national surf competitions.
2. Enjoying a cream tea in a quaint tea room – This traditional treat is a must while in Devon. Sidmouth is home to Salty Monk café where award winning cream teas are on the menu.
3. A day out at one of the fantastic visitor attractions – Devon is home to some of the UK's best attractions including The Big Sheep, winner of multiple tourism awards.
4. Fish & chips on the south coast – Hanbury's Fish and Chip shop in Babbacombe, Torquay, received an award for being the 3rd Best Independent Fish and Chip Shop in the UK in 2013.
5. Walking on Exmoor & Dartmoor – Devon is the only county in England with two national parks and the rugged terrain here is magnificent at all times of the year. Dartmoor was also one of the first to receive the status in 1951.
6. Exploring the South West Coast path – The South West Coast Path is England's longest way marked long-distance footpath and offers breath-taking scenery.
7. Shopping at a farmer's market – Locally sourced produce at its finest. Crediton Farmer's Market is a three time winner of Devon Life's Best Farmer's Market award.
8. Experiencing Exeter's history – The county's capital encapsulates the past and the present beautifully. Exeter will make history again in 2015 by being one of the host cities of the Rugby World Cup.
9. Relaxing on one of the county's blue flag beaches – There are 16 in total so visitors are spoiled for choice.
10. Visiting an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – The five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Devon together with Dartmoor and Exmoor National Parks cover 35% of the County.
