Businesses in the Cotswolds will benefit from a new programme to boost their digital skills and help them adapt to a changing business landscape as Covid-19 restrictions ease.

As restrictions ease, Cotswolds Tourism DMO has plans in place to help local business recover through new initiatives, including training and support especially around digital marketing skills to rebuild the sector and enable businesses to adapt to the changing landscape as a result of the pandemic. These include a major digital marketing campaign to promote local businesses and bookable online experiences.

This builds on the support already provided to businesses across the last year.

Robert Weaver, chief executive of Cotswold District Council, said: "Visitors to the Cotswolds play a big role in our local economy and numbers have fallen dramatically over the last year, due to the restrictions imposed to control the pandemic.

"With light at the end of the tunnel and restrictions easing, we are looking to help businesses grow and innovate to get our local visitor economy back on its feet.

"Cotswolds Tourism DMO does fantastic work to support businesses in the local visitor economy and the plans being put in place will help the district recover strongly and be more resilient for the future."

The local visitor economy plays a key role in the district's economy, with an estimated £360m being spent in the local area in 2019. Around 5,300 jobs, or 17 per cent of the total employment in the district, is related to tourism.

Across the country, the visitor economy has taken a huge hit over the past year, as visitor numbers have decreased by an estimated 76 per cent and spend dropped by 80 per cent compared to 2019.

The council's cabinet has approved setting up a new advisory board with other partners in the Cotswolds Tourism DMO to oversee the work in the coming months.