SIR — It was a great surprise to read the report "Cost Cutting Council Wields Axe on Staff Jobs" with regard to tourism in Minehead and West Somerset, where it was alleged that hoteliers were "infuriated" and feared the proposed merger with the Barnstaple-based North Devon Marketing Bureau.

In fact the majority of hoteliers are enthusiastically backing the proposed merger and see it as a positive step forward in the promotion of the whole area.

After months of "not secret" meetings with the North Devon Marketing Bureau, and other representatives from the tourism industry in the Exmoor area, the future of the marketing of tourism was reaching an amicable conclusion.

Experience has shown that no particular village or town can successfully market without using the Exmoor National Park as the main selling point of our area — it is the jewel in our crown.

Well meaning councillors might consider asking those trading in tourism such as hoteliers and other accommodation providers what marketing would work for them to enable them to attract more visitors to West Somerset.

We would all like to see the return of the Minehead and West Somerset Guide but the finance is not available to both produce and properly market that guide nationally.

Perhaps those councillors involved in last week's secret meeting might like to inform the accommodation providers in West Somerset exactly where the money is going to come from to fund the Minehead and West Somerset Guide or similar once the European 5B funding finishes in 2001, especially as Minehead has been left out of European funding Unit 2.

We need to be part of a larger marketing area in order that we can compete with the likes of other national parks and seaside conurbations such as Torbay. We welcome the merger.

Minehead Hotels Association Committee,

c/o Benares Hotel,

Northfield Road,

Minehead.