THE tourism industry in Exmoor and West Somerset is being given professional guidance to come up with a business plan for marketing the region without joining up with tourism officials in North Devon.

Almost a month ago West Somerset district councillors decided to give members of the industry the chance to have their say on why the region should be promoted on its own merits and not linked up with North Devon and Torridge.

The proposal by council chief executive Tim Howes proved unpopular with hoteliers and local businesses, who accused the council of only taking into account the cost of the marketing campaign rather than the opinions of local people.

Now the district council has enlisted the services of Exeter-based consultant Nigel Buckler to assist members of the tourism sector in producing a business plan as a credible alternative to the controversial proposal.

Representatives from the council, Butlins, Watchet Chamber of Trade, Exmoor Tourist Association, Exmoor Tourism Advisory Group and Minehead design company Compass Group Holdings held an interim meeting with Mr Buckler at the end of last month.

They will be holding their first official consultation with him later today (Friday) as they move towards producing an interim business plan to be considered by the district council's cabinet in September.

Opponents to the North Devon-Exmoor partnership are worried West Somerset will lose out if a merger goes ahead as tourists could be tempted to stay in larger centres such as Barnstaple, primarily because of better access via the North Devon Link Road.

They are also worried about the region losing its identity and disagree with Mr Howes' claims that the bigger the marketing region, the more likely it is to receive European funding.

In his report to the July meeting of the council's cabinet, Mr Howes estimated that a Devon-Exmoor partnership could look forward to at least £267,000 in European funding, with the district council only having to contribute £73,000 a year over five years.

In comparison, he believed a stand alone Greater Exmoor marketing region could lose out on European cash to the bigger North Devon area, while the council would have to stump up at least £150,000 a year to support it.

The tourism industry is now working towards coming up with its own costings and figures, which will be discussed by the cabinet next month before going to the full council on October 18.

• Members of the Labour group on Minehead Town Council said they were concerned that there seemed to be no clear indication from the tourism industry as to whether it wanted to be independent or merge with North Devon.

At the last meeting of the town council, they decided to ask the district council to keep them informed about any progress made on either Mr Howes' or the industry's proposals as the final decision could have an impact on Minehead's prosperity.