ROSSENDALE and Darwen MP Janet Anderson hopes the Government's new tourism strategy, unveiled by her boss Chris Smith yesterday, will help boost the number of visitors to East Lancashire's hidden jewels.

She said that the new regional tourist boards should be able to pump cash to promote attractions such as the beauties of the Ribble Valley and Ski Rossendale in her own constituency.

In her post as tourism minister, Mrs Anderson played a key part in preparing the 15-point action plan unveiled by the culture secretary at the Millennium Dome in London.

Mrs Anderson said a key change would be the replacement of the English Tourist Board - the main channel of cash for the industry - with regional organisations.

She said: "This should mean that more cash is pumped into the English regions.

"I would hope that this will mean areas such as East Lancashire will get the promotion they deserve but have not had in the past.

"The beauties of the Ribble Valley and Ski Rossendale are examples of attractions which could benefit from more promotion.

"I would hope that the North West will benefit.

"Only recently I was at the Reebok Stadium in Bolton opening an exhibition which has 150 tourist attractions from the region on show including Ski Rossendale and the Winfields shopping experience.

"We should also see the regeneration of seaside resorts such as Blackpool and Morecambe which are so important to the North West economy."

Yesterday Mr Smith highlighted the need to boost seaside resorts which had lost out to continental rivals.

Mrs Anderson said: 'We want to make it much easier for people to go on holiday in England.

"It is often easier to book a package tour abroad than a break in this country."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.