With the pound and Euro reaching near-parity, the city is selling itself to EU neighbours as offering unrivalled value and entertainment.

PR campaigns have been aimed at German and French media, promoting the city’s attractions and shops.

In the last four weeks tourism staff have hosted four German publications, extolling the virtues of Brighton’s hotels, shops, bars restaurants and nightlife. A feature has appeared on German national radio showcasing Brighton as a great winter destination.

French media were hosted in the city in October.

Since March VisitBrighton.com has generated overseas media coverage worth an estimated £1.4m, including £700,000 in Germany. It resulted in a wave of articles in European media including Germany’s edition of Vanity Fair and France’s Marie Claire. German national papers Welt Sonntag and NZZ have also run major features along with several regional French publications.

Some 60 publications and websites worldwide have featured the city this year.

During summer an Irish film crew spent four days filming for the main Irish TV travel show New Frontiers.  This will be broadcast in Spring next year. 

Elsewhere this year the city’s attractions have been covered by the Sydney Morning Herald and New York Times.

VisitBrighton’s marketing manager John Carmichael said, “With the Euro buying much more in the UK, we’re doing a lot in Europe about value for money in Brighton & Hove, combined with the message that the city has a fantastic array of places to stay, eat, visit and shop.

“We’ve attracted a lot of coverage and we hope local businesses get to hear about what we’re doing on their behalf and know that it doesn’t just appear by accident.

“Marketing experts say that promotion is even more important in a recession. If you can get your voice across when others are going quiet, you’ll be among the best known when the slump ends.”