GIVEN the chilly economic climate expected over the coming years, there is a bracing sense of reality in the tourism strategy unveiled by The Mersey Partnership (TMP) yesterday.

The reality is that it will have to be driven by the private sector, even though TMP involved local authorities as well.

This seems to be agreed by all concerned, which means that TMP’s strategy is at least starting on the right foot.

It is the second report in a matter of days that emphasise the sheer size of the leisure and tourism industry to the Merseyside economy.

Looking at the wider picture, it extends from the high culture of the theatres and concert halls, through to the magnificent international standard golf courses to the two Premier League football clubs and the racecourse at Haydock Park and Aintree.

Add to the mixture the delights of Southport, plus the ability of the new Echo Arena to stage world-class indoor events, and the possibilities loom larger and larger.

TMP’s strategy has set itself some ambitious targets in terms of the number of new jobs that can be created within the sector in the medium term, with longer-term plans sounding even more ambitious. A figure of £2bn a year spent by tourists in just over 10 years’ time sounds almost unbelievable, but, if there is a chance of achieving that, then everyone should go for it.

Once again, though, we have to note that Liverpool itself now has a tourism department headed by an experienced professional head hunted from Scotland. We make no apology for saying once again that the Liverpool and Merseyside teams should complement each other, and not be seen as rivals.