We love Southend beaches – say our visitors!

June 13, 2016 by Southend Borough Council

We love Southend beaches – say our visitors!

Tuesday 14th June 2016

Two Southend beaches are such a hit with visitors they have just won coveted TripAdvisor Certificates of Excellence.

Westcliff Beach and Shoebury East Beach both earned these accolades thanks to having consistently great reviews onTripAdvisor® - the world's largest travel site.

Most visitors who give their comments, rate the popular destinations as excellent or very good.

Executive Councillor for Culture, Tourism and the Economy, Councillor Ann Holland said: “These certificates are more fabulous successes for our award-winning beaches.

“All our seven beaches hold Seaside Awards – which show they have achieved Keep Britain Tidy’s stringent nationwide standards for the best beaches across the UK, while three have also gained the internationally recognised Blue Flag awards, combined with the Seaside Awards.

“We are exceptionally proud of our beaches, so it is especially exciting to have our views and those of Keep Britain Tidy judges, further endorsed by visitors who are independently giving their unsolicited opinions.

“They haven’t just gone home after a good day out in Southend and praised our borough to friends, family and colleagues, they have also taken the trouble to write down their warm thoughts and share them online with millions of others.

“We would like to thank everyone for their kind comments. We look forward to welcoming them back to our borough very soon, along with more than six million other visitors who enjoy delights of Southend time and time again.”

Vice-President of Industry Marketing for TripAdvisor Heather Leisman said: "With the Certificate of Excellence, TripAdvisor honours hospitality businesses and places that have consistently received strong praise and ratings from travellers.

“This recognition helps travellers identify places that regularly deliver great service. TripAdvisor is proud to play this integral role in helping travellers feel more confident in their booking decisions.”

The Certificate of Excellence accounts for the quality, quantity and recency of reviews submitted by travellers on TripAdvisor over a 12-month period.

To qualify, a business must maintain an overall TripAdvisor bubble rating of at least four out of five, have a minimum number of reviews and must have been listed on TripAdvisor for at least 12 months.

TripAdvsor comments about Westcliff Beach included:

• “Great photo ops, superb view of the River Thames emptying into the English Channel, views of Kent, the GREAT Southend-on-Sea Pier (longest in the world), and loads of great places to eat with views out to the water!”

TripAdvisor comments about Shoebury East Beach included:

• “Lovely sandy beach stretching for miles, lovely walk along the top or paddle in the water. Toilets also available and you can also stop off at the cafe for a drink.”