ABSTRACT
The historical development of the English seaside resorts, and their close and early relatives the inland spas, has been the subject of considerable research (see for example Walton, 1983, who provides an extensive bibliography). Much of this research has concentrated upon the social history of the resorts, or upon the development of their urban geography, and there has been relatively little detailed investigation of the topics such as promotion and marketing in an historical context. However, both the large number of general historical works and the more limited range of detailed local investigations (for example Brown, 1985) reveals quite clearly that almost since the beginning of the modern seaside resort in Britain deliberate promotion and marketing has been undertaken, and that many resorts owe both their initial foundation and subsequent growth entirely to such activities.
