At the summit, attended by local business leaders and members of the Council, there were presentations by Cllr Maxine Callow, Cabinet Member Tourism & Regeneration, Steve Weaver, Chief Executive Blackpool Council and speeches by Tobias and Ron Bell PPC for Blackpool South as well as a Q&A session.

The afternoon started with Cllr. Ron Bell briefly welcoming everyone to the meeting and Cllr.

Maxine Callow made her opening remarks about Blackpool and welcomed Mr Ellwood, MP.
Everyone present was asked to introduce themselves. Steve Weaver gave a 20 minute video presentation that covered Blackpool’s decline and the reasons for it, where we are at present and where we hoped to be in the foreseeable future. He covered our weak points, our strengths and our plans to make Blackpool a first class ‘City on the Beach’.

Tobias Ellwood said "There are some wonderful improvements taking place. The resort needs to blow its own trumpet a bit more and shout about them." And Blackpool's tourism bosses agree.

Coun Ron Bell, who invited Mr Ellwood to the town, said: "Tourism is so important to Blackpool and if we were to become part of the Government, we would look at tourism and where Blackpool is going."

Later in the day Tobias met the Chairman of ReBlackpool, Blackpool's Urban Regeneration Company, Sir Howard Bernstein, and others with the Deputy Leader of Blackpool Council, Cllr Ian Fowler and PPC Ron Bell to discuss tourism and regeneration. He also had an extra meeting with local residents on the same topic.
At an evening dinner Tobias made a keynote speech on Tourism. He used this opportunity to highlight the lack of support the industry receives from the Government, its’ failure to reach those on the ‘front line’, and to outline the Conservative vision for Tourism.

On Wednesday he paid a visit to the top of Blackpool Tower for a presentation of how the regeneration of Blackpool is taking shape. Finally he visited the 4 Seasons Hotel on Hornby Road which is a new boutique hotel in the middle of Blackpool.