WHEN the QE2 sailed up the River Tyne in the middle of last month, it was confirmation of a new era in the region's tourism sector. The underlining message was that the North-East was open to those visitors with a little more disposable income to spend on their holidays.

Such visitors represent a significant part of the strategy being pursued by regional development agency One NorthEast to attract more tourism investment.

As part of the approach, it has been targeting the cruise market for the best part of a year, which is why the visit of the QE2, and its planned return next year, are so important.

Stacy Hall, head of communications and tourism for One NorthEast, said: "Cruise tourism is the fastest growing segment of the global tourism industry, with the UK growing faster than the rest of Europe.

"The visit of the QE2 has helped to highlight the region, demonstrating to the trade that the North-East is serious about cruise tourism, and will, hopefully, lead to more high-profile cruise calls in the future.

"With passenger numbers increasing year-on-year and more ships than ever visiting the region, North-East England is fast emerging as a new and exciting cruise destination."

The work to secure a slice of that market has included the development of a three-year action plan, involving the agency, the Port of Tyne, where the number of cruise ships has risen from 19 in 2005 to 21 calls this year, and a further 26 provisionally booked for next year, and the ship operators.

It seems to be working. As well as the QE2, cruise operator Saga visited the region for the first time this year when Saga Ruby sailed from the Port of Tyne to Norway's fjords in May and June and the Saga Rose called in during August.

A programme of visits to the region has been developed to show cruise staff and ground handlers what the area offers and the on-shore excursions available, including trips to places such as Beamish, the County Durham open-air museum.

Ms Hall said: "Initiatives such as this are all about trying to grow our market share and telling people what the region can offer."

However, the target market is not just sea-borne and the recently-launched Emirates Airline service between Newcastle Airport and Dubai is just as important, not least because of the links it provides to many other countries.

For One NorthEast, tourism is as much about generating business investment as attracting visitors.

Chairman Margaret Fay said of the new route: "It gives us better access to the Middle East, India, Southern Africa, Asia and Australasia. Recent figures tell us that the Asia/Oceanic market alone is worth about £825m in exports from the region.

"Wider connectivity is a crucial element in stimulating business growth on a global playing field. If North-East England is to boost its economy and raise its profile in international markets, we need to open up more routes like this."

But getting the people here is only half the battle and tourism managers believe it is crucial that they understand what foreign visitors want to do when they arrive.

Ms Hall said: "We are promoting the things they are interested in. The Australians and the New Zealanders, for instance, like the outdoor life, the landscape and the vibrant cities. The Scandinavians like shopping and the cities, the Americans like heritage."

However, it is not enough to make sure that the right things are in place because there is growing emphasis being placed on quality for UK and foreign visitors alike.

That has included targeting the luxury group travel market, whose customers are people who want more than a simple coach trip and are prepared to pay for exclusive behind-the-scenes visits and specially organised events, such as wine tasting and food experiences.

Ms Hall believes that the emphasis on quality is reaping dividends, pointing to quality hotels being built in the region, including the Radisson, in Durham, the expansion of the five-star Seaham Hall Hotel, in east Durham, the golf course complex being developed in Hurworth, near Darlington, the success of the mima gallery in Middlesbrough, and this summer's Proms in the Park event also in Middlesbrough.

She said: "You only have to look at such things to realise that people are prepared to invest in in the region. Visitors have high expectations and we have to recognise this."

Indeed, more than 150 businesses have taken part in a scheme backed by the agency, which offers them expert advice on achieving the highest standards possible.

One business which proves that people are prepared to pay for quality is Seaham Hall and Serenity Spa, in east Durham.

Having opened in 2001, and famously once home to the poet Lord Byron, the hotel is expanding with a further 25 bedrooms and four suites. It was named the region's best small hotel in the North-East Tourism Awards last month.

Debrah Dhugga, chief executive of Tom's Companies, which owns the hall, said its success had come because of an adherence to quality - the hotel was the first in the North to gain five-star status and its restaurant was the first in the region to gain a Michelin star.

She said: "The demand for quality is there. The hotel already has outstanding rates of room occupancy and the five-star status drove more business to us.

"The North-East has a lot to offer and we get people, both corporate and leisure, from the North-East as well as the likes of London, Yorkshire and Manchester."

Ms Dhugga said the commitment to quality came initially from Tom Maxfield, chairman of Tom's Companies, and she believes there are increasing numbers of people prepared to pay a bit more for their breaks.

She said: "Our chairman has a passion for staying in the best hotels in the world and felt that the idea could work in part of the North-East about which he was also passionate: he comes from Sunderland. He invested in that passion."

Despite all this talk of five-star hotels and cruise liners, Ms Hall is at pains to point out that the more traditional visitors on coach tours and day-trips remain just as crucial to the overall success of the strategy and that the likes of smaller hotels, bed-and-breakfasts and holiday lets all have their part to play as well.

Indeed, their customers have long been the bedrock of a tourism economy that is continuing to show growth, particularly since the launch of the award-winning Passionate People, Passionate Places campaign. Ms Hall said: "The figures for last year, which are the most recent we have, showed 8.5 million visitors, up ten per cent on the previous year. Since 2003, we have had an increase of 29 per cent.

"And despite the poor weather this summer, the attractions are reporting that visitor numbers for this year have been sustained. I think that was helped by the fact that the weather in April and May was so good.

"Even with the additional rooms from new hotels, we still have a occupancy rate that is above the national level.

"We are trying to increase our market share and tell people what the region can offer. We are very excited about what is happening and feel that the region is well placed to meet the needs of its visitors."

She believes the success of the approach is having a knock-on effect on people living in the North-East. She said: "We are getting more people who live in the region taking breaks here. I think the Passionate People. Passionate Places campaign has made people more proud. They are more positive about it, more prepared to be an advocate for it. Whereas a few years ago, they might have to be asked, now they are more bullish."

THE North-East's growing status on the world stage was underlined when it was chosen to host this year's World Travel Awards Europe event.

The ceremony, taking place at the Sage, in Gateshead, today, will be attended by travel writers and professionals from across the world and will be broadcast to more than 160 countries via BBC World.

The North-East was chosen to host the European leg of the awards after One NorthEast's Regional Image campaign won the World's Leading Regional Marketing Campaign award two years in a row.

Stacy Hall, head of communications and tourism at One NorthEast, said: "Being named as hosts of the first-ever World Travel Awards Europe has opened up a number of exciting opportunities to promote the region on a global scale.

"The awards provide the region with a valuable opportunity to demonstrate in exuberant style why it has become a serious contender in the tourism industry and is fast gaining a reputation as a must-see destination."