MORE than £4m of investment will be pumped into promoting the North-East as a tourist destination from next month.

Regional development agency One NorthEast is launching marketing campaigns aimed at the local, regional and international markets throughout 2006, aiming to boost visitor numbers to the region.

Yesterday, it published the North-East England Holiday and Short Breaks Guide, which will be at the heart of the first promotional push.

The guide will enable visitors to find out about accommodation and attractions.

It is being supported by a marketing campaign using One NorthEast's Passionate People, Passionate Places message to put the region in a strong market position.

Research carried out by One NorthEast last year into the effectiveness of this year's guide showed that £52m worth of expenditure was generated during the year, with an estimated 42 per cent of people who requested the guide going on to visit the region.

One NorthEast head of marketing, Tania Robinson, said: "The region's got a fantastic package to offer, whether it is walking and cycling, museums and galleries, gardens, golf, or our fabulous host of attractions and events and we need to be shouting loudly about it.

"That is why we are investing so heavily in marketing the region throughout the whole of 2006 and our research has shown that it does make a big difference."

More than 180,000 copies of next year's North-East England Holiday and Short Breaks Guide will be distributed across the UK and Europe. Copies will also be issued throughout the UK Tourist Information Centre network, with about 360,000 people expected to read it.

The Holiday Guide campaign launch will target more than 18 million readers with advertising and inserts in a number of national titles and magazines including the Radio Times holiday supplement.

The advertising will be supported by a mailshot to more than 60,000 companies and online activity driving people to the region's tourism website, www.visitnortheastengland.co.uk