TOURISM in the two counties is just one of the business sectors set to receive a boost from a new programme of funding from the region's development agency.
Advantage West Midlands (AWM) has committed £4m over four years to expand the capacity of Business Links across the region to provide strategic support to business.
The money will go into 10 business "clusters", identified by AWM as central to the modernisation and diversification of the region's economy.
Five of the clusters - transport and business technologies, food and drink, tourism and leisure and high-value consumer products such as jewellery, glass and leather - are well established in the region.
"Advantage West Midlands will back the expansion of the six sub-regional Business Links in the West Midlands to help deliver better services," said Pat Laughlin, director of business growth at AWM.
"By building their capacity we are ensuring they have the capability to work pro-actively across all the clusters in the region.
"Another important element of the work of Business Links will be to ensure their assistance ties in with Regeneration Zones and Technology Corridors in the West Midlands."
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