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As is explained on my other Web Sites, the interest in tourism derives
from my esoteric, non-physical, psychic side and the unique German connection.
From the popularity of the genre in the United States and elsewhere,
our story will be of considerable interest. it would also fit with existing
tourist visits, vacations, to Britain and Germany, especially the Rhine
area which is part of The Grand Tour of Europe and a UNESCO Tourism
Heritage Site.
There is a general overview on the pages of personal Web Site, www.richardking.name, though this needs updating.
During a
conversation with Bob Gumbrill, the then Chief Executive of
Portsmouth and South
East Hampshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in the early 2000s,
he agreed that my esoteric, non-physical side and the stories involved
with it, was worth a great deal to tourism in the region. (I am a Member
of East Hampshire
Chamber of Commerce which is affiliated to the Portsmouth and South
East Hampshire Chamber.)
Earlier, Dr Jur Bernd Atenstaedt, Deputy Director General of the German
British Chamber, had said that the story of Lorelei and I would help
tourism in both Britain and Germany.
Stephen Rostron and Phillip Ashford, of Business Link Sussex, gave me
almost three hours of their time and not only agreed that my
non-physical side was "a rock on an edge" but said it should go before
rebuilding my engineering career.
Bob Gumbrill's estimate of the value of our story to tourism in the
South of England was that it was worth at least a ten percent increase
on tourism income for the region, probably even higher.
The value of tourism to the Portsmouth, Havant, Chichester area is a
minimum of £500 million per annum; approaching £100 million for
Havant, at least £100 million for Chichester and £300 million, plus,
for Portsmouth and Southsea. A ten percent increase is therefore at
least £50 million each year. As that could have begun between 1999 and
2000, had I not been blocked, the losses to Havant and the region in
general are very considerable.
In brief, the
unusualness of the story, let alone its uniqueness, derives
from me being a Healer, as well as a
Chartered Engineer
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chartered_Engineer_(UK)), and having a psychic side with a unique German connection.
Over the last fifteen years or so I have had many experiences and "adventures"
most of which have been in the South of England.
There is very considerable and increasing interest in spiritual, psychic and non-physical matters, quite apart from there being no equivalent to our story.
Since that conversation with Bob Gumbrill,
Barbara Ford-Hammond
came into my life in 2005, followed by
Sylvie and
Richard Lucas in 2006. Over that time our lives and stories have all
become intertwined, including both Sylvie and I, along with our unusual,
unique(?), partners, being in Barbara's book,
"Past Life Tourism - Gateway to Bridging Your past and Future".
Sylvie and Richard Lucas have appeared in a national magazine. Sylvie
lives in Waterlooville, Barbara in Newton Valence, Near Alton,
Hampshire, and I live in Havant. Together we an an extremely unusual
grouping of even greater value to the region than just me, though mine
has its own unique twist.
In an E-mail discussion about a certain genre magazine article Barbara
Ford-Hammond wrote,
“Wait
until the News of the World gets hold of your story :)”.
Stories like that which go into the national press, usually start
locally. However, the situation in Havant is far from unusual and has
prevented that
process from taking place. There is to be exceptionally charitable, an
irrational lack of interest, given, for example, the above quoted
opinions. In practice there is a block, for reasons given on my Blog and
Web Sites (none of which has ever bee challenged or elicited the
slightest complain), confirmed, if it needed to be, by an attempt to
prevent me being able to join the Chamber of Commerce; Bob Gumbrill
overruled whoever was responsible but declined to say precisely who was
responsible.
There is no business assistance, or guidance, available from major
organisations that accept public money to provide such assistance (Business Link Hampshire) and
those who are responsible for encouraging business in their borough (Havant Borough Council).
In stark contrast the Chambers of Commerce and their friends, plus
Southern Entrepreneurs, which I came across via my Chamber of
Commerce involvements, have been very supportive. Hence the need to seek business assistance outside of
Hampshire and the encouragement of positive responses from all I have
spoken to, so far.
On the positive side, in relation to my contribution to
Havant Literary Festival, my entry in the Brochure and on the
Web Site reads: