Brighton has been a popular tourist destination for longer than you might expect; ever since the Regency period, visitors have flocked to the seaside city to party, shop, and enjoy the delights of the beach and sea air. And tourism has only continued to grow in recent years, with an estimated 11 million visitors to the city in 2018.

Brighton, with its famous pier and fabulous Royal Pavilion, is certainly the most well-known of the towns on the Sussex Coast, but some of its more unassuming neighbours are starting to make a name for themselves in their own right. Here, we have a look at the 5 towns that are leading the pack in the race to become the next hot destination by the sea.

Who doesn’t want to live near the water? From Discovery Bay in Hong Kong to Chelsea Harbour, London. The V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, or Malibu, California. There is an almost innate attraction to undulating waves and open expanses of water.

Say the name Brighton to any English person and, guaranteed, a smile will come to their face as they recall a weekend of fun and frivolity spent in the city at some point in their youth.

Exoduses are nothing new, it even happens really early on in the Bible, but the recent outpouring of people from London, combined with Brexit and all its political and economic undertones and overtones, has some analysts scratching their heads regarding the future of the capital as a business hub and a city to call home.