A new interactive website has been launched to showcase one of the UK's premier watersports destinations that benefits from the warmer waters created by the Gulf Stream.

Watersportscoast.com is a one-stop website with detailed information about 12 different watersport activities around Ayrshire and Arran on Scotland's west coast, including yachting, dinghy sailing, kite surfing and sea kayaking.

Created by the Ayrshire & Arran Tourism Team, the website provides a wealth of information for enthusiasts who are seeking new experiences on the water. From the coastal areas around mainland Ayrshire, to the islands of Arran and Cumbrae, the area provides fantastic opportunities to access the popular waters of the Firth of Clyde and on to the Irish Sea. Located on the Gulf Stream, the waters are surprisingly warm (with some reporting them to be warmer than off the coast of South Africa) and palm trees flourish in some areas as a result.

Watersportscoast.com provides information about over 60 key coastal access points, beaches, slipways, marina facilities, and moorings. Tide times, weather forecasts, nautical charts, nautical mile plotting, and truly interactive mapping, are all available making the website ideal for those visitors seeking to immerse themselves in new experiences both on and off shore.

This level of watersports mapping is the first of its kind for a Scottish region and was made possible as a result of the joined up approach of the Ayrshire and Arran Tourism Team, which worked in partnership with the local providers, the Firth of Clyde Forum, Scottish Natural Heritage and RYA Scotland.

Speaking on the launch of the website Carolyn Elder, Largs Yacht Haven Manager and Ayrshire & Arran Tourism Leadership Group Member said: "This is a great development in providing information specifically for watersports enthusiasts. It will really show off the amount of watersports opportunities in Ayrshire and Arran and make participation more accessible."

Project Officer, Graeme Maciver added: "Now visitors who have a passion for yacht cruising, a competitive edge dinghy sailing, or who simply want to enjoy stunning scenery can get on-board to discover Watersportscoast.com and the beautiful coastal areas of Ayrshire, Arran and Cumbrae."

• The Ayrshire & Arran Tourism Team is funded by the three Ayrshire local authorities.

• The Team works with the industry under the guidance of the Ayrshire & Arran Tourism Leadership Group to support the delivery and aims of the Ayrshire & Arran Tourism Strategy 2012-2017 (which targets growth of visitor numbers, spend and employment).

• Tourism is very important to the economy of Ayrshire & Arran, generating £348 million of revenue per year, from some 3.5 million visitors. This directly supports almost 9,000 jobs.

• The region has tremendous strengths that offer the visitor a range of great experiences, spanning rural, coastal, historic and built environments; world class golf, sailing, culture and heritage; high quality food, drink and hospitality; beautiful islands, marine and countryside.

• Coastal watersports and marine leisure activities are key assets of the Ayrshire & Arran area and provide opportunities for growth. Ayrshire & Arran has a very strong offer with world-class facilities, sailing events of international standing and excellent infrastructure.

• The website www.watersportscoast.com was developed by the Ayrshire & Arran Tourism Team to provide a one-stop shop with a host of consumer focussed information about opportunities to participate in a wide variety of watersports in the region.

• Find out more about the Ayrshire and Arran Tourism Team at www.ayrshire-arran.org