27 February 2009

UK tourism strategy attacked as Ã¢â¬Ëœconfusing and conflictedÃ¢â¬â¢

The government has been accused of creating a "confusing, overlapping and conflicted" UK tourism strategy.

The attack came from Conservative shadow tourism minister Tobias Ellwood in a debate on inbound tourism in the House of Commons.

He said the government had been responsible for "ruthless cuts" to the tourism budget and carving up responsibility for the domestic industry to nine regions across the country.

"Our success as the sixth most popular country in the world for tourists has been achieved in spite of the legislation created here, not because of it, and that must change," said Ellwood.

"We have a confusing, overlapping and conflicting tourism structure. We have had 10 years of jobs for the boys because there has been no leadership in Parliament.

"The regional development agencies and others bodies that are, from the government’s perspective, responsible for tourism have been able to introduce their own initiatives, which are not necessarily in tune, do not necessarily follow the same agenda and certainly do not spend money wisely."

He pledged change under a Conservative government and called for more support for tourism, which is worth £90 billion a year through 30 million overseas visitors and is responsible for one in four new jobs created in the UK.

Ellwood said: "When I visit areas such as Yorkshire, the south-west, the north-west and the north-east, I find that there are nine different ways of promoting tourism in Britain; some are good and some are very bad, but nobody is joining everything together.

"VisitBritain has come out with a very critical report on what is happening.

"Finally, VisitEngland is being created, so we have one voice that can bring all these ideas together.

"We can ensure that there is better understanding of how to market Great Britain not only to the wider world, but to the domestic audience."

But he added: "Unfortunately, we have come full circle in the 10 years since 1997—we have reinvented the wheel."

by Phil Davies