David Cameron unveils plan to drive UK tourism beyond London
Prime Minister David Cameron will announce today a new five-point plan to drive UK tourism beyond London.
He believes the sector is currently too fragmented and needs more collaboration between local attractions and tourism organisations, rather than competing against each other.
The plans will also focus on improving the welcome for visitors at airports, ferry ports and rail stations, and forging innovative links between the transport and tourism sectors to help visitors travel outside of the capital.
The Government is to launch a £1 million ‘Rail for Tourism’ innovation competition, which will call for ideas about how to make exploring the UK by rail more attractive to tourists.
The competition will be run by the RSSB’s Future Railways Programme, and winners will receive funding to develop their ideas and carry out trials.
The PM will form a new inter-ministerial group to co-ordinate and align the action headed by the Culture Secretary John Whittingdale.
The group will also include ministers from across government, including the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Home Office, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Ministers from the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland Governments are also invited to join the group when relevant.
"Millions of overseas tourists visit the UK every year and most take in the sights of London. But Britain has so much more to offer, from the Cornish Riviera to the Scottish Highlands and everything in between," said Cameron.
"For many areas tourism is a key industry bringing jobs, growth and security for working people. Tourism supports almost one in 10 jobs in the UK and we want to rebalance the economy to make sure this boost is felt right across the country."
The plan and funding is in addition to new funds announced in March to boost tourism in both the South-West (£5 million) and the North (£10 million).
VisitEngland’s chief executive James Berresford welcomed the Government’s latest announcement.
"The commitment by the Prime Minister today to grow tourism across the UK is further recognition of the enormous value and contribution of this industry, one of the decade’s biggest drivers of economic growth," he said.
"Placing tourism at the heart of Government will do much to support plans to rebalance the economy."
Ufi Ibrahim, chief executive of The British Hospitality Association, said: "We are mobilising the entire private sector to coordinate with national, regional and local government to maximise the industry’s potential and look forward to working with the new inter-ministerial group to begin constructive dialogue with HM Treasury and other bodies to bolster the UK’s international competitiveness and advance growth."
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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