UK tourism ‘can deliver rapid employment’
Sunday, 14 Sep, 2009
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A case for the power of tourism to create and sustain UK jobs is being made by VisitBritain.
Chairman Christopher Rodrigues, launching the national tourism agency’s annual review for 2008/09, said: “The tourism industry’s ability to deliver rapid employment and economic returns makes it a vital prop in sustaining Britain’s economy in turbulent times.
“As a labour intensive industry that buys many goods and services from other parts of the economy, it can drive economic growth more quickly than other sectors and should be central to efforts to bring the UK out of recession,” he said in the foreword to the review.
“The £114 billion visitor economy offers significant returns on investment, with a national reach that is not restricted to one particular area or region of the country. The large number of tourism-related SMEs ensures that there are plenty of entry-level jobs that are accessible to all.”
The 32 million visits to the UK from abroad last year represented a decline of three per cent (see separate TravelMole story).
Despite visitor spending reaching £16.3 billion, a nominal rise of two per cent, it was not sufficient to prevent Britain sliding to seventh place in the world league table.
Inbound tourism continued to fall in the first six months of 2009 – down by nine per cent – with leisure visits up but corporate and business travel heavily affected.
A slower final quarter of the year could jeopardise some of the 2.6 million jobs and livelihoods that depend on healthy tourism receipts, VisitBritain cautioned.
The national tourism body forecasts that the number of trips to Britain could fall by as much as five per cent by the end of the year.
Rodrigues said: “In spite of these difficult times, I have no doubt that, by working closely with the Government, the industry and our strategic partners in London, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, we will emerge from this turbulent period in good shape.”
Go to TravelMole.TV for the latest from VisitBritain at:
by Phil Davies
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