UKinbound hits out over Government’s failure to give tourism data
UKinbound has slammed the Government for its lack of investment in national tourism statistics.
The trade association for the UK’s export tourism businesses said the Government has continually failed to provide robust statistics which are required by businesses.
It claims that the March 2004 Allnutt Report into Tourism Statistics, commissioned by DCMS, found the UK was not even meeting the EU minimum standard.
Although the report made 14 fully costed recommendations, endorsed by the tourism industry, UKinbound claims that not one has been implemented.
Chief executive Stephen Dowd said: “It is such a pity that we do not have the same level of competence and commitment from our Government as we have within the industry.
“Is it too much to ask that in return for the £2.5 billion a year in tax revenue generated by inbound tourism our Government could support the two things businesses cannot do for themselves; destination marketing and comprehensive national statistics on tourism.”
He said a recent survey by IPK International estimates that global outbound travel increased by 5-6% in the first eight months of 2007, “which means that as an international destination the UK continues to lose market share”.
Visitor numbers are also being hit by the European ‘credit crunch’, the sub-prime mortgage crisis in the US, and the fall in value of the US dollar.
“With global oversupply of tourism products and demand from our two biggest markets almost certain to fall in the short term, our members face stiff competition in the coming months,” added Dowd.
by Bev Fearis
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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