In a landmark speech last year, David Cameron placed tourism at the heart of the UK’s economic recovery and urged the industry to put aside a substantial marketing fund.The UK hospitality scene kept its side of the bargain … but the tourism strategy unveiled last week by Tourism Minister John Penrose has failed to hit the mark.
The strategy, which looks to exploit the economic opportunities presented by the Royal Wedding, Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics, builds on the marketing plan, launched in January, which aims to generate four million extra overseas visitors over the next four years. The increase in overseas visitors would bring an extra £2 billion worth of visitor spend and help to create 50,000 new jobs across the country over that period, securing tourism’s place as one ofBritain’s biggest industries.
Key elements in the policy paper include plans to increase visitor numbers by:
- Consulting on whether to lengthen the tourism season by moving the first Bank Holiday in May to create either a new St George’s Day holiday in England (St David’s Day in Wales), or a Trafalgar Day bank holiday in the autumn half term
- Helping to improve staff skills in the sector through extra apprenticeships and courses
- Making tourist visas simpler, faster and more convenient to get
- Repairing market failure by modifying the existing, long-established Tourist Boards to become smaller, highly focused, industry-led partnerships between tourism firms and government
- Broadening our tourism offer by creating alternative destinations which match London, the UK’s biggest and most successful single tourism destination to capture the spare tourism capacity andpotential of other parts of Britain as well
No comments:
Post a Comment