Tony Blair Hosts Tourism Breakfast
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ETurbo News Prime Minister Tony Blair hosted a breakfast meeting at 10 Downing Street with a group of British tourism leaders to launch the Tourism 2012 Charter, a scheme to drive up industry standards in the lead up to the London Olympic Games.
“Holding the 2012 Olympic Games on home soil is a great honour and a once-in-an-era opportunity for British tourism – the biggest visitor event in UK history,†said Prime Minister Blair. “Our job now is to ensure that the whole country benefits, in the run up to and long beyond the Games. All those who worked so hard in winning the Bid are now determined to make this happen, working side-by-side with the leaders of tourism.â€Â
Top of the agenda for the meeting was the need to ensure that the entire British tourism industry was ready for the Games. The participants also discussed the challenges to ensure that London 2012 beat the total of £2.5 billion which the Sydney Olympics delivered for the Australian economy.
The UK does not have a ministry of tourism and tourism policy comes within the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The Culture Secretary, Tessa Jowell, said the 2012 Olympic Games provided a great opportunity for tourism. “We want to do even better than Barcelona and Sydney in increasing the number of visitors that come, not just to London, but who then travel around the UK.
The breakfast meeting included representatives of Visit Britain, the tourism promotion body, also the Eden Project in the West of England, the Hilton Group, Centre Parcs and Liverpool 2008, and signed up for the Tourism 2012 Charter.
The Charter aims to raise standards in tourist accommodation, and in service skills of hospitality staff, as well as making the Games and attractions fully accessible to people with limited mobility.
“But in order to realise this ambition, the industry needs to improve the consistency of its quality, raise the level of skill, and through imaginative marketing showcase Britain’s heritage and its dynamic 21st century cities.â€Â
“All those at the breakfast were unanimous in their enthusiasm for this challenge – realising the challenge will ensure a long-lasting legacy for Britain,†said Tessa Jowell.
The enthusiasm was not universal, however. UK Inbound, a body representing the commercial interests of the UK inbound tourism industry, was sceptical and described the Downing Street breakfast as “worthy but lacking in any meaningful contentâ€Â. In particular they rounded on Secretary Jowell’s reference to the need for the tourism industry to “improve the consistency of its qualityâ€Â.
“This was a cynical political ploy by DCMS to shift the spotlight from their woeful record on tourism issues,†said Stephen Dowd, UK Inbound chief executive. “The quality of UK tourism products and services stands comparison with the best in the world and our workers are as productive as all our main competitors. “Yes, there is room for improvement and there are some skills shortages in key areas but that is more to do with the Government’s unfocused and confusing approach to vocational training and Further Education.â€Â
UK Inbound is critical of regional development agencies (RDAs) that promote business in different parts of the country. It says they have failed to produce a cohesive and coordinated structure for tourism in England. Another barrier to realising the full potential of the Olympic Games was under-funding by Government.
“It is time to reduce the tax burden on our visitors and businesses and Government should compel the RDAs to contribute a proportion of their income to a central fund for the international marketing of England,†added Dowd. “The Government continues to duck these issues while the DCMS has compounded the problem through their shambolic handling of the recent Gambling, Licensing and Smoking Bills, all of which will have a profound impact on tourism businesses.â€Â
Dowd said UK Inbound was willing to work with the Government and the various Olympic bodies to ensure the UK tourism industry maximised the tourism potential of the 2012 Olympics. “But politicians must understand that to make the further investments required, industry needs Government to address these issues with tangible action not rhetoric,†he said.
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Issue 25 Activities of the arab tourism organisation Issue 24 AdvertIslam Expo Issue 24 1001 InventionsEnlightened Tribute To Muslim Discoveries Issue 23 Britain Hosts Festival of Muslim Cultures Issue 22 London's International Travel ShowsAttract Muslim Countries Issue 22 World Travel MarketArab and Muslim presence grows from strength to strength Issue 21 GreenwichWhere time began Issue 20 Forgotten EmpireThe british museum in london is hosting a magnificent ... Issue 20 AdvertIT Noor Issue 20 TrafalgarThe decisive battle reinvented by tourism Issue 18 DestinationsNewcomers set up impressive stands Issue 17 CardiffFrom the Industrial Revolution to Yemeni Mosques Issue 17 The Muslim WorldAn ideal adventure travel destination Issue 16 HajThe most sacred journey on earth Issue 15 World Travel MarketArabs optimistic despite Middle East's negative image Issue 15 The Muslims in LondonStriving for self-sufficiency without isolation Issue 14 Britain embracedIslamic culture before immigrants arrived Issue 13 Awards to Islamic TourismInspire confidence Issue 13 The Rise of Islamic TourismInternational conference discusses effect of 9/11 ... Issue 13 British Travel Trade FairBosses predict 'best-ever' ... Issue 11 Nine eleven sep asideMuslim countries are popular with tourists Issue 10 The arab and muslim worldsTremendous potential for the development … Issue 10 The ThamesLondon's lifeline, England's pride Issue 8 EdinburghThe Muslim community of Edinburgh and their central mosque Issue 6 WTMWorld Travel Market - London Issue 5 LondonWorld Travel Market 2001 Issue 2 |
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