eTurboNews Tourism industry leaders have called for the appointment of a government ministry with sole responsibility for tourism policy. At present, tourism is part of the functions of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and trade leaders say tourism does not get a high enough priority in government circles.
“We hear reassuring words about the importance of tourism from politicians when they take office but within months we end up far down their list of priorities,†said Angela Shanley, chairman of UK Inbound.
“All our recent tourism ministers have had other demanding responsibilities and have been unable or unwilling to devote sufficient time to the issues that affect us,†she said at UK Inbound’s annual convention at Ashford International Hotel in Kent.
The issue was highlighted by the failure of any government representative to attend UK Inbound’s conference. The key guest was the conservative opposition’s tourism spokesman, Malcolm Moss, who formally opened the event. Shanley said she welcomed the conservatives’ commitments to raising the profile of tourism in the British economy but warned delegates that the industry had heard it all before.
“Ours is not a simple industry; it’s complex and we need a minister whose sole job is tourism and who is given the time to learn how it works. We welcome the interest and commitments made by the shadow secretary of state but we will be watching to see that any future conservative government lives up to its promises to the tourism industry; if they do everyone will prosper, not least the treasury,†she said.
Stephen Dowd, chief executive of UK Inbound, said the tourism minister within the Department for Culture Media and Sport had too many responsibilities. “As a trade body we are not political. We invited the government minister but he declined. The government has a minister of tourism with at least six other responsibilities. He says all the right things but has been invisible, occupied recently with the controversial licensing bill and the issues about relaxing opening hours of pubs.â€Â
He said the government had tinkered with tourism over the past ten years and not for the better. “Tourism is in a worse shape. We have lost the English tourism boards and tourism strategy has been passed to regional development authorities, all dealing with it in different ways and at different speeds,†he said. “We called for a higher profile minister after the July bombings in London. We got nothing until a press event in September. He has done nothing for tourism for months.â€Â
Dowd said the industry need a minister who will spend time learning and understanding how it works. “Our industry size should justify a minister with a seat in the cabinet. We are not asking for lots of government money. We will continue to shout about it.â€Â
UK Inbound is the official trade body representing the inbound tourism industry in the United Kingdom. The association has over 290 major companies and organizations as members. UK Inbound’s annual convention has become firmly established in the tourism trade’s calendar of events.
“The range and quality of the UK offering has never been better but the high cost of operating in the UK, mainly through taxes and compliance costs, is undermining our ability to win business from price conscious consumers in a highly competitive market,†said Dowd. “We welcome the establishment of a Better Regulation Task Force within the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which will look at ways of reducing the regulatory burden on tourism businesses.
An even warmer welcome would be given to a government body that would consider a fiscal regime that might help, rather than hinder, the growth of export earnings from tourism.â€Â
UK Inbound’s latest survey of business performance covering December 2005 showed a continuation of the recovery to inbound tourism since the July London bombings. Figures supplied by member companies showed visitor numbers and forward bookings were the best for six months.
“This should augur well for 2006 but we are less optimistic about the prospects for this year than others,†said UK Inbound in a statement on the figures. “High oil prices look set to be a fixture for the medium term and the US economy remains volatile. These two issues influence interest rates and exchange rates globally and are key elements in consumer confidence around the world.â€Â
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