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Tourism bosses urges for dedicated minister

Thursday, March 10, 2022

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The bosses of the tourism sector have once again restated their calls for a dedicated minister for the sector who would assist the industry to bounce back after Covid damage. They have also highlighted the urgency to contend with destinations that spend more on marketing.


Ireland on international marketing in 2022 is spending around €80 million, while Spain has a budget of almost €90 million. However, the marketing expenditure of VisitBritain is just £10 million, MPs were told.


The heads of UKinbound, UKHospitality and the Tourism Alliance informed the MPs that a logical strategy is the need of the hour to manage the issues like the cost of Air Passenger Duty and VAT and to identify tourism’s true value to the economy of Britain.


Joss Croft, UKinbound chief executive, have explained the committee of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) that the current minister for tourism, Nigel Huddleston, is “excellent” however he has to take care of the problems like the arts, culture, heritage, the Commonwealth Games and civil society.


“[Inbound tourism] is a £28.4 billion export industry, it’s as big as pharmaceuticals,” he told the MPs during a session called ‘Promoting Britain Abroad’.


“It is huge and contributes to the UK’s soft power credentials overseas; it’s big business.”
“It definitely warrants a specific minister of state, given the size of that portfolio and the size and value and importance of the industry.”


The Tourism Alliance director, Kurt Janson, emphasized the way DCMS has “very few of the levers that control tourism” as departments such as the home office, department of transport and treasury have “the main levers that impact the growth of the industry.”


“We need someone who can go across government with the power to get government ministers on board and develop a coherent set of policies,” he said.

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