In a letter to Tessa Jowell, secretary of state for culture, media and sport, Prime Minister Tony Blair has laid out the seven priorities for her department, but the tourism industry does not get a mention, an omission which has been slammed by the sector.
“Tourism is one of the largest industries in the UK, one of our biggest export earners and provides the Exchequer with some £12bn per annum and yet this government continues to ignore it,” said Brigid Simmonds, chair of the Tourism Alliance.
“There has been no increase in government funding for international marketing since 1997 even though the DCMS’s budget has increased by nearly 50 per cent in the last five years alone,” she said.
Last week a report released by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) claimed that within the next 10 years, the UK could be the 20th worst performing tourism destination in the world, with its share of the global tourism market falling by more than 20 per cent.
“With winning the 2012 Olympics, we have an opportunity to ensure that the WTTC forecast is proved wrong and that the UK tourism industry continues to be a world leader,” said Simmonds.
“However, that will only happen if the government realises that it cannot ignore the inadequate state of marketing expenditure.”
She highlighted that while Australia is spending £72m solely on its international “Where the bloody hell are you” campaign, the UK government has allocated just £35.5m to market the destination across 36 overseas markets.
A spokesperson for tourism marketing body VisitBritain said the organisation was very disappointed that tourism was not ‘more explicitly referred to’ in the DCMS’s mandate.
“Our chair, Lord Marshall, has written to the Prime Minister to express his disappointment,” said Bernard Donoghue, head of government affairs for VisitBritain. “He has also reminded Mr Blair that between 50 and 70 per cent of the economic benefit of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be accrued through tourism.”
The DCMS has denied that the government does not take tourism seriously. A spokesperson told Leisure Opportunities: "The government is fully committed to supporting the country's tourist industry, which is a vital part of our economy.
“Tessa Jowell is determined to deliver on all of her department's responsibilities, including tourism.”
He went on to say that the department plans to launch a major consultation exercise in July regarding a Tourism 2012 Strategy, to maximise the tourism opportunities of hosting the Olympics. The consultation document is being developed in partnership with VisitBritain and VisitLondon and the tourism industry will be invited to comment.
The seven priorities for the DCMS, as laid out by the Prime Minister, include ensuring the 2012 Olympic Games are delivered on time and to budget and that they provide and legacy of sports facilities for young people. Details: www.tourismalliance.com or www.visitbritain.com/corporate or www.culture.gov
