CONSULTATION LAUNCHED ON AMBITIOUS GROWTH PLAN FOR TOURISM

Reaching that figure would deliver £8.7 billion additional foreign exchange earnings at today’s prices, and support more than 200,000 additional jobs.
The strategy builds on the unparalleled showcasing of Britain around the world during the London 2012 Games. TV viewers have seen a country that can not only deliver a great Games, but can also welcome the world and host a great party. Initial reports indicate this international coverage has positively shifted perceptions of Britain, particularly our creativity, heritage and culture, arts and music and welcome.

Christopher Rodrigues, Chairman of VisitBritain, said: “This summer has shown what the country can do when we are united in a common cause. This country showed passion, professionalism, drive and energy to stage the best ever Olympic and Paralympic Games. The test now is whether we can maintain this to create wealth and jobs through a major tourism drive.

“This consultation with the industry, the public agencies and multiple Government departments that care about tourism and impact on its success has been designed to identify shared priorities and potential partnerships. International tourism is a growth industry but the global marketplace is getting tougher as other countries have recognised the potential of the sector. Britain can succeed if we focus – aligning priorities, investment and activity.

“Tourism is the industry that can deliver the economic legacy of the 2012 Games. It is an industry that can deliver jobs quickly – right across Britain and at all skills levels – and much needed economic growth. Every £40,000 spent by overseas visitors to Britain can create a new job. International tourism is our third-largest earner of foreign exchange and contributed £3.1 billion to the nation’s coffers directly in taxation in 2011.”

Britain starts from a position of strength. The UK already welcomes 31 million visitors from across the world, who spent £18 billion a year here last year. Tourism is a major part of the UK economy. It contributes £115 billion to UK GDP, and provides employment for 2.6 million people – around 9% on both measures. One in twelve jobs in the UK is currently either directly or indirectly supported by tourism.

The strategy sets out four key elements:

• Enhancing Britain’s image by playing to Britain’s strengths – heritage, traditional and contemporary culture – and addressing perceived weaknesses such as natural beauty, food, value and welcome;

• Ensuring Britain is on the shelf by working with the travel trade in key markets to ensure Britain is packaged and sold;

• Building on Britain’s strong product offer to ensure that destinations can be easily packaged and that Britain continues to meet the expectations of new visitors from growth markets; and

• Making it easier to get here by addressing barriers to growth such as aviation capacity and the visa regime.

The consultation also considers wider factors affecting Britain’s competitiveness, including the global population shift to cities, the balance between targeting volume or value, and how to reverse the decline in major source markets such as the US whilst also ensuring Britain captures its share of the growth from emerging economies.

Responses to shape the final tourism strategy are welcome to britainstrategyconsultation@visitbritain.org

The consultation period runs until 9 November. The final strategy will be launched once the responses have been considered.