Torbay MP Adrian Sanders has called on the Government to up its game on tourism following the release of the latest statistics showing a fall in visitor numbers to the UK from abroad in the past year.
In the 12 months up to June 2009, there were 30.4 million overseas visitors to the UK, a fall of almost 3 million compared to the previous year and in spite of the falling value of the pound.
Adrian has attributed this fall to Government failings to co-ordinate efforts to promote Britain as a tourist destination and will be calling on Ministers to support the British Chamber of Commerce’s recent report, which advocates changes to how the tourist sector is marketed, including a concentration of the role of Visit Britain on marketing and a greater focus in Government on the business rather than cultural aspects of tourism.
Adrian said: “For years the Government has neglected one of Britain’s principal industries. While Gordon Brown talks of investment now and cuts later, he is actively cutting the budget for marketing the UK abroad. The Welsh and Scots are able to fund their own campaigns but in the meantime England’s tourist hotspots such as the South West are missing out due to the low investment and a lack of focus in Government.”
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