Government aims for £100 billion tourism industry

Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell has claimed the Government will work with key travel partners to propel tourism from a £76 billion-a-year to a £100 billion-a-year industry by 2010.

Jowell said she also wanted to make inroads into the present £15 billion tourism balance of payments deficit – the excess of UK citizens’ spending on travel and holidays over domestic turnover.

The Government minister was speaking at the launch of Tomorrow’s Tourism Today, the joint tourism prospectus of the Departure for Culture, Media and Sport, the industry, the regions and local government.

The report said improvements must be delivered in marketing and e-tourism; domestic accommodation; the skill of people working in the industry; and data.

At the same time, Jowell announced the establishment of the Tourism Review and Implementation Group (TRIG). Chaired by tourism minister Richard Caborn, it will oversee and monitor delivery in the key areas detailed above and report back within 12 months.

“Tourism is vital to our economic success, as well as fostering perceptions of Britain throughout the world,” said Jowell.

“Tomorrow’s Tourism Today will help us take this multi-billion pound industry to a new level, by setting out common objectives and action plans, with clear responsibilities for all.

“In time it will help deliver ever more successful businesses, which provide a diverse range of experiences for discerning consumers, coupled with sustainable growth, spurred by industry and the public sector working in tandem to market the great atttractions and events we have to offer.

“And most importantly, it will put the consumer at the heart of everything we do.”

The report received the approval of tourism chiefs in the industry.

VisitBritain chief executive Tom Wright said: “We welcome Tomorrow’s Tourism Today, and in particular how Government, the public and private sectors need to work together to grow Britain’s fifth biggest industry.”

Richard Tobias, director general of the Tourism Alliance, added: “We particularly welcome a commitment to champion tourism as a major wealth and employment creator.”

However, Liberal Democrat tourism spokesman Adrian Sanders said the Government should have taken action earlier.

“The ideas in the report need to be tackled sooner rather than later,” he said.

“The last report that the Government issued, the Review of Tourism Statistics, admitted they had made errors and this now needs to be put right.”