David Andrews, chief executive of regional tourism agency Yorkshire Tourist Board has roundly condemned the Government's decision to cut funding to national tourist board, VisitBritain, by 18%. This follows static funding over the last decade, meaning a 50% reduction in real terms since 1997

In a letter, sent today to the The Times, David and fellow leaders in tourism from throughout Britain have blasted the Government for its attitude to an industry which is the country's sixth largest industry, gives 2.1m people employment and generates £85bn per annum for the economy. The industry already loses out to competition in the international tourism market from countries whose Governments recognise the economic benefits of tourism and aggressively promote their national industry. The signatories argue that Britain needs VisitBritain be able to fund overseas and domestic tourism marketing and accuse the Government of being unrealistic in it's suggestions that cuts can be offset by money clawed back from the regions or local authorities. The group maintains that responsibility for funding national promotion of tourism lies squarely with national Government and adds that if anything, additional investment is needed to achieve a tourism legacy from the Olympic and Paralympic Games..

The letter ends by calling on Culture Secretary, Rt Hon James Purnell MP to urgently review the Government’s policy and to support British tourism with the funding needed to maintain its competitive position.

Note to the editor:

1. A copy of the letter is pasted below:

2. Tourism in Yorkshire is worth £4.1billion to the region annually and employs over 165,000 people. Yorkshire’s goal, as identified in Bold Vision, Bright Future - The Tourism Marketing Strategy for Yorkshire and Humber 2006 - 2010, is to achieve an increase in the value of tourism earnings to the region by 5% per annum to £5.9bn by 2010.

3. YTB is the official tourism marketing agency for Yorkshire and the Humber, it is supported by regional development agency Yorkshire Forward and exists to represent and help generate sustainable business for the region’s tourism industry.

LETTER TO THE TIMES

Sir,

Britain’s tourism industry is strongly critical of the Government’s policy decision to cut the funding of the national tourist board - VisitBritain - by 18%. This follows static funding over the last decade, meaning a 50% reduction in real terms since 1997

Although tourism is Britain’s sixth largest industry, employing 2.1m people and generating £85bn pa for the economy, it has been losing out to competition in the international tourism market from countries whose Governments recognise the economic benefits of tourism and aggressively promote their national industry. We also have to work to improve our tourism product and encourage Britons to holiday at home, thus reducing the £16bn imbalance in tourism payments.

The UK needs VisitBritain to be adequately resourced to lead our overseas and domestic tourism marketing. Suggestions that these cuts can be offset by money clawed back from the regions or local authorities are unrealistic. Responsibility for funding national promotion of tourism lies squarely with national Government. Additional investment is also needed to achieve a tourism legacy from the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

If we are not to lose Britain’s status as the sixth most popular tourist destination in the world, nor squander the opportunity of the 2012 Games, the Government needs to demonstrate that it takes tourism seriously.

The tourism industry therefore calls on the Culture Secretary, Rt Hon James Purnell MP to urgently review the Government’s policy and to support British tourism with the funding needed to maintain our competitive position.

Yours faithfully,

Ros Pritchard OBE
Chairman
Tourism Alliance
Director General
British Holiday & Home Parks Association

Lyn Bibbings
Chair
Association for Tourism in Higher Education

Robin Broke LVO
Director
Association of Leading Visitor Attractions

Nick Bish
Chief Executive
Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers

Colin Dawson
Chief Executive
British Association of Leisure Parks Piers and Attractions

Rob Hayward OBE
Chief Executive
British Beer & Pub Association

Emma English
Executive Director
British Educational Travel Association

Bob Cotton OBE
Chief Executive
British Hospitality Association

Sally Banham
Assistant Director
British Marine Federation

Peter Hampson
Director
British Resorts and Destinations Association

Brigid Simmonds OBE
Chief Executive
Business In Sport and Leisure Ltd

Michael Hirst OBE
Chairman
Business Tourism Partnership

David Phillips MBE
National Co-ordinator
Destination Performance UK

Martin Sach
Chief Executive
English Association of Self Catering Operators

Tony Millns
Chief Executive
English UK

Tom Jenkins
Director General
European Tour Operators Association

David Woodhouse MBE
Managing Director
Heritage Railway Association

Nick Way
Director General
Historic Houses Association

Danny Homan
Director of Communication and Development
Historic Royal Palaces

David Howell
Chief Executive
Holiday Centres Association

Alicia Dunne
Deputy Director General
National Caravan Council Ltd

Sue Wilkinson
Director of Development
National Trust

Iain Herbert
Chief Executive
Scottish Tourism Forum

Malcolm Bell
Chief Executive
South West Tourism

David Weston
Chairman
The Bed and Breakfast Association

John McNamara
Chief Executive
The British Institute of Innkeeping

Robert Louden
Deputy Director General
The Camping and Caravanning Club

Brian Richardson
Executive Secretary
The Caravan Club

Eileen Cox
Chairman
The Guild of Registered Tourist Guides

Alison Cryer
Chairman
The Tourism Society

Paul Hemphill
President
Tourism Management Institute

Robert Collier
Managing Director
Tourism South East

Stephen Dowd
Chief Executive
UKinbound

Ken Robinson CBE
Chair
Visitor Attractions Forum

David Andrews
Chief Executive
Yorkshire Tourist Board












For more information contact:
Lesley Wragge MCIPR
Press Officer
Yorkshire Tourist Board
312 Tadcaster Road
York
YO24 1GS

Tel: 01904 701100
Fax: 01904 701414
Industry Info: www.yorkshiretouristboard.net
Consumer Info: www.yorkshirevisitor.com
Venue Info: www.venueyorkshire.com