The Government’s cutting of VisitBritain’s funding by 18% is likely to be debated in the House of Commons in the new year.
Liberal Democrat MP for Bath Don Foster has filed an early day motion over the £9 million cut that will take effect over the next three years, just as the UK prepares to host the Olympic Games in 2012.
Shadow culture, media and sport secretary Foster has requested the parliamentary debate, in an attempt to force the Government to backtrack. A date for the debate is yet to be agreed but it is hoped it will be early January.
Foster said: “There are so few opportunities to debate tourism with the Government that it is up to people like me to force the issue. The Government has never got to grips with the importance of the industry. It sees it as being moderately successful and so it has diverted resources to other areas. That is a mistake.”
Meanwhile, VisitBritain has agreed the key points of focus for its strategy review, which is being undertaken in conjunction with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
The review is expected to be completed by early summer 2008 and will focus on marketing England at home and overseas, marketing Britain abroad, developing national tourism policies and securing the tourism benefits of the 2012 Olympic Games.
Foster’s early day motion supported the Tourism Alliance’s Take Tourism Seriously campaign, which highlighted the £9 million cut in VisitBritain’s funding, despite UK tourism generating £85 billion annually and employing two million people.
The motion has been signed by 28 MPs.