By George Clode
The head of the British Tourism Authority (BTA) urged the industry to demonstrate its value to government as Brexit talks began this week.
BTA chairman Steve Ridgway, a former chief executive of Virgin Atlantic, said: “It’s a challenge to get tourism in the minds of ministers, [but] we all have a duty to get this industry higher up the agenda.
“The message of what we can deliver to the economy through these more difficult times needs to be delivered continuously.”
The government will operate without an overall majority following the June 8 election. Ridgway told a joint Travel Weekly and TravelGBI Business Breakfast: “Government fragility might make our job more difficult, but we need to get on with it. We’re in a super‑competitive business.”
He warned: “We won’t be in a position to dictate the terms [of Brexit]. How it turns out will be determined by how tough the Europeans want to be. [But] we don’t want impenetrable borders – it’s important we fight that. If there are borders, they need to be superslick. We can’t put up barriers.”
Ridgway insisted: “The good thing is tourism is measurable. It’s a £127 billion industry, which represents 10% of GDP and more than three million jobs. I told [new tourism minister] John Glen he can stand up in Parliament with some data and a lot of ministers can’t.”
Ridgway met Glen last week following a change at the Department for Culture, which saw former tourism minister Tracey Crouch return with responsibility for sport, and Salisbury MP Glen take over arts, culture, heritage and tourism.
Ridgway said: “I made the point very clear to John Glen. We need to leave the market intact.”
Yet he suggested there is little chance of the industry seeing cuts in APD or VAT, saying: “I don’t think it’s a battle we can win, and it will alienate ministers.”
Ridgway took over as BTA chairman on April 1. He appeared at the breakfast alongside VisitEngland chairman Denis Wormwell, former chief executive of Shearings Holidays.