By George Clode
UK tourism industry leaders are working together to present policy priorities to Whitehall, as part of the government’s new industrial strategy.
Steve Ridgway, new chairman of the British Tourist Authority – which runs VisitBritain and VisitEngland – will negotiate directly with the government on behalf of the sector.
He is speaking to leading tourism businesses, such as the board of the British Hospitality Association, with the Tourism Alliance and UKinbound leading four working parties to develop tourism’s bid for a sector deal. VisitBritain is supporting the industry to pull the deal together.
This follows the invitations from the government to leading UK industries to make bids for their sectors. The government will support the ‘winning’ sectors by backing the policies each industry requires.
Kurt Janson, Tourism Alliance director, said: “The fact that the tourism industry is one of the key sectors with which the government wants to develop a deal is, in itself, acknowledgement of the value of the industry to the UK economy, and [of] the scope for the industry to provide growth and employment once we leave the EU.
“The potential benefits could be considerable. There are very few times a government asks an industry to put forward proposals – this is an opportunity we need to take full advantage of.”
The government has identified 10 ‘strategic pillars’ for its industrial strategy, ranging from infrastructure development to investment in research and training.
The newly renamed Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has agreed tourism will work on four strategic pillars: skills, business support, infrastructure, and regional growth.
These have been refined to four key themes: making tourism the industry of choice for employees; getting tourism regulation right; improving connectivity for travellers; and digitally futureproofing the sector. A working group is being established for each theme.
Speaking at a TravelGBI Business Breakfast, Ridgway said: “The industrial strategy will not involve shed-loads of money being poured into any industry, but it will influence policy. There are 10 pillars of the strategy and we tick at least six of those boxes.
“We mustn’t lose this opportunity to get tourism and travel as one of the sectors of choice – this is one way we can get tourism up the agenda.”
He urged the industry to demonstrate its value to government as politicians negotiate with Brussels about the terms of Brexit.
“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,” Ridgway said.
“The message of what we can deliver to the economy needs to be delivered continuously.”
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.”
The bid for a tourism deal will be submitted to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in September, with a plan for implementation to be published in October.
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New tourism minister John Glen outlines his plans to strengthen UK inbound and domestic tourism