Up to half the staff at the ministry responsible for tourism face redundancy as part of austerity cuts demanded across Whitehall.
Culture secretary Jeremy Hunt has submitted proposals to the Treasury to cut between one-in-three and one-in-two staff at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), according to reports. DCMS includes the office of minister for tourism John Penrose.
The department is among Whitehall’s smallest, with a budget of £2.1 billion, and tourism is just one of many areas of responsibility. However, it is likely to be among the hardest hit by cuts of up to 40% demanded by the Treasury.
The travel industry campaigned before the election for the tourism minister’s role to be extended to outbound travel, but Penrose’s remit remains confined to inbound and domestic tourism.
Before the general election Hunt said: “Our tourism industry feels betrayed by the government’s lack of interest.”