The Department of Culture (DCMS) has confirmed Advantage Travel Partnership chief executive Julia Lo Bue-Said has joined the Tourism Industry Council (TIC) as “the primary voice for UK outbound travel”.
Lo Bue-Said’s appointment to the government-industry body has seen the council’s terms of reference changed to include ‘outbound travel’ for the first time.
The sector has been represented on the council in the past but without this recognition in the terms of reference.
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Lo Bue-Said described her appointment as “an important step forward for the industry”, saying: “I’m delighted to have been asked to become an advisor on the government’s Tourist Industry Council, as the primary voice for UK outbound travel.
“I’m particularly looking forward to reinforcing to those on the council the value and importance of UK outbound travel, and how this sits alongside our domestic and visitor economy.”
She noted: “This is the first time UK outbound travel has been explicitly included in the council’s terms of reference.
“This provides an opportunity to leverage the voice of UK outbound travel, to highlight the role it plays in driving fiscal prosperity, how we optimise opportunities in a post-Brexit environment and align our objectives with the government’s.”
The TIC held its first meeting since the formation of the Sunak government on Wednesday of last week (March 22).
Lo Bue-Said told Travel Weekly: “I’m keen to make sure we have a voice for outbound travel. We need to get to a point where the government recognises the need for a coherent and robust system overall for travel.
She said she had asked for the terms of reference to be updated after finding they “did not include outbound travel”, arguing: “It’s a simple thing but it had not been challenged.”
Lo Bue-Said added: “We need to ensure outbound travel is at these meetings.
“The big thing is recognition – being heard and being seen. We have to take every opportunity to influence and shape government decisions.”
She suggested: “Having greater collaboration with other members on the council will help to improve cross-industry collaboration.”
Julia Lopez, minister for the media, tourism and creative industries, said: “The visitor economy makes a huge economic, cultural, and social contribution to the UK.
“I’m proud to co-chair the Tourism Industry Council with Karin Sheppard and to work with council members to deliver on the government’s Tourism Recovery Plan.
“The Council is an important forum for government and industry to work together to support this vital sector as it recovers from the pandemic, weathers current global economic challenges and builds back better as a more resilient, innovative, accessible and sustainable sector.”
Sheppard is managing director for Europe at InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG).
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