Government’s £19.8m Vote of Confidence in Tourism
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The Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, has announced that £19.8m from the Regional Growth Fund will be allocated to VisitEngland in order to boost domestic tourism associated with the Olympics and Diamond Jubilee. This is a significant vote of confidence in the organisation, and the ability of the UK tourism industry, to provide the growth and employment needed by the UK economy.
Tourism Alliance Chairman, Brigid Simmonds OBE, stated that, “While many sectors of the UK economy are struggling, revenue generated by domestic tourism is growing at 13%. In approving the bid, the Government has recognised the strength of the UK tourism industry and that it has a central role in economic policy”.
If the current 13% increase in domestic tourism is maintained until the end of the year, this will mean an increase of £2.7bn for the UK economy – enough to generate over 50,000 new jobs spread across the whole of the UK.
Brigid Simmonds concluded, “While the domestic tourism industry is doing well, the funding of a large nationally co-ordinated campaign will maximise the benefits of next year’s events for the UK’s 180,000 tourism SMEs.”
