Tourism Alliance Chairman Bob Cotton and VisitBritain Executive Chairman have slammed the lack of funding for UK tourism, saying that a little more would go a long way towards promoting Britain ahead of the 2012 Olympics. VisitBritain has seen its marketing budget cut by 18% between 2008 and 2011 but, as the Tourism Minister Barbara Follett points out, there’s much more that goes into the UK tourism industry than just VisitBritain’s marketing budget. She estimates that almost £700m goes into the tourism and hospitality industry each year, with some of that being distributed regionally.
Personally, I think we need to take a closer look at exactly who covers what within the industry. Is there really a need for a VisitBritain and an Enjoy England (VisitBritain’s domestic arm), as well as regional tourist boards, more localised tourist boards and district council tourism departments. A little more consolidation would go a long way in my opinion. I also think that these organisations shouldn’t be so heavily reliant upon funding but instead should seek to operate on a more self-sufficient, commercial basis.
