One of Britain’s largest holiday park groups, Park Holidays UK, is urging newly reelected PM David Cameron to create a new full-time post of tourism minister in his government.
The company’s director, Tony Clish, said that Britain’s tourism stakeholders had played a major role in the country’s economic recovery, and the industry deserves a champion in Westminster.
The primary role of the minister would be to ensure that UK tourism is properly promoted overseas, and to create the conditions in Britain which would ensure the sector continues to grow, Clish said.
Britain’s tourism industry is the UK’s third largest employer, providing jobs for more than three million people – and contributes more than £127bn annually to the UK economy.
“For the past few years, the role of tourism minister has been a part-time post in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and was a role which included other duties,” said Clish.
“I believe the time has now come for change, and that a ministerial post should be created in government for someone whose portfolio is focussed exclusively on tourism.
“Such a move would demonstrate the government’s wholehearted support of this industry’s successful efforts to help revitalise Britain’s rural economies.
“Visitors to Park Holidays UK alone spend millions of pounds each year in country and coastal regions, supporting many small businesses and the people they employ.
“A tourism minister could help ensure that Britain is properly publicised overseas as a holiday destination with a view to increasing our volume of foreign visitors.”
“Clish said there were other pressing issues the minister could address, including the state of the UK’s road infrastructure.
“A minister might also wish to examine whether Britain’s tourism industry is competing on a level playing field with other countries in mainland Europe,” he said.
“In many EU states, a more favourable VAT arrangement exists for tourism providers which helps to keep their prices down.”
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