Tories set up Tourism Task Force

The Conservative party has set up a Tourism Task Force to promote an industry it claims has been “neglected” by the Labour Government.

The Task Force, which will be chaired by John Lewis OBE a former chairman and board member of the British Tourist Authority, will consider five key areas:

• Promoting green tourism

• Reinvigorating our seaside towns

• Promoting the family holiday - both to UK and overseas markets

• Harnessing the Olympics

• Reforming the structures and mechanisms involved in marketing Britain

Shadow Culture Secretary Hugo Swire said: "Promoting great British tourism will not only help our economy but also our environment. We want to ensure that green tourism is brought into the mainstream and promoted as a viable holiday option. 

"We have seen the sad demise of too many of our historic seaside towns. We want to explore ways of reinvigorating our coastal towns and breathing fresh life into our seaside resorts."

Lewis said: "I am delighted to be taking up this opportunity to develop fresh ideas for British tourism. It is an industry that has been neglected by this Government as a whole and under-valued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in particular. 

“This wide-ranging review will be a chance to put matters right by considering how best to strengthen our tourist industry and ensure its status and profile within Government is raised." 

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By Daniel Thomas

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