Tourism funding needs reform, says VisitBritain

Tourism funding in England is in desperate need of reform, national tourist body VisitBritain warned the Government on Tuesday (15 November).

The warning came from Lord Marshall of Knightsbridge, chairman of VisitBritain, at a meeting focusing on the opportunities afforded by the 2012 London Olympics.

The debate also involved industry leaders from the British Hospitality Association, the British Beer & Pub Association, Hilton Group, Lastminute.com, and Center Parcs.

Marshall said the tourism budget for England was scattered through too many different organisations. "Many of these go about doing their own thing without any real co-ordination or cohesion and without any overall direction," he said.

"There is an urgent need for the Government to restructure tourism funding in England and to designate one organisation to take responsibility for control and direction of the 200m of taxpayers' funds which are invested annually through at least four independent sources."

Currently, tourism cash from different Government sources goes to VisitBritain, VisitLondon, the eight regional development agencies and 560 tourist information offices.

Tourism budgets in Wales and Scotland are controlled by the regions' national tourism bodies.