Cutting VisitBritain funding by almost 20% shows that the Government “doesn’t care” about tourism, British Hospitality Association (BHA) chief executive Bob Cotton said last night.

Speaking at the BHA’s centenary dinner at the Foreign Office, Cotton said the decision was a “most curious move” for a Government that claimed to support the tourism industry.

“The imbalance of tourism payments – currently £19.4bn – is estimated to become £24bn by 2012. The UK tourism’s biggest challenge is to encourage more British people to holiday at home,” he said.

“Government does not appear to appreciate this.  Or, if it does, it doesn’t seem to care.”

Cotton added said that recent government decisions on capital gains tax, the abolition of the Hotel Buildings Allowance and scrapping other tax increasing small company taxation advantages also discriminated against the hospitality industry. 

Challenges of the future, according to the BHA chief, include the need to recruit more staff – preferably British - and to pay greater attention to training and development and working conditions. And looming large on the horizon is the “certain need” to reduce energy costs, he added.

Tourism industry to press Gordon Brown for tourism review >>

Tourism minister defends cuts to tourism funding >>

Government slammed for cutting VisitBritain funds >>

Expect panic selling if capital tax rises, warns BHA >>

Scrapping building allowance will cost hotel industry millions >>


By Daniel Thomas

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