British PM: Travel outside of London, see the rest of UK

LONDON, England – Tourists will be encouraged to travel outside of London under a fresh drive to boost British tourism announced by David Cameron.

LONDON, England – Tourists will be encouraged to travel outside of London under a fresh drive to boost British tourism announced by David Cameron.

Visa reforms to make it easier to visit the UK, along with curbs on red tape and transport improvements, are among the plans outlined in a strategy to increase visitor numbers.

A ministerial taskforce, headed by Culture Secretary John Whittingdale, is being set up to drive through the changes.

On the second day of a visit to the South West, the Prime Minister said: “Millions of overseas tourists visit the UK every year and most take in the sights of London. But Britain has so much more to offer, from the Cornish Riviera to the Scottish Highlands and everything in between.

“For many areas tourism is a key industry bringing jobs, growth and security for working people. Tourism supports almost one in 10 jobs in the UK and we want to rebalance the economy to make sure this boost is felt right across the country.”

Ministers from across government will sit on the committee overseeing the five-point plan, which focuses on better collaboration between organisations, boosting skills and jobs, “common sense” regulation, transport and improved border services.

Mr Whittingdale said: “Tourism is a vital industry that brings jobs and growth to local economies across Britain. There are so many world-class things to see and do in the UK, and we need to make sure visitors are experiencing as many of them as possible.”

Tourism was worth nearly ยฃ60 billion directly to the economy last year and nearly one in 10 jobs are estimated to be in tourism-related industries, according to the Government.

The plan sets out ways to make visiting the country easier by streamlining and improving the visa regime “while retaining a robust migration system that protects the UK from immigration abuse”.

More work will be done with border staff to make sure “all passengers are processed efficiently, and with a smile”, it adds.

Infrastructure schemes that make travelling around Britain easier will be encouraged and work will be done with train companies to improve journeys for tourists.

Sally Balcombe, chief executive at VisitBritain, said: “International tourism is the UK’s third largest service export and delivers economic benefits right across Britain – including jobs. We are one of the most diverse destinations in the world, so it’s excellent news that there will be a renewed emphasis on delivering jobs and growth to our nations and regions, with VisitBritain at the heart of this activity.”

About the author

Avatar of Linda Hohnholz

Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

Share to...