Government is failing to support tourism industry

The Committee said it is concerned by the "lack of confidence the industry appears to have in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport" and is discouraged to see that "responsibility for tourism has been so frequently transferred between departmental ministers, creating an impression that it is seen as an afterthought which has to fit in with their other responsibilities." They said there needs to be a "more consistent evidence that tourism is becoming a mainstream issue in government." The Committee specifically criticises the government for its decision to cut the funding for VisitBritain, the body responsible for promoting UK tourism destinations overseas. Under the reduced funding, the Committee said it finds it difficult to see how the government's strategy to maximize the tourism benefits from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games can be realised. The Committee found that the UK is perceived to offer poor levels of customer service and quality of "welcome". It cites Heathrow airport as the classic example: "the current reputation and passenger experience of Heathrow acts as a significant disincentive to many people considering visiting the UK". The Committee concludes that "over £500m is spent by the public sector alone on skills development in the tourism industry, yet customer service, management and craft skills are too often lacking." Committee Chairman John Whittingdale commented: "Tourism is one of the UK's most important industries and yet it has been consistently sidelined by the government, if not ignored. Its most recent decision to cut the budget of VisitBritain by nearly 20% seems extraordinary. To do so in the run-up to the Olympic Games, which represent a huge opportunity for British tourism, is simply inexplicable. This is a huge missed opportunity which the government urgently needs to put right."