The twin targets of the Government’s Tourism Recovery Plan which has just been published are to rebuild domestic back to 2019 levels by 2022 and to rebuild inbound tourism back to 2019 levels by 2023. Among the initiatives are:
A new Rail Pass
“Working with the Rail Delivery Group, the government and VisitBritain will pursue the development of a new domestic rail tourism product to accelerate the recovery of domestic tourism. Introducing an offer for domestic tourists will encourage sustainable domestic holiday travel and reduce tourism’s reliance on cars.”
£10m of tourism vouchers
“The British Tourist Authority will deliver a £10 million consumer promotion with The National Lottery to support the domestic tourist industry. The initiative will see vouchers, or similar, made available to National Lottery players that will be redeemable at tourist attractions across the UK. The scheme will open in Autumn 2021 to encourage off-season trips in support of the hard-hit domestic tourism sector. Businesses taking part will need to ensure they are using the We’re Good To Go industry standard.”
Consultation on Statutory Registration
“The government will also launch a consultation on the introduction of a Tourist Accommodation Registration Scheme in England. A Registration Scheme is one potential route through which to create a data-driven approach, creating an improved national picture of the precise shape of the accommodation landscape which could feed into a wider Data Hub. Any such scheme could encompass the breadth of the sector, from ‘traditional’ accommodation such as hotels and B&Bs to short term lets in the sharing economy and could be used to underpin future government interventions, for example regarding the regulation of the sharing economy.”
Sustainable Tourism Plan
“The government will develop a Sustainable Tourism Plan, and put the UK at the forefront of the global discussion on sustainable travel. Domestically, the government will work with industry and the British Tourist Authority to identify achievable ways for the sector to ‘grow back greener’, in ways that will reduce the travel industry’s impact on the natural and built environment, respect local host communities and take their needs into account, and maximise the economic benefits for tourism businesses and their local communities in all regions of the UK.”
Inclusivity roundtables and ambassador
“The Minister for Tourism will hold a series of roundtables with stakeholders from across the tourism industry to better understand the barriers holding back participation in tourism.
Ministerial advocacy for business events
“The UK government will also enhance its Ministerial advocacy programme. The Events Industry Board notes that advocacy is critical to winning international business events.
New ministerial group
To implement that Recovery Plan, a new inter-Ministerial group for tourism is being established. It will be chaired by the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and supported by the Minister for Tourism.
The group will meet four times a year and will ensure the plan is delivered.