Red tape hampers UK tourism

The government is being urged to increase its support of the nation’s tourism industry after a report has said that red tape is hampering efforts to improve holiday experiences in Britain.

VisitBritain’s chief executive, Christopher Rodrigues, noted: “The recent fall in sterling and the approaching Olympics in 2012 give us a tremendous opportunity to promote Britain as a holiday destination, provided we are given the appropriate financial tools and policy support.”

VisitBritain is the organization charged with promoting UK tourism.

At the World Travel Market in London this week, thousands of attendees representing important tourism markets around the world found it difficult to get to the event’s venue in Docklands, due to problems with the capital city’s public transport system.

The Minister for Culture, Creative Industries & Tourism, Barbara Follett, expressed her apologies for the transport problems.

In 2012 the London Olympic Games are expected to be a major boost to revenue from tourism. A report commissioned by VisitBritain and Tourism Alliance, however, noted barriers that could hinder the growth of inbound tourism.

The report, prepared by consultancy firm Deloitte, stated that a lack of information about what is on offer, overcrowding, skill shortages and transport difficulties all hamper the efforts of tourism operators. Current estimates show that tourism contributes £114 billion to the economy of Britain.

Thanks to www.telegraph.co.uk for the above quotes, for more information on this article please visit their website.

www.visitbritain.com