European Year of Tourism (Hansard, 31 October 1989)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Employment (Lord Strathclyde)
My Lords, many special events and activities marking the European Year of Tourism will be taking place up and down the country, organised by all sectors of the UK tourism industry. The responsibility for co-ordinating events in the UK rests with the British Tourist Authority.

Lord Campbell of Croy
My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for his reply. Is a special effort to be made within the EC to attract visitors from the other side of the Atlantic? We should bear in mind their special interest in European history and heritage as a background to their own and their interest too in ancestors and roots.

§ Lord Strathclyde
My Lords, my noble friend has hit on an important point. He is quite correct. The Commission is planning special promotions in the United States, Canada and Japan, aimed at promoting travel to Europe for a whole variety of reasons.

§ Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede
My Lords, this is, I believe, the first time that the noble Lord, Lord Strathclyde, has spoken in the House in his substantive position as Minister responsible for tourism. Therefore we welcome him in that role as opposed to the many other roles which he performs here. I wish to know whether the Government are committed to supporting fully all the projects being put forward as part of the European Year of Tourism.

§ Lord Strathclyde
My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Ponsonby, for those words. What some noble Lords do not realise is that the noble Lord himself is well involved in the tourist industry, particularly in London. As for government support for the European Year of Tourism, that is implicit in the fact that the programme is sponsored by the British Tourist Authority and will continue to be so.

§ Baroness Elles
My Lords, can my noble friend say whether any measures are being taken in the Commission to improve the lot of tourists from this country who go on package tours throughout the European Community? Despite the efforts which were made last year, so far nothing has happened. Can he inform the House whether our own tourists will have better treatment in the future?

§ Lord Strathclyde
My Lords, discussions are still continuing on the proposed EC directive.

§ Lord Peston
My Lords, I join in the congratulations to the Minister. Has his department considered that tourism, like other forms of international trade, especially in this country, would be enhanced if Britain were fully to join the exchange rate mechanism?

§ Lord Strathclyde
My Lords, I admire the noble Lord's ability to raise an entirely different question when dealing with the European Year of Tourism. I suspect that he will have plenty of other opportunities on which to put down such a Question on the Order Paper, when one of my colleagues or I will be delighted to answer.

§ Lord Beloff
My Lords, can the Minister assure the House that, in looking at the proposed growth of tourism, Her Majesty's Government will bend themselves to protecting the amenities of the ordinary citizens of this country? For instance, we suffer from the parking of coaches, the scattering of litter and the cackling of French schoolchildren.

§ Lord Strathclyde
My Lords, my noble friend is quite right. There is a certain amount of controversy about the role of tourists in this country. However, I should point out that most people in this country receive a tremendous benefit from the influx of tourists. It was worth over £6 billion in 1988.

§ Lord Parry
My Lords, does the noble Lord accept that the tourist industry will be grateful to him for that answer? However, I respect the problem that was raised from a personal point of view by the noble Lord opposite. Does the Minister further accept that, coincidentally with the European Year of Tourism, it is also the Tidy Britain Year and the beginning of the decade for Britain of the clean nineties? The amenities of the country will benefit from a general effort which is largely paid for out of revenues received from tourism. Those revenues augment Britain's income.

§ Lord Strathclyde
My Lords, the noble Lord is quite correct. I know he is a great supporter of the industry also.

Lord Campbell of Croy
My Lords, will the British Government encourage entries from this country to the competitions which have already been arranged for the year in Brussels, in particular entries for the tidiest European city competition and for the best facilities for disabled visitors?

§ Lord Strathclyde
My Lords, my noble friend is quite right in pointing out that there are a number of competitions throughout the country to impress on people the importance of tourism and of exchanging cultural differences. The competition for Europe's tidiest city and the best facilities for the handicapped will be uppermost in our minds during 1990.