§ Mr. FlookTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much the English Tourism Council spent on marketing when it harmonised the grading standards in 1999. [16383]
§ Dr. HowellsThe budget for marketing and promotion of the new quality assurance scheme in the financial year 1999–2000 was £250,000 and this was spent on a variety of activities, including: media and industry launches, promotion to the industry at travel fairs and via videos and presentations, mailings to the travel trade, distribution of consumer leaflets and promotion to the media via fact packs.
The Government remain firmly committed to the voluntary scheme and have encouraged the ETC to identify some funds for consumer promotion. This is now likely to take place next financial year, when the ETC's baseline budget will have been increased by 20 per cent. and taking measures to improve quality in the tourism industry is one of its core priorities.