§ Mr. SandersTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assistance is available to develop areas of sustainable tourism; and if she will make a statement. [124753]
§ Mr. CabornSustainable tourism is relevant to all tourism areas, including coastal resorts, historic and modern cities, rural areas and man-made visitor attractions. We set out the policy framework necessary to achieve progress in the Tomorrow's Tourism strategy. To implement sustainable tourism requires action by a wide range of partners, including Government Departments and their agencies, Regional Development Agencies (RDAs), local authorities, the tourism industry and organisations with environmental, conservation or social exclusion remits. Actions initiated by DCMS include giving VisitBritain a remit to market England to encourage domestic tourism and the `Fitness for Purpose' initiative to provide customers with a firmer assurance that hotels, and the restaurants within them, are fit for trading. RDAs are promoting sustainable tourism as part of their enhanced role in the38W strategic leadership of tourism, which links with their statutory remit for sustainable development. Local authorities can help promote sustainable tourism through spatial planning and approaches to visitor management and Business Links provide practical guidance to tourism businesses on matters such as energy efficiency and reducing waste. Everyone has something to contribute towards achieving sustainable tourism in every part of the country and it is in everyone's interest to do so.
§ Mr. SandersTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the Access All Areas programme is being promoted in all tourist areas [124762]
§ Mr. CabornAccess All Areas is a nation-wide award scheme run by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Launched in May 2003, the scheme runs until September, and aims to recognise and congratulate small businesses and organisations, of all types, which offer accessible and innovative services for disabled people. Through DWP's efforts the scheme has been promoted by VisitBritain, both on its web site and in an e-mail newsletter sent to 200,000 tourism businesses, and by the Tourism Skills Network, who advertised the award on its web site. DCMS sponsors VisitBritain as the lead body for tourism, and has communicated Access All Areas to those responsible for accessible tourism in England's regional tourist boards.
§ Mr. SandersTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what type of marketing procedures have been used to promote VisitBritain to local communities [124765]
§ Mr. CabornVisitBritain uses a range of corporate communication tools to inform local tourism communities about its activities, including e-mail, a dedicated trade website, press releases, a quarterly corporate newsletter, press and trade-dedicated information leaflets and brochures. It also provides regional tourist boards, and other destination marketing organizations, with feature articles for use in their own communications.
VisitBritain's representatives regularly meet tourism businesses at regional events and hold trade surgeries throughout the country.
§ Mr. SandersTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much she estimates will be spent by her Department on funding the e-commerce impact assessment c n the UK tourism sector. [124771]
§ Mr. CabornThe e-commerce impact assessment on the tourism industry was commissioned and managed jointly by this Department and UK Online for Business. This study was one of a series assessing the impact of e-commerce on more than 50 key sectors, all of which were funded by UK Online for Business. The costs for this study, including consultancy, printing, dissemination and publicity were approximately £68,000.