§ Mr. KaufmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the work of regional development agencies in developing tourism in Manchester, Gorton. [167346]
§ Tessa JowellThe North West Development Agency (NWDA) is working closely with Marketing Manchester, the nominated Destination Management Organisation (DMO) for Manchester. The new DMOs are, in effect, smaller versions of tourist boards. They aim to ensure a strong visitor and market focus to all that is done within the region and strengthen the connection between businesses and other organisations in the tourism sector.
During 2003–04 Marketing Manchester received £695,000 from the NWDA's marketing image budget for tourism and investment campaigns to promote Manchester. £203,000 was also provided from the agency's tourism budget for a variety of tourism development projects.