Seaside Tourism (Hansard, 30 June 1998)

§ Mr. Sanders
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his answer of 1 June 1998,Official Report, column 45, which aspects of British seaside tourism the forum working groups are examining. [46094]

§ Mr. Tom Clarke
The Domestic Working Group is looking particularly at resort regeneration, but as with all the other Working Groups, much of the work is as relevant to seaside tourism as to other parts of the industry. For example, the Domestic Tourism Working Group is also looking at ways of improving standards of accommodation and hospitality; meeting consumer needs; how the domestic market is packaged and promoted; the image of England as a holiday destination; the dissemination of information; barriers to taking domestic holidays; and visitor management.
The Working Groups, their Chairmen and summaries of their areas of interest are as follows: List of tourism forum working groups Business Tourism Working Group Chair: Michael Hirst, Chairman, Joint Hospitality Industry Congress. Looking at what action might be taken to enhance the contribution of business tourism to the UK tourism industry and the wider economy. Communications Strategy Working Group Chair: Charles Allen, Chief Executive, Granada Group. Undertaking a review of the image of the industry with key audiences including young people, the media and potential investors. Domestic Tourism Working Group Chair: Councillor John Price, Local Government; Vice-Chair: Mrs. Dorothy Naylor, Chief Executive, North West Tourist Board. Looking at issues affecting domestic tourism, focusing on encouraging more Britons to take holidays in England. Three sub-groups: Distribution; Quality; Sustainability. People Working Group Chair: Peter Moore, ETB Board member and Managing Director of Center Parcs. Considering how to improve the way the industry recruits, manages, motivates, and equips its people with the skills they need to provide excellent customer service. Presentation of Heritage and Culture Group Chairman: David Quarmby, BTA/ETB Chairman. Not a Forum Working Group as such; pre-dates creation of Forum. Looking at presentation of our heritage and culture, especially to attract overseas visitors. Visitor Attractions Working Group Chairman: John Lee, ETB Board member and Chairman of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions. Set up to identify ways to maximise the value to tourism of the visitor attractions sector. 127W Whitehall Issues Working Group Chairman: Ken Robinson, Director of the Tourism Society and Operations Director of the New Millennium Experience Company. Established to consider how policy issues affecting the industry in various Government Departments might be influenced, but has not met. Widening Access Working Group Chairman: Jeremy Logie, Chief Executive, British Hospitality Association. Considering what action the industry might take to improve accessibility to all people with a desire to experience UK tourism. Strategic Planning Working Group Chaired by the Secretary of State. Looking at the development of tourism in the longer term.

§ Miss Geraldine Smith
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what overseas marketing the British Tourist Authority has carried out of British seaside resorts as tourism destinations in the past three years. [46720]

§ Mr. Tom Clarke
In the last three years, the BTA has conducted hundreds of different campaigns and marketing activities, many of which have a seaside element. Seaside resorts feature in BTA's own print and in the print of others, distributed to overseas customers through BTA's network of 43 overseas offices.