§ 19. Mr. Andrew TurnerTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the tourism industry's recovery since the foot and mouth outbreak and 11 September last year. [68977]
§ Dr. HowellsAccording to the latest International Passenger Survey, in the three months to May this year, inbound visits and expenditure by overseas visitors were both 2 per cent. up on the same period in 2001.
Domestic tourism has also performed well. Data from the UK Tourism Survey show that, in the first quarter of 2002, trips were up 13 per cent. on 2001, while tourist spending was up by 18 per cent.
§ 22. Mr. CameronTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to support tourism in Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds; and if she will make a statement. [68980]
§ Dr. HowellsThe Southern Tourist Board has produced a tourism strategy setting out the potential role for tourism in Oxfordshire and has distributed promotional literature to both domestic and overseas markets. The Regional Development Agency is also working with South West Tourism on a 10-year plan for tourism which directly involves representatives from around the Cotswolds.
The Government have also put £20 million into their biggest ever campaign for attracting visitors from abroad to the United Kingdom—the Million Visitors Campaign, whose aim is to attract that additional number to Britain, benefiting the whole country, including Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds. On 13 May, we announced proposals for the modernisation and reform of tourism in England. Our intention is for more resources to be devoted to marketing all of the English regions.