§ Lord Harrisonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will confirm VisitBritain's claim, in its 2003–04 annual report, that by 2010 business visitors to Britain may represent 45 per cent of total inbound tourism spending; and what they will do to help VisitBritain to encourage this spending. [HL223]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Lord McIntosh of Haringey)The percentage given in VisitBritain's annual report represented its own assessment of the potential of the business tourism sector up to 2010. Although VisitBritain acknowledges that the actual outturn could be lower, the report makes the importance of inbound business tourism expenditure 51WA very clear. As such, VisitBritain is working to help attract important international business events to Britain as part of its wider marketing activities. This work includes the provision of better information on Britain's business destinations, the joint hosting of events with commercial exhibition and conference companies, and the co-ordination of a British presence at major international business shows.