Recommendations & Conclusions
10 items
1
Conclusion
Second Report - Promoting Britain abroad
Accepted
Britain’s world-leading cultural sector enjoys global attention and contributes enormously to the country’s appeal, but the competition is getting stronger. The voice of the cultural sector must be included at a strategic level if it is to fulfil its potential to attract visitors from across the globe. Establishing a Creative …
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Britain’s world-leading cultural sector enjoys global attention and contributes enormously to the country’s appeal, but the competition is getting stronger. The voice of the cultural sector must be included at a strategic level if it is to fulfil its potential to attract visitors from across the globe. Establishing a Creative Industries Export Office would enable both industry and Government to work together to promote British talent and attract higher numbers of visitors. However, for an export office to succeed it must command industry support, include officials from across government and be sufficiently resourced.
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Government response AI summary
The Government does not see a case for a separate creative industries export office due to a wide range of existing support and will set out its ambition for the creative sector to 2030 in the upcoming Creative Industries Sector Vision. They will continue to …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
3
Conclusion
Second Report - Promoting Britain abroad
Accepted
London will always be key to our tourism offer; it is a global brand which attracts millions of visitors each year. But every part of Britain has something to offer and a story to tell. Our evidence tells us that many visitors are unaware of what else there is to …
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London will always be key to our tourism offer; it is a global brand which attracts millions of visitors each year. But every part of Britain has something to offer and a story to tell. Our evidence tells us that many visitors are unaware of what else there is to see or believe other destinations are too far or too difficult to travel to. Addressing these issues will help drive people beyond the capital. Attracting international business events also has clear potential not only to drive tourism across the country but throughout the year, as evidenced by the forecast impact of the events secured with the support of the Business Events Growth Programme.
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Government response AI summary
VisitBritain will continue to prioritize regional dispersion through the relaunch of their GREAT international marketing campaign, See Things Differently, targeted at key GREAT markets in the EU, US and the Gulf. They will increase domestic visitor numbers through their ‘Escape the Everyday’ campaign and partner …
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
5
Conclusion
Second Report - Promoting Britain abroad
Accepted
The Government’s decision to withdraw from the VAT Retail Export Scheme has made Britain less appealing to tourists while increasing the appeal of our European competitors. It has been a spectacular own goal, signalling that the Government does not, despite its protestations to the contrary, recognise the significance of retail …
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The Government’s decision to withdraw from the VAT Retail Export Scheme has made Britain less appealing to tourists while increasing the appeal of our European competitors. It has been a spectacular own goal, signalling that the Government does not, despite its protestations to the contrary, recognise the significance of retail to the inbound tourism sector. For a short while, it appeared to have seen sense, committing once again to providing tax-free shopping for inbound visitors. To then reverse this decision, less than a month later with no new financial analysis provided, only serves to demonstrate the paucity of thought associated with these policy changes. By the Treasury’s own estimation, the scheme could at the very least have been cost neutral. We agree with the industry that a broader analysis of the indirect benefits of the scheme would demonstrate that its cost would be far outweighed by the revenue it would generate and the increased numbers of tourists coming to the UK. (Paragraph 37) 34 Promoting Britain abroad
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Government response AI summary
The government defends its decision to withdraw from the VAT Retail Export Scheme, referencing the OBR assessment, but states it keeps all taxes under review and will endeavour to consider the impact of future decisions affecting the inbound tourism sector.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
7
Recommendation
Second Report - Promoting Britain abroad
Accepted
The Government should publish an assessment of the direct and indirect impact that withdrawing from the VAT Retail Export Scheme will have had on the inbound tourism sector.
Government response AI summary
The government refers to the independent Office for Budget Responsibility's assessment of the withdrawal of the VAT Retail Export Scheme published in November 2020.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
14
Conclusion
Second Report - Promoting Britain abroad
Accepted
Though staffing shortages have been exacerbated by the pandemic, the problems are long-term. The level of vacancies in the tourism and hospitality sectors are directly impacting the quality of our offer, yet both sectors can take a teenager in a holiday job all the way up to management and leadership. …
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Though staffing shortages have been exacerbated by the pandemic, the problems are long-term. The level of vacancies in the tourism and hospitality sectors are directly impacting the quality of our offer, yet both sectors can take a teenager in a holiday job all the way up to management and leadership. There not only needs to be a clear message from Government that careers in hospitality and tourism are viable, long- Promoting Britain abroad 35 term and year-round, but also a strategy to fill immediate vacancies. We welcome efforts to create apprenticeships and the new T-Level in Catering in 2023 but believe that more could be done to support business-owners who are short of staff today.
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Government response AI summary
The government recognizes labour and skills shortages and states that a number of measures are already in place to mitigate this risk, such as the Hospitality Sector Council and the Hospitality and Tourism Skills Board.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
20
Conclusion
Second Report - Promoting Britain abroad
Accepted
We recognise that the pandemic will have had a significant impact on VisitBritain’s engagement with wider industry, while the level of its funding limits its ability to support Destination Management Companies to the extent that both sides would wish. We welcome the progress that VisitBritain has made to address concerns …
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We recognise that the pandemic will have had a significant impact on VisitBritain’s engagement with wider industry, while the level of its funding limits its ability to support Destination Management Companies to the extent that both sides would wish. We welcome the progress that VisitBritain has made to address concerns but feel it should also consider the extent to which this engagement should be at a strategic level rather than purely operational. (Paragraph 81) 36 Promoting Britain abroad
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Government response AI summary
VisitBritain will continue to prioritize regional dispersion through the relaunch of their GREAT international marketing campaign, See Things Differently, targeted at key GREAT markets in the EU, US and the Gulf. They will increase domestic visitor numbers through their ‘Escape the Everyday’ campaign and partner …
Read full response →
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
23
Conclusion
Second Report - Promoting Britain abroad
Accepted
VisitBritain is an arms’ length body yet in practice appears to be grasped close to the chest. VisitBritain knows better than officials at No 10 and the Cabinet Office how best to attract visitors to Britain in an increasingly competitive field. Given VisitBritain’s marketing and communications expertise, the requirement for …
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VisitBritain is an arms’ length body yet in practice appears to be grasped close to the chest. VisitBritain knows better than officials at No 10 and the Cabinet Office how best to attract visitors to Britain in an increasingly competitive field. Given VisitBritain’s marketing and communications expertise, the requirement for marketing materials approval appears unduly restrictive. Officials’ involvement in budget spending is understandable; their control over operational decisions and campaign messaging is not. The Minister himself acknowledged that there is scope for improvement.
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Government response AI summary
The Government Communication Service (GCS) in the Cabinet Office has reduced the approval requirements for government marketing materials, with only new master creative for major government campaigns submitted to GCS for approval and feedback provided promptly.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
24
Recommendation
Second Report - Promoting Britain abroad
Accepted
The Government should use a lighter touch with VisitBritain regarding operational decisions and campaign messaging. Any feedback should be considered as advisory only and given to VisitBritain within one month.
Government response AI summary
The Government Communication Service (GCS) in the Cabinet Office has already reduced the approval requirements for government marketing materials.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
25
Conclusion
Second Report - Promoting Britain abroad
Accepted
The Minister and DCMS officials should feel proud of their hard work supporting the tourism sector through the pandemic and we welcome the establishment of an inter-ministerial working group. However, it can only be effective if all departments recognise the extent to which the economy depends on the sector. Given …
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The Minister and DCMS officials should feel proud of their hard work supporting the tourism sector through the pandemic and we welcome the establishment of an inter-ministerial working group. However, it can only be effective if all departments recognise the extent to which the economy depends on the sector. Given that so many of the levers which control tourism lie outside of DCMS’s control, the industry’s ability to reach its full potential depends on the working group ensuring that policy from other departments does not undermine the work that DCMS is trying to achieve. This will require a full-time tourism minister who can work across several departments
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Government response AI summary
The government states that there is a full-time minister responsible for tourism and highlights the role of the Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) on the Visitor Economy in facilitating discussions across government and that the IMG is supported by the Tourism Industry Council.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport
26
Recommendation
Second Report - Promoting Britain abroad
Accepted
The Government should make the Tourism Minister a full-time position. We are open- minded as to which department the minister should be placed in, but it is crucial that their views should carry significant weight across all relevant departments, particularly the Home Office, HM Treasury and the Department for Transport. …
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The Government should make the Tourism Minister a full-time position. We are open- minded as to which department the minister should be placed in, but it is crucial that their views should carry significant weight across all relevant departments, particularly the Home Office, HM Treasury and the Department for Transport. (Paragraph 99) Promoting Britain abroad 37
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Government response AI summary
The government states it already has a full-time Minister responsible for tourism within a broader portfolio and highlights the Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) on the Visitor Economy as an established governance mechanism.
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Department for Culture, Media and Sport