Select Committee · Culture, Media and Sport Committee

Promoting Britain abroad

Status: Closed Opened: 8 Nov 2021 Closed: 2 Feb 2023 14 recommendations 12 conclusions 1 report

Tourism is an economic, cultural and social asset. Although it is a devolved matter—England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and London all have independent tourism bodies—all five organisations work closely with VisitBritain, the national tourism agency. VisitBritain is responsible for marketing Britain worldwide and developing Britain’s visitor economy. In 2019, inbound tourism to the UK was …

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Second Report - Promoting Britain abroad HC 156 24 Oct 2022 26 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

5 items
2 Recommendation Second Report - Promoting Britain abroad Rejected

We recommend that the Government should work with the creative industries at a strategic level...

We recommend that the Government should work with the creative industries at a strategic level and establish a creative industries export office. This should be coordinated by the DCMS but involve officials from all relevant departments, such as the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Home Office and …

Government response. The Government does not see a case for a separate creative industries export office due to a wide range of existing support.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
13 Recommendation Second Report - Promoting Britain abroad Rejected

We recommend that the Government should negotiate an agreement with the EU to provide a...

We recommend that the Government should negotiate an agreement with the EU to provide a single-entry document for performers to submit to any EU country they wish to visit. (Paragraph 57) Resources

Government response. The government rejects the proposal of an EU-wide visa waiver for performers, citing incompatibility with the government's manifesto commitment to take control of borders and stating that a reciprocal agreement was offered that remains incompatible. The government highlights actions taken …
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
15 Recommendation Second Report - Promoting Britain abroad Rejected

We recommend that the Government should introduce a temporary recovery visa for industries where there...

We recommend that the Government should introduce a temporary recovery visa for industries where there is clear evidence of labour and skills shortages.

Government response. The government rejects the recommendation to introduce a temporary recovery visa, stating that the immigration system should not be an alternative for employers to avoid improving pay and conditions, while acknowledging labour and skills shortages and stating existing measures are …
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
16 Conclusion Second Report - Promoting Britain abroad Rejected

The fragmented nature of marketing budgets across the UK, with different sectors and different parts...

The fragmented nature of marketing budgets across the UK, with different sectors and different parts of the country supported by different funds, makes it difficult to quantify the exact amount of Government funding for inbound tourism marketing. However, the minister himself acknowledged that it is low by international standards. Whilst …

Government response. The Government does not intend to increase VisitBritain’s marketing budget at present, stating that funding is effectively budgeted to promote regional and seasonal spread, attract inward investment, and rebuild international visitor value.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
17 Recommendation Second Report - Promoting Britain abroad Rejected

The Government should increase VisitBritain’s marketing budget to match more closely those of our nearest...

The Government should increase VisitBritain’s marketing budget to match more closely those of our nearest competitors. VisitBritain should ensure that much of this increase in funding should be ringfenced to promoting regional destinations. (Paragraph 68) Leadership

Government response. The government does not intend to increase VisitBritain’s marketing budget at present, but says it is prioritising the promotion of regional destinations through existing measures.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Oral evidence sessions

5 sessions
Date Witnesses
5 Jul 2022 Ben Dean · Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Chris Philp MP · Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Nigel Huddleston MP · HM Treasury View ↗
21 Jun 2022 Nick de Bois CBE · VisitEngland Advisory Board, Patricia Yates · VisitBritain/VisitEngland View ↗
29 Mar 2022 Allen Simpson · London and Partners, Geoff Taylor · BPI, Gills Haigh · Cumbria Tourism, Jamie Njoku-Goodwin · UK Music, Jessica Koravos · Really Useful Group, Kash Bennett · National Theatre, Nick Brooks-Sykes · Marketing Manchester View ↗
8 Mar 2022 Joss Croft · UKinbound, Kate Nicholls OBE · UKHospitality, Kurt Janson · Tourism Alliance, Paul Barnes · Association of International Retail, Ross Baker · Heathrow View ↗
22 Feb 2022 Bernard Donoghue · Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, Caroline Cooper Charles · Screen Yorkshire, Martha Lytton-Cobbold · Historic Houses, Ralph Lee · BBC Studios Productions View ↗