Recommendation 23

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.