
The CEO of Manchester Airports Group, Ken O’Toole, is among the tourism sector leaders who will sit on a new government taskforce aimed at spurring on growth in the £74 billion visitor economy.
The Visitor Economy Advisory Council met for the first time on 20th January to boost collaboration between government and the tourism industry in a bid to kickstart the next stage of the sector’s growth as part of the government’s Plan for Change. The advisory council will inform the government’s forthcoming National Visitor Economy Strategy and support work towards an ambition of attracting 50 million international visitors per year by 2030.
The council is co-chaired by Tourism Minister Sir Chris Bryant and Karin Sheppard, Managing Director for Europe of IHG Hotels & Resorts. Other members include Fiona MacConnacher, Head of Public Affairs UK & Ireland at Booking.com; Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive Officer at UKHospitality; and Dame Irene Hays, Chair and Owner of Hays Travel.
Tourism Minister Sir Chris Bryant said:
“The UK is one of the most visited countries in the world and domestic and international tourism are a key part of our economy. I want to build on this success and enable even more visitors to experience our fantastic culture and landscape.
“That is why I want to increase cooperation between the government and the tourism sector so that we can make the UK the best destination that it can be. That means building investment, improving visitors’ experience and enabling the sector to grow.“
A key part of the government’s growth strategy for the tourism sector is increasing visitor numbers outside of London. As well as focusing on inbound and domestic tourism, the Visitor Economy Advisory Council will also focus on outbound travel to ensure all tourists have the best possible experience when travelling.