Campaign To Raise Tourist Numbers Must Go On - Harvey
12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 8th Aug 2003
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Lib Dem Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport, Nick Harvey MP
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The war in the Gulf may have renewed American nervousness about holidaying in the UK, Liberal Democrat Shadow Culture Secretary Nick Harvey MP said today as tourism figures to June 2003 were published today.
Analysis of the figures from the Office of National Statistics shows that 430,000 fewer overseas visitors came to England between April and June 2003 than in the same period in 2002. Overseas tourist revenue in the same quarter fell by 9% - or £260 million - between 2002 and 2003, having already fallen by 2% between 2001 and 2002.
Nick Harvey MP said: "The British tourist industry must be wondering how many more punches it can take. After the foot and mouth crisis, many thought that the only way was up. In spring and summer last year, it looked as though overseas visitors numbers had turned the corner."
"The fall in overseas visitors to the UK between April - June 2002 and April - June 2003 shows that tourists - particularly Americans - remain wary of visiting the UK. There may well be a perception that there is a heightened terrorist threat to Britain following the war in Iraq."
"The Government must take a more proactive, sustainable role in promoting tourism. Positive steps such as advertising in the USA have already been taken. But Ministers must lend their weight to the effort by promoting holidays in the UK as well as looking at longer term structural reforms."
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
The Office of National Statistics published its 'Overseas Travel and Statistics' for June 2003 today (8 August). The following figures for the period April-June have been adapted from the official notice:
Overseas Visitors to the UK, April-June
Year No. of Overseas Visitors (millions) Revenue (billions)
2001 5.18 2.7
2002 6.18 2.9
2003 5.75 2.64
Source: Office of National Statistics, 'Overseas Travel and Statistics June 2003'
The change in number of overseas visitors and income to the British tourist industry for the period April-June is as follows:
Changes relating to Overseas Visitors to the UK, April - June
% change in Overseas Visitors % change in Income
from Overseas Visitors
2001-2003 +11% -2%
2002-2003 - 7% -9%
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