Tourism strategy fails to impress
SCEPTICAL seaside hoteliers have branded the Government's new strategy for tourism a waste of time and money.
The 80-page document, entitled Tomorrow's Tourism, a Growth Industry for the New Millennium, was launched by Culture Secretary Chris Smith and Tourism Minister Janet Anderson at the Millennium Dome.
It aims to raise the standards and profile of the tourism industry, partly by providing more support for the regions and by regenerating struggling coastal resorts.
It has been welcomed by organisations such as the English Tourist Board (ETB), the British Tourist Authority (BTA) and by some of the large hotel groups.
Charles Allen, chief executive of Granada, said: "One of my personal frustrations over the years has been the Government's fragmented approach to our industry. I hope that is behind us now."
But smaller hoteliers such as Daphne Meekins, owner of the nine-bedroom Gynn View hotel in Blackpool, are not convinced the strategy will work.
"It is a waste of money and I don't think it will help. The Government can come with as many plans as it wants but if the weather doesn't improve people won't come. As soon as the schools finish, Tony Blair always goes abroad."
The Government will not be handing out any more than the £9.7m it already allocates to domestic tourism each year, but will instead distribute the money differently. The exact details of this will be announced by the Government next month.
Thomas Campbell, owner of the 11-bedroom White House hotel in Whitby, North Yorkshire, whose trade fell by 20% last year, is also sceptical.
He said: "Maybe we as an industry are very cynical of the Government, but I doubt this will help business. It is a load of rubbish."
Paul Gridley, owner of the 20-bedroom Gridley's Crescent Hotel in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, added: "My brain is full of Government documents and I have no time to devote to this latest one. To survive the paper mountain is the name of the game."
by Louise Bozec
See interview with Janet Anderson, page 26
