The Tourism Society has written to the chairman of the DCMS select committee to call for an inquiry into tourism structures in England post-COVID 19
In a statement, the society said that the tourism structure in England "has been dismantled by consecutive governments" over the past 20 years, with tourism boards replaced by "a set of disparate organisations, some of which are publicly funded and some of which are currently fighting for their own survival".
The statement goes on to say that "support for tourism at a local level is inconsistent if it exists at all."
Highlighting the difference between destination management in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the statement said that Visit England does not have responsibility for marketing England at home unlike the national organisations in the devolved nations.
"Unless a new structure and strategy is put in place Tourism in England will suffer a double blow. At a time when overseas visitors are diminished England will not have the right strategy or structure to protect the almost 3 million jobs supported by tourism," the statement concluded.
In the letter to the chairman, Kevin Kaley, chairman of the Tourism Society, wrote that the current destination management structure in England "is not conducive to an effective rebuild of the tourism economy post-COVID 19."
Mr Kaley said the impact of the pandemic on English tourism "highlights the weaknesses from the lack of a well-financed and clear tourism structure", including a "disparity in resources between DMOs".
In conclusion, Mr Kaley wrote: "To underpin the recovery of the economy we recommend the strengthening of the English tourism structure through high yield, sustainable growth. As our attached Call to Government paper explains, England?s tourism sector needs much stronger leadership and better coordination if its economy is to recover, rebuild and become more resilient."
http://www.tourismsociety.org
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