National strategies & policies +

This section contains strategies and policies, relevant to tourism and the visitor economy:

British Tourism Authorities Framework Agreement 2021 – 22.  This documents sets out the priorities and KPIs for BTA during the period 2021 – 22: 

2021 BTA Framework Document 2021 – 22 

Department for Health and Social Care Chief Medical Officers Annual Report Health of Coastal Communities: Published in July 2021 the Chief Medical Officer for England annual report looks at health and social care issues in England’s coastal communities, in doing so it restates many of the often unique circumstances found in these communities highlight in our and other reports on coastal communities issues.  Perhaps alarmingly it shows that will recognition of the causes and effects may have improved outcomes may not have. The reasonably short summary report including recommendation near its end  can be assessed at:

2021 CMO for England Annual Report Health of Coastal Communities

The full report with numerous case examples can also be found at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1005216/cmo-annual_report-2021-health-in-coastal-communities-accessible.pdf

MHCLG Build back better High Streets: Published in July 2021 the documents outlines plans to help England’s High Streets:

2021 MHCLG Build Back Better High Streets

DCMS Recovery Plans June 2021 (supersedes Sector Deal below): Published in June 2021 the recovery plan specifically states that it replaces the Tourism Sector Deal, although it will use some of the strategic thinking within in it. The recovery plan is long on what has been done so far and ongoing,  it sets out a small number of very ambitious targets and is then a little light on how these are to be achieved by what specific actions.  In addition to comments on the Sector Deal and within that the now defunct plans for tourism zones, there are references to keeping a tourism tax under review but no current plans to introduce one, reference to the success of the previous Coastal Community Fund but no reference to its continuation, reference to the importance of DMOs and the ongoing review and the promise of a consultation on the need for an accommodation registration scheme.

https://britishdestinations.files.wordpress.com/2021/06/2021-dcms-tourism-recovery-plan-june-21.pdf

The UK’s Points-Based Immigration System Policy Statement 2020.  Published in February 2020 this paper sets out the policies that will underpin the UK’s immigration system and articulate the aims and objectives of the new system which will come into effect post 31 January 2021. It is not the regulation and more detail will emerge during the coming months around the points tables, employment shortages, qualification and skills and the sectors and employment within them that will be covered. A separate response to the Law Commission report on the simplification of immigration rules on how they propose to provide the foundations for a streamlined and simplified system.

Amongst other things the policy paper makes it clear that the Government feels that: “we need to shift the focus away from cheap labour from Europe and instead concentrate on investment in technology and innovation”.   This may create a number of challenges for parts of certain major industries, including leisure and tourism.  Within the main body text, a number of mitigating measures are discussed for lower skilled employment but the clear message remains: “Employers will need to adjust”.  There is no executive summary but 12 pages the paper can be easily scanned or read in full:

2020 – Points Based Immigration Policy Paper

MAC Point Based System & Salary Threshold report 2020.  The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) were commissioned in late June 2019 to report and  make recommendations on a future Points Based System (PBS) and any associated salary thresholds.report was released in late January 2020 and at some 271 pages is detailed.  The executive summary can be found at pages 5 to 11 and a summary of recommendations from 260 to 271.  The report does not directly address the major concern in some parts of the tourism industry regarding maintenance of access to migrant workers to fill lower skilled, lower paid service sector vacancies. It recommends that if government is concerned about such vacancies (across various sectors) then these could be address by additional measures outside a PBS.

In the interim the politic dynamics have changed and some of the key recommendation may now not sit as well with the more recently stated aims and ambitions of the newly elected administration.  It is now for Government to implement a new system informed but not necessarily directed by the MAC  report, as they see fit.

2020 PBS and Salary Thresholds Report MAC

VisitBritain VisitEngland 2020 5-year strategy:  Published in January 2020 this document outline the VisitBritain and VisitEngland Strategy for the period 20020 to 2025.  The new strategy includes a greater emphasis on supporting the domestic market:

2020 Visitbritain Visitengland 2020 strategy

DEFRA Landscape review (England): Published in September 2019 this report looks at the National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in England and makes recommendations regarding the future direction of both, including bring the two together “under one family” served by one National Landscape Service and increasing the diversification of usage, users and oversight.  The full report can be accessed at:

2019 Landscapes review – England- final-report

Tourism Sector Deal 2019:  Announced on 28 July 2019.  “The Tourism Sector Deal sets out how the government and industry will work in partnership to boost productivity, develop the skills of the UK workforce and support destinations to enhance their visitor offer”. “The government’s modern Industrial Strategy sets out a long-term plan to boost the productivity and earning power of people throughout the UK. The tourism sector has the scale and geographical reach to deliver on this ambition”:

2019 Tourism Sector Deal printable pdf

H of C  UK Shared Prosperity Fund briefing paper 2019: After the UK leaves the European Union, it will no longer receive structural funding (which is worth about €2.4 billion per year). This funding is used for boosting several aspects of economic development, including support for businesses, employment and agriculture, and is administered by the different nations of the UK. In order to replace this funding, the Government has pledged to set up a Shared Prosperity Fund to “reduce inequalities between communities”. On the 8 May a briefing paper explaining the current position was published.  A head of promised and currently delayed Government consultation on the funding mechanism this paper represents the best available source of information on the likely replacement for current EU structural funding:

2019 House of Commons UK Shared Prosperity Fund briefing paper

H of C Tourism: statistics and policy brief  2019:  The January 2019 House of Commons briefing document is regarded as the first port of call for MP’s and Members of the House of Lords wishing to understand more about tourism. As such it is an important source document for the wider industry and import starting point for any lobbying activity:

2019 H of  C tourism statistics and policy brief.

Tourism Council Brexit Response Paper 2016:  The Tourism Industry Council  developed this industry-wide document for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Department for Exiting the European Union (DexEU).  It aims to identify those issues that they could take into account during the Government’s forthcoming negotiations on the UK’s new relationship with the EU.  The content is not set in stone and additions and amendments may be made in further consultation with the industry:

Tourism-Industry-Council-Brexit-paper-dec-2016

Tourism Action Plan 2016: Published in August 2016 the report sets out the new Prime Minster’s vision for tourism.  The report’s introduction concludes by saying that: “The actions in this report together with our new industrial strategy will make our tourism sector more internationally competitive and resilient, and ensure that its growth delivers for everyone”:

2016 Tourism A five point plan

VisitEngland Action Plan 2016 (2016).  The plan published in May 2016 sets out core activities to be undertaken for England in the three year period commencing 2016/17 and sets the context for annual business planning where more detailed activities, budgets, milestones and measures can be found:

VisitEngland-action-plan-2016

The Cultural White Paper (2016).  Published in March 2016 “this white paper sets out how the government will support our cultural sectors over the coming years and how culture will play an active role in building a fairer and more prosperous nation that takes a lead on the international stage”:

2016 The Culture White Paper

Tourism – Government’ s response to the CMS Select Committee Report (2015).  On 26 March 2015, the Culture, Media and Sport Committee published its Sixth Report of Session 2014-15, Tourism. The Government responded to this Report on 16 July 2015:

2015 Tourism – Government Response to the CMS Select Committee report

Backing the Tourism Sector – a five point plan (2015). Published in July 2015 this is the new Conservative Government’s five point plan to increase and spread international visitor across the UK:

2015 Backing the Tourism Sector -A Five Point Plan

Party Manifestos (2015). To accommodate the pre general election flurry of manifesto we have consolidated those we have had access to, along side the summary comment on the tourism component of each supplied by the Tourism Alliance:

http://britishdestinations.net/599-2/content/party-manifestos-and-tourism/

Triennial Review of VisitBritain and VisitEngalnd (2015).  Published in March 2015 the review looks at the performance of VB and VE making recommendation to Government on the future roles and functions of both organisations:

2015 Triennial Review VisitBritain and VisitEngland

Culture Media and Sport Select Committee Tourism Report (2015). The report of the CMS Select Committee  inquiry into tourism published on 26 March 2015 can be accessed here:

2015 CMS Select Committee Report on Tourism

Business Visit and Events Strategy (2015). “This strategy focuses on supporting the growth of the UK business visits and events sector, particularly in helping to support this Government’s (March 2015) aim to increase exports by 2020″:

2015 Business Visit and Events Strategy

Unlocking the sharing economy. This independent review makes recommendations on how the UK can become the global centre for sharing for the sharing economy:

2014 Unlocking the sharing economy an independent review

DCMS Guidance on the implications of the  EU court finding on State Aid and tourism 2013

DCMS letter – Public funding for tourism and Sate Aid rules – November 2013

and

BIS – DCMS State Aid Regulations presentation March 2014

VisitEngland Framework Strategy for Tourism 2010 -2020 – Annual Progress Report 2014

VisitEngland Strategic Framework 2010 to 2020 – Annual Progress Report 2014

The Welsh Government Tourism Strategy 2013 – 2020

2013 Partnership for Growth – Welsh Government Tourism Strategy 2013-2020

The “Davies report” the Airports Commission interim report on airport expansion December 2013:

2013 airports-commission-interim-report

The latest (2013) version of the briefing note on tourism for Westminster MPs:

2013 HoC Tourism Briefing

No stone unturned, Conservative proposals for economic growth (2012):

12-1213-no-stone-unturned-in-pursuit-of-growth

Post General Election Coalition programme for Government(2011):

coalition-programme

Post General Election DCMS tourism policy (2011):

DCMS GovernmentTourism Policy Final

Pre General Election Conservative Part Manefesto:

Conservative Manefesto

Pre General Election Labour Party Manefesto:

TheLabourPartyManifesto-2010

The Development of Tourism Act 1969:

development-of-tourism-act-1969