Chief Executive Deirdre Wells has been appointed Chair of the first virtual English Tourism Week which will start on Bank Holiday Monday 25 May and finish on Sunday 31 May.
This year, the campaign's focus will be on engagement with Government, MPs and other stakeholders, to support the recovery of English tourism and raise awareness of the importance, quality and value of the sector to the UK economy.
Making up 80% of the UK’s visitor economy, English tourism generates £106 billion a year, supports 2.6 million jobs and is a major employer of school leavers and young people, as well as an incubator for entrepreneurs and innovation. The week will provide a spotlight to put tourism front of mind with key stakeholders and showcase the amazing work that goes on each and every day to build strong and resilient destinations. Local MPs will be supported with the information they need to understand just how important tourism is in their local area.
In addition, through a long-standing partnership with The Mirror newspaper, The Tourism Superstar competition will put the spotlight on to those working frontline in the sector.
Tourism Minister Nigel Huddleston said:
"English Tourism Week recognises the important role the industry plays in our local, regional and national economies, supporting jobs and attracting investment. This is a challenging time for the industry and we're providing support through an unprecedented government package for businesses and workers. I hope everyone will use English Tourism Week as an opportunity to celebrate the sector, and we'll be encouraging people to book a great British holiday as soon as it is safe to do so."
Deirdre Wells, Chair of English Tourism Week and CEO of Go To Places said:
“I understand that it might be difficult to feel like celebrating when so many of our tourism businesses are facing the current challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and an uncertain future, but we know that getting our tourism and hospitality sector up and running is not only vital for our economy but also for our communities. It is a fact that our special industry brings jobs and joy to every constituency and investing in the sector makes sound economic sense. Next week, we will therefore be encouraging politicians all over England to pledge their support for tourism.”
VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said:
“English Tourism Week is all about highlighting the economic benefits that tourism brings to local economies, celebrating our diverse and exciting sector, and showcasing the quality, range and value of English tourism.
“While we cannot run events as usual this year, the spirit of the week has never been more important. Tourism has been one of the first and hardest hit economic sectors due to the Covid-19 pandemic and this year’s virtual week is dedicated to showing support for the industry, the millions of people who work in it and the hundreds of thousands of businesses impacted.
“It is also about looking towards the future recovery and doing everything we can right now to ensure that tourism can bounce back to once again become one of the most successful and vibrant sectors of the economy.”
You can find out more about the week and how to get involved here.