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Minister confronted by BVEP over cuts to VisitBritain business events support

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Minister for tourism John Penrose has been questioned about the wisdom of VisitBritain’s cuts to its support for business events.
 
Attending the opening ceremony of the Discovery Workshop, at which over 100 buyers of events in Britain were present, Penrose was asked whether the withdrawal of VisitBritain from promoting international conferences, trade shows and business visits from its London and 21 overseas offices ran contrary to the Prime Minister’s declared intention that Britain’s missions overseas should step up their economic development role to boost an export-led recovery.
 
The minister responded by claiming that VisitBritain would still support bids to attract international business events and it was his intention to carry out a review of exactly what the business events sector in Britain needed to advance its competitive position. This would be done in conjunction with discussions with other government departments and UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) to ensure that the sector’s ability to generate exports was at the forefront of such considerations.
 
Michael Hirst, pictured, chairman of the Business Visits and Events Partnership (BVEP), who confronted the Minister, said, “It is far from clear how VisitBritain’s continuing support for the sector will be managed. I have met with Sandie Dawe, VisitBritain’s Chief Executive, and am promised a response shortly to clarify how the reduced level of business tourism support will affect the services VisitBritain currently provides to the sector.”
 
He added, “It is clear, however, that much of the current work will need to be taken on by other agencies, including VisitEngland, which is consulting on its new strategy for business tourism and other National bodies, like VisitScotland, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, Visit Wales and UKTI. The industry will need to take a far more proactive approach to marketing and promotion in a co-ordinated approach to replace the lack of a Britain-wide presence from VisitBritain”.
 
Hirst promised that the BVEP would continue to press the Minister on support for the sector and said: ” It makes no sense at all that VisitBritain should be closing its business visits and events department and withdrawing from the globally competitive business tourism market, which currently generates nearly 30 per cent of all inbound tourism earnings?”

An All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) is being created in a bid to gain greater public sector recognition for the £36bn UK events industry.

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