Promoting Britain abroad

Culture, Media and Sport Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 8 Nov 2021 Closed: 2 Feb 2023 Parliament page
Tourism is an economic, cultural and social asset. Although it is a devolved matter—England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and London all have independent tourism bodies—all five organisations work closely with VisitBritain, the national tourism agency. VisitBritain is responsible for marketing Britain worldwide and developing Britain’s visitor economy. In 2019, inbound … Read more
14 Recommendations
12 Conclusions
1 Report
5 Oral sessions
5 Events
Activity timeline 12 events
2 Feb
2023
Report published
24 Oct
2022
Report published
5 Jul
2022
Oral evidence
5 Jul
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
21 Jun
2022
Oral evidence
21 Jun
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
29 Mar
2022
Oral evidence
29 Mar
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
8 Mar
2022
Oral evidence
8 Mar
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
22 Feb
2022
Oral evidence
22 Feb
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Knebworth House, Hertfordshire
Oral evidence sessions 5 sessions
5 Jul 2022
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Ben Dean · Department for Culture, Media and Sport Chris Philp MP · Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Nigel Huddleston MP · HM Treasury
21 Jun 2022
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Nick de Bois CBE · VisitEngland Advisory Board Patricia Yates · VisitBritain/VisitEngland
29 Mar 2022
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Allen Simpson · London and Partners Geoff Taylor · BPI Gills Haigh · Cumbria Tourism Jamie Njoku-Goodwin · UK Music Jessica Koravos · Really Useful Group Kash Bennett · National Theatre Nick Brooks-Sykes · Marketing Manchester
8 Mar 2022
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Joss Croft · UKinbound Kate Nicholls OBE · UKHospitality Kurt Janson · Tourism Alliance Paul Barnes · Association of International Retail Ross Baker · Heathrow
22 Feb 2022
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Bernard Donoghue · Association of Leading Visitor Attractions Caroline Cooper Charles · Screen Yorkshire Martha Lytton-Cobbold · Historic Houses Ralph Lee · BBC Studios Productions
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Second Report - Promoting Britain abroad HC 156 24 Oct 2022 26 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
26 results
1 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - Promoting Britain …
Britain’s world-leading cultural sector enjoys global attention and contributes enormously to the country’s appeal, but...
Britain’s world-leading cultural sector enjoys global attention and contributes enormously to the country’s appeal, but the competition is getting stronger. The voice of the cultural sector must be included at a strategic level if it is to fulfil its potential … Read more
Government Response
The Government does not see a case for a separate creative industries export office due to a wide range of existing support and will set out its ambition for the creative sector to 2030 in the upcoming Creative Industries Sector Vision. They will continue to support creative businesses and professionals exporting to Europe - and the world - with a range of export support programmes.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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2 Recommendation Rejected
Second Report - Promoting Britain …
We recommend that the Government should work with the creative industries at a strategic level...
We recommend that the Government should work with the creative industries at a strategic level and establish a creative industries export office. This should be coordinated by the DCMS but involve officials from all relevant departments, such as the Department … Read more
Government Response
The Government does not see a case for a separate creative industries export office due to a wide range of existing support.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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3 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - Promoting Britain …
London will always be key to our tourism offer; it is a global brand which...
London will always be key to our tourism offer; it is a global brand which attracts millions of visitors each year. But every part of Britain has something to offer and a story to tell. Our evidence tells us that … Read more
Government Response
VisitBritain will continue to prioritize regional dispersion through the relaunch of their GREAT international marketing campaign, See Things Differently, targeted at key GREAT markets in the EU, US and the Gulf. They will increase domestic visitor numbers through their ‘Escape the Everyday’ campaign and partner with the Family Holiday Charity to provide holidays for families facing difficult challenges.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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4 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Second Report - Promoting Britain …
VisitBritain should continue its work with tourism providers to identify how best to showcase all...
VisitBritain should continue its work with tourism providers to identify how best to showcase all regions of the UK, with a particular focus on addressing the travel barriers, both perceived and actual. The Government should expand VisitBritain’s Business Events Growth … Read more
Government Response
VisitBritain will prioritize regional dispersion through its GREAT international marketing campaign, and is working to increase domestic visitor numbers. The Department relaunched the Events Industry Board as a Tourism Industry Council Working Group to generate practical policy options, but gives no indication of additional funding being awarded.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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5 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - Promoting Britain …
The Government’s decision to withdraw from the VAT Retail Export Scheme has made Britain less...
The Government’s decision to withdraw from the VAT Retail Export Scheme has made Britain less appealing to tourists while increasing the appeal of our European competitors. It has been a spectacular own goal, signalling that the Government does not, despite … Read more
Government Response
The government defends its decision to withdraw from the VAT Retail Export Scheme, referencing the OBR assessment, but states it keeps all taxes under review and will endeavour to consider the impact of future decisions affecting the inbound tourism sector.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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6 Conclusion Acknowledged
Second Report - Promoting Britain …
We find it astonishing that the Minister and the Treasury were unable to tell us...
We find it astonishing that the Minister and the Treasury were unable to tell us what assessment was made of the impact on the number of tourists coming here, not just in terms of raw visitor numbers but also the … Read more
Government Response
The government says it consulted widely on the change and assessed evidence, balancing fiscal and economic impacts. DCMS will consider the impact of future decisions affecting the inbound tourism sector, noting both direct and indirect consequences of a policy.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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7 Recommendation Accepted
Second Report - Promoting Britain …
The Government should publish an assessment of the direct and indirect impact that withdrawing from...
The Government should publish an assessment of the direct and indirect impact that withdrawing from the VAT Retail Export Scheme will have had on the inbound tourism sector.
Government Response
The government refers to the independent Office for Budget Responsibility's assessment of the withdrawal of the VAT Retail Export Scheme published in November 2020.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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8 Recommendation Acknowledged
Second Report - Promoting Britain …
In all future decisions affecting the inbound tourism sector, the Government should conduct impact assessments...
In all future decisions affecting the inbound tourism sector, the Government should conduct impact assessments not only of the direct consequences of a policy but of the indirect ones as well.
Government Response
The government states it will endeavour to consider the impact of future decisions affecting the inbound tourism sector, noting both direct and indirect consequences of a policy, but references the OBR assessment of the VAT Retail Export Scheme and its wider context.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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9 Conclusion Acknowledged
Second Report - Promoting Britain …
The decision to ban ID cards is having a crippling effect on those businesses which...
The decision to ban ID cards is having a crippling effect on those businesses which rely on inbound visits from children and young people, businesses which are often based in seaside resorts. Any potential risk to security needs to be … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges concerns around the repeal of EU ID cards and will review mitigations through the Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG), but has no plans to change its approach to under 18s travelling as part of an organised group.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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10 Recommendation Acknowledged
Second Report - Promoting Britain …
We recommend that the Government should allow children and young people under the age of...
We recommend that the Government should allow children and young people under the age of 18, travelling as part of a supervised educational and/or cultural group visit, to enter the UK on a single group ID card.
Government Response
The Government describes a more streamlined and agile approach to AMC spend control and will continue to evaluate the case for a rise in VisitBritain's PASS approval threshold but does not directly address the recommendation.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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11 Conclusion Not Addressed
Second Report - Promoting Britain …
In an increasingly competitive tourism market, the UK must keep pace with other countries’ visa...
In an increasingly competitive tourism market, the UK must keep pace with other countries’ visa schemes and match, or surpass, those of our competitors. Moreover, the Government’s strategy of agreeing bilateral arrangements with EU Member States for performers touring the … Read more
Government Response
The Government Communication Service (GCS) in the Cabinet Office has reduced the approval requirements for government marketing materials. This is not related to the conclusion about visas.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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12 Recommendation Acknowledged
Second Report - Promoting Britain …
We recommend that the Government should review entry requirements for visitors with a view to...
We recommend that the Government should review entry requirements for visitors with a view to ensuring they match or surpass those of our competitors. It should publish the outcome of its review within 12 months.
Government Response
The Government describes existing structures (IMG and Tourism Industry Council) for discussing and addressing issues related to the visitor economy, but doesn't specifically commit to reviewing entry requirements or publishing the outcome.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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13 Recommendation Rejected
Second Report - Promoting Britain …
We recommend that the Government should negotiate an agreement with the EU to provide a...
We recommend that the Government should negotiate an agreement with the EU to provide a single-entry document for performers to submit to any EU country they wish to visit. (Paragraph 57) Resources
Government Response
The government rejects the proposal of an EU-wide visa waiver for performers, citing incompatibility with the government's manifesto commitment to take control of borders and stating that a reciprocal agreement was offered that remains incompatible. The government highlights actions taken to support creative workers.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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14 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - Promoting Britain …
Though staffing shortages have been exacerbated by the pandemic, the problems are long-term.
Though staffing shortages have been exacerbated by the pandemic, the problems are long-term. The level of vacancies in the tourism and hospitality sectors are directly impacting the quality of our offer, yet both sectors can take a teenager in a … Read more
Government Response
The government recognizes labour and skills shortages and states that a number of measures are already in place to mitigate this risk, such as the Hospitality Sector Council and the Hospitality and Tourism Skills Board.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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15 Recommendation Rejected
Second Report - Promoting Britain …
We recommend that the Government should introduce a temporary recovery visa for industries where there...
We recommend that the Government should introduce a temporary recovery visa for industries where there is clear evidence of labour and skills shortages.
Government Response
The government rejects the recommendation to introduce a temporary recovery visa, stating that the immigration system should not be an alternative for employers to avoid improving pay and conditions, while acknowledging labour and skills shortages and stating existing measures are in place.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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16 Conclusion Rejected
Second Report - Promoting Britain …
The fragmented nature of marketing budgets across the UK, with different sectors and different parts...
The fragmented nature of marketing budgets across the UK, with different sectors and different parts of the country supported by different funds, makes it difficult to quantify the exact amount of Government funding for inbound tourism marketing. However, the minister … Read more
Government Response
The Government does not intend to increase VisitBritain’s marketing budget at present, stating that funding is effectively budgeted to promote regional and seasonal spread, attract inward investment, and rebuild international visitor value.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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17 Recommendation Rejected
Second Report - Promoting Britain …
The Government should increase VisitBritain’s marketing budget to match more closely those of our nearest...
The Government should increase VisitBritain’s marketing budget to match more closely those of our nearest competitors. VisitBritain should ensure that much of this increase in funding should be ringfenced to promoting regional destinations. (Paragraph 68) Leadership Read more
Government Response
The government does not intend to increase VisitBritain’s marketing budget at present, but says it is prioritising the promotion of regional destinations through existing measures.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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18 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Second Report - Promoting Britain …
The de Bois review of Destination Management Organisations (DMO) received widespread support from across the...
The de Bois review of Destination Management Organisations (DMO) received widespread support from across the industry and it is unacceptable that the Government took 11 months to respond and in such a half-hearted fashion. The Comprehensive Spending Review and departmental … Read more
Government Response
The government announced a Destination Development Partnership (DDP) pilot with Visit Northumberland and Visit County Durham tourism boards receiving £2.25 million across three years to promote more strategic, consumer focused development of the visitor economy; the results of which will be used to inform future spending decisions.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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19 Recommendation Accepted in Part
Second Report - Promoting Britain …
We recommend that the Government should complete the pilot to a swift timescale and commit...
We recommend that the Government should complete the pilot to a swift timescale and commit to implementing the de Bois recommendations in full.
Government Response
The government is piloting the Destination Development Partnership (DDP) approach in the North East with £2.25 million in funding and will consider rolling it out to other regions if the pilot is successful.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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20 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - Promoting Britain …
We recognise that the pandemic will have had a significant impact on VisitBritain’s engagement with...
We recognise that the pandemic will have had a significant impact on VisitBritain’s engagement with wider industry, while the level of its funding limits its ability to support Destination Management Companies to the extent that both sides would wish. We … Read more
Government Response
VisitBritain will continue to prioritize regional dispersion through the relaunch of their GREAT international marketing campaign, See Things Differently, targeted at key GREAT markets in the EU, US and the Gulf. They will increase domestic visitor numbers through their ‘Escape the Everyday’ campaign and partner with the Family Holiday Charity to provide holidays for families facing difficult challenges.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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21 Conclusion Acknowledged
Second Report - Promoting Britain …
We are deeply concerned about how long VisitBritain must wait for confirmation of its Comprehensive...
We are deeply concerned about how long VisitBritain must wait for confirmation of its Comprehensive Spending Review funding and, particularly, its marketing spend approval. This year’s delays in the Professional Assurance approval process meant VisitBritain was unable to undertake critical … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges concerns about delays in VisitBritain's marketing spend approval and states that as part of wider reforms of Cabinet Office controls, the AMC spend control will adopt a more streamlined and agile approach.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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22 Recommendation Acknowledged
Second Report - Promoting Britain …
We recommend that within the next three months the Government should negotiate with VisitBritain a...
We recommend that within the next three months the Government should negotiate with VisitBritain a rise in its PASS approval threshold.
Government Response
The government acknowledges the recommendation and states it will continue to evaluate the case for a rise in VisitBritain’s PASS approval threshold as part of future operational planning. They cite ongoing reforms to advertising, marketing, and communication (AMC) spending controls.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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23 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - Promoting Britain …
VisitBritain is an arms’ length body yet in practice appears to be grasped close to...
VisitBritain is an arms’ length body yet in practice appears to be grasped close to the chest. VisitBritain knows better than officials at No 10 and the Cabinet Office how best to attract visitors to Britain in an increasingly competitive … Read more
Government Response
The Government Communication Service (GCS) in the Cabinet Office has reduced the approval requirements for government marketing materials, with only new master creative for major government campaigns submitted to GCS for approval and feedback provided promptly.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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24 Recommendation Accepted
Second Report - Promoting Britain …
The Government should use a lighter touch with VisitBritain regarding operational decisions and campaign messaging.
The Government should use a lighter touch with VisitBritain regarding operational decisions and campaign messaging. Any feedback should be considered as advisory only and given to VisitBritain within one month.
Government Response
The Government Communication Service (GCS) in the Cabinet Office has already reduced the approval requirements for government marketing materials.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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25 Conclusion Accepted
Second Report - Promoting Britain …
The Minister and DCMS officials should feel proud of their hard work supporting the tourism...
The Minister and DCMS officials should feel proud of their hard work supporting the tourism sector through the pandemic and we welcome the establishment of an inter-ministerial working group. However, it can only be effective if all departments recognise the … Read more
Government Response
The government states that there is a full-time minister responsible for tourism and highlights the role of the Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) on the Visitor Economy in facilitating discussions across government and that the IMG is supported by the Tourism Industry Council.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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26 Recommendation Accepted
Second Report - Promoting Britain …
The Government should make the Tourism Minister a full-time position.
The Government should make the Tourism Minister a full-time position. We are open- minded as to which department the minister should be placed in, but it is crucial that their views should carry significant weight across all relevant departments, particularly … Read more
Government Response
The government states it already has a full-time Minister responsible for tourism within a broader portfolio and highlights the Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) on the Visitor Economy as an established governance mechanism.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
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Government Response AI assessment · 26 of 14 classified
Accepted 10
Accepted in Part 3
Acknowledged 7
Not Addressed 1
Rejected 5
Total 14 recs + 12 conclusions