Yes
Simon Thompson, European managing director, Lastminute.com
From our consumer research, we know there is an enormous opportunity for individual destinations or attractions to have their unique proposition, tone of voice and, therefore, brand.
We are midway through executing a unique proposition for individual towns in the UK, and having a dedicated, non-regionalised local authority to work with would be a great upside for both the consumer and our business. To be fair, the regional structures have worked well, but
now is the time to progress to greater relevance for the consumer and local leisure suppliers.
From a leisure perspective, the
UK's strength is its diversification of offer for both domestic and inbound international leisure consumers. Being from the North East of England, I understand the very different consumer propositions offered by Newcastle, Sunderland and Durham. For the consumer, the more clear, differentiated, relevant and localised the proposition the better.
Yes
Hugh Bishop, Chairman, Meteorite
Any changes that have a positive effect on the British tourism industry should be applauded.
I have worked with VisitBritain and was always surprised by the sheer level of internal infrastructure. To me it is clear: there are two distinct markets for tourism in this country - overseas visitors and British people wanting
to discover different areas of their
own nation.
Therefore, there needs to be only
one central, autonomous body that oversees these two clear areas. All other ‘Visits' should be disbanded and, as suggested by the Conservative Party, their funding should be allocated to the regions based on where people visit, why and how they plan their holidays.
After all, people don't go to the North West. They visit specific cities, towns or attractions. So anything that cuts out the middle fat and injects into the top or bottom makes sense.
Yes
Danny Homan, Director of comms and development, Historic Royal Palaces
If there were ever a moment to be bold and optimistic, it's now. Tourism, so long seen as a peripheral economic driver for the country, has the chance
to move centre-stage.
With the recent clarification of VisitEngland and VisitBritain's roles, the time is right to examine how regional tourism marketing can best serve local economies and distinct tourism offers. The challenge will be to convince authorities to value and invest in their tourism proposition, where the RDAs have been inconsistent; but it's a challenge I welcome.
At the heart of this issue is the customer - domestic and international. Providing a clear brand hierarchy for England that supports local brand propositions and difference is an enduring challenge, but one I believe we are well-placed to meet.
Our audiences deserve simple but compelling, motivational campaigns to help make sense of the extraordinary range of choices for holidaying here. A clear national brand supporting strong but diverse regional identities and activity has to be the answer.
No
Martine Ainsworth-Wells, Marketing director, Visit London
I don't think the Conservative Party proposals suggest that London's Development agency should be abolished. London isn't a ‘region' and shouldn't be treated or labelled as such.
In fact, London stands as a shining beacon of how the co-ordinated sub-contracting of tourism marketing to a separate agency - Visit London - by the London Development Agency has ensured consistent and successful city branding and promotion.
Visit London's role is to deliver sustained and sustainable economic benefit to London via the promotion of London as a visitor destination in the UK and around the world.
This leaves the Mayor's London Development Agency, responsible for driving London's economic growth, to get on with its core role - development. It's our mutual job to ensure that London remains a global success story.