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New report shows England key to Britain’s tourism success
England is the cornerstone of Britain’s tourism industry contributing 84 per cent to the total visitor economy according to a report entitled The Economic Contribution of the Visitor Economy: UK and the Nations prepared by Deloitte and Oxford Economics.

In 2009, England’s visitor economy generated £97bn of GDP (8.6% of the national total), supporting over 2 million jobs. The report predicts a growth of £50bn in visitor spend over the next ten years, a faster rate of growth than the other three nations. By 2020 the report forecasts English tourism will support an additional 225,000 jobs accounting for 8.7 per cent of total employment.

James Berresford, Chief Executive VisitEngland said: “This report helps to underline the significance of the current and future contribution of the tourism industry in line with the objectives set out in England’s new Strategic Framework for Tourism. It is of particular note that 3 out of every 4 pounds spent on tourism in England is spent by domestic visitors, clearly demonstrating what a truly powerful economic driver domestic tourism is for this country. VisitEngland will galvanise the efforts of the industry to secure the potential of domestic tourism, confirming England’s place on the international stage as one of the most desirable destinations in the world.”

He goes onto say: “These are interesting times for the industry, the tourism landscape is changing. The government recognises the value of tourism to this country and its positive economic impact on our towns and countryside. The Secretary of State has already highlighted the need to focus on domestic tourism and we at VisitEngland are committed to growing this important sector.”

Domestic tourism grew in 2009, with the number of domestic over night holiday trips in England increasing by 18 per cent. Recent research undertaken by VisitEngland indicates that this has the potential to be a longer term trend, with almost half of those questioned in the VisitEngland Staycation Research Survey expecting to take more domestic breaks in the future beyond 2010 than they have done in the past.

In March this year, VisitEngland recently launched England’s first tourism strategy for ten years which aims to maximise tourism’s contribution to the economy, employment and quality of life in England. Tatiana Rokou - Tuesday, July 27, 2010