SUPPORT FOR TOURISM

That this House notes that the tourism industry is the fifth biggest industry in England, consisting of some 127,000 businesses and employing 1.9 million people and that English Tourism contributes ú59 billion a year to the UK economy; regrets the fall in tourism following the foot and mouth crisis and the tragic events of 11th September; notes that the Office of National Statistics has put the number of holiday visitors to the UK in November 2001 at 34 per cent. lower than November 2000; further notes the concerns raised by the Chief Executive of the British Hospitality Association, about the Government's lack of a tourism strategy; and therefore urges the Government to develop an effective tourism strategy, work closely with the UK tourist industry to increase domestic tourism , make every effort to encourage the British people to take holidays in the UK and give the English Tourism Council, which currently has no available money for funding the marketing of England as a tourist destination in the same way as the Scottish and Welsh Tourist Boards, the budget and remit to market England as the excellent tourism location it is.