TOURISM


news & jobs at www.leisureopportunities.co.uk Museums 'generate £1bn a year'


UK heritage sites and galleries provided major economic boost in 2009 By Tom Walker


Britain's museums and galleries generated £1bn in revenue from overseas tourists during 2009, according to VisitBritain. The figure comes from last year's


International Passenger Survey, which included questions charting the activities undertaken by tourists while visiting the UK. Of the 30 million inbound visits in 2009,


around 7.7 million said they had visited a museum and a further 4.2 million had been to an art gallery during their stay. The report also shows that, when


measured on volume, the French are the most eager visitors to museums with about 960,000 visitors each, closely followed by the Americans, Germans and Spanish. Although not appearing in the top ten in


terms of volume, Brazilians and Argentin- ians were found to be avid museum visitors – nearly two-thirds had made a visit.


Changes to the funding formula


The government must ensure a fair allocation for councils


KURT JANSON is policy director of Tourism Alliance


Visitors flocked to UK cultural sites in 2009 The reasearch also revealed that the


longer the duration of the stay, the more likely a tourist will visit museums and art galleries. While people on a short stay are more unlikely to visit a cultural institution, 42 per cent of people who stay for two weeks or more will spend time at museums.


Irish inbound tourism decline 'slows' in June By Pete Hayman


Ireland's Central Statistics Office (CSO) has reported that a decline in the number of UK residents visiting the country slowed during June, after monthly figures revealed a 3 per cent drop compared with 2009. The rate of decline is far less than the 20


per cent drop when figures for June 2009 are compared with the previous year. However, overall figures for the first half


The tourism sector still faces tough times


of the year revealed a 20 per cent fall in the number of visitors to Ireland, compared with the same six-month period in 2009.


Pier decision moves Scilly ferry scheme forward


Plans to improve the ferry link between the Isles of Scilly and Cornwall have been given a boost after the government granted listed building consent for work on Penzance's South Pier. The Route Partnership – comprising


Cornwall Council, the Council of the Isles of Scilly and the Duchy of Cornwall – was established to lead the scheme, which


© Cybertrek 2010


will lead to the creation of new and extended harbour facilities in Penzance. Cornwall Council voted in favour of the


harbour proposals earlier this year after initial plans were rejected in late 2009. However, the government's decision to back the project marks the latest milestone in efforts to improve links between the islands and the mainland.


W


hile most people will be vaguely aware of the Formula Grant Distribution System –


the system by which the government allocates funding to local authorities in England – very few will have any knowledge of the calculations. Yet it determines how £29bn in public sector expenditure in England – around 25 per cent of total expenditure – is allocated. Part of the allocation through the


system aims to compensate councils for additional costs incurred as a result of people visiting their areas, such as the maintenance of the public realm. The Department for Communities and


Local Government (DCLG), currently uses the Day Visitor Survey to calculate the number of visitors to each area and decide the allocation accordingly. However, the Day Visitor Survey is


the least accurate of the tourism surveys and DCLG is now planning to use International Passenger Survey figures to determine tourism-related funding allocation in future. However, this change would see the


funding allocation to London councils increase by £61m, while the amount allocated to councils in the rest of England would decrease by the same amount – hardly an equitable outcome. Yet the solution is a simple one.


VisitEngland are redeveloping the Day Visitor Survey and the first results will be available in 2012. Holding off changing the formula until the results of the new survey are known will ensure that the allocation of funding will be both accurate and equitable.


Read Leisure Opportunities online www.leisureopportunities.com/digital 11


IMAGE: TOURISM IRELAND/NUTAN


IMAGE: BRITAIN ON VIEW


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24