PM makes speech on tourism
David Cameron has pledged to make Britain one of the top five tourist destinations in the world.
Mr Cameron said the income generated from the 拢115 billion-a-year tourism sector was 鈥渇undamental鈥� to rebuilding the UK鈥檚 economy.
The PM was speaking at the Serpentine Gallery in London to an audience of representatives from the tourist industry.
He said:
Tourism is a fiercely competitive market, requiring skills, talent, enterprise and a government that backs Britain. It鈥檚 fundamental to the rebuilding and rebalancing of our economy.
It鈥檚 one of the best and fastest ways of generating the jobs we need so badly in this country. And it鈥檚 absolutely crucial to us making the most of the Olympics and indeed a whole decade of great international sport across Britain.
Mr Cameron said that between 2008 and and 2009, UK had fallen from sixth to 11th place in the World Economic Forum鈥檚 travel and tourism competitiveness ratings.
If it was now to take advantage of the 鈥渉uge economic opportunity鈥� that was opening up and break into the top five, it needed to improve its international competitiveness.
He said that the new coalition Government was now committed to building the 鈥渟trongest possible tourism strategy鈥� and ask the tourist industry audience to聽work聽with the Government to聽develop a tourism strategy by the end of this year.
I believe we can come together in a new nationwide effort to make this coming decade the best ever for tourism in Britain.
Speeches and transcripts: