The Business Visits & Events Partnership (BVEP), the umbrella body for the UK’s events sector, has today welcomed a significant speech made by Prime Minister David Cameron on the topic of tourism, which includes special reference to growing the number of events held in Britain.
Specifically speaking about the events sector, Mr Cameron said; “We will address a lack of join-up across Britain’s business visits and events sector. We will instigate a Board to identify those events that it is in Britain’s strategic interests to host, and we will then work in partnership across Government to back the biggest and best bids that the UK can work to host and which are affordable within fiscal constraints”.
Michael Hirst OBE, Chair of the Business Visits & Events Partnership, commented; “This is a major speech by the Prime Minister, which we very much welcome, and which clearly shows that government has listened to the Events industry and is now committed to working in partnership with us as we work to grow this already significant £42 billion sector further”.
The speech, delivered this morning at an event in St Austell, Cornwall, announced a number of initiatives designed to support the UK’s overall tourism industry, including creating a better coordinated sector, skills and jobs, improved transport, reforming regulation and an improved welcome. These initiatives will also play a part in delivering greater benefits for the Events Industry.
The Prime Ministers comments form part of a wider Business Visits and Events Strategy, which is currently being developed by the new Secretary of State at Culture, Media and Sport, John Whittingdale and Tourism Minister, Tracey Crouch, having been announced last April by the then Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Sajid Jarvid. This also covers existing events that require support to help them grow and be of even greater value to the economy.
The BVEP are currently working with the Secretary of State, Minister for Tourism and Officials at DCMS, BIS and UKTI to implement this game changing Strategy which will contribute significantly to increasing Britain’s overall visitor economy, trade and exports.