Our misnister of tourism - amongst other things - Margaret Hodge has provided a critique of the domestic holiday maket. Fair or unreasonable?
Quite strange, if you ask me, as she is responsible for improving the UK tourism industry. I feel for Visit Britain who are doing a lot to improve things. Shame they can't respond to the minister . . .
Martin Couzins, managing editor
Possibly fair but I don't have the data to back that up!
I think the UK is at a disadvantage in many respect compared to other European countries and this will have an impact on their ability to do business. For example, I always got the impression that the price of property was relatively lower in many EU countries, meaning that business can put more money into serving their customers as opposed to mortgages and debt.
On the other hand, while VAT is higher in the UK, corporate and income taxes aren't. Labour laws are also more flexible in the UK as well so I suspect that some of the European operators have their own unique challenges which are avoided in the UK.
But overall, I'm not sure that a public political intervention like this helps as it just seems to make the industry defensive about something that I think many of us inside and outside the industry realise is an issue.
Hi Stephen
Good points. As you say, the industry is grappling with these issues and is doing some good work. Such interventions from politicians are not helpful.
I can't help thinking that the minister in making such comments is really appraising her own government's achievements on tourism infrastructure. Labour has been in power for more than 10 years after all.