UKinbound, the UK trade association representing the inbound visitor economy, has welcomed Stephanie Peacock MP following her appointment as tourism minister.
Peacock serves as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, with responsibility for tourism among other areas. The government has said the sector contributes around £74bn a year to the UK economy, representing about 4% of gross value added.
As part of its ambitions, the government has set a target of welcoming 50 million international visitors per year by 2030. To support this, it has established the Visitor Economy Advisory Council, which brings together industry and government to shape the forthcoming National Visitor Economy Strategy.
Joss Croft OBE, chief executive of UKinbound, said: “We are pleased to see Stephanie take up this vitally important position in government and we look forward to working closely with her in the coming months. Her appointment comes at a pivotal moment for our industry, as the UK Government prepares to launch its new tourism strategy.
“I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to the outgoing minister Sir Chris Bryant MP. He was a consistent supporter of the sector and worked closely with industry stakeholders to ensure our collective voice was heard.”
UKinbound’s chief executive is a member of the advisory council and chairs its international working group. The council acts as a sounding board and challenge function for government policy decisions, with its mandate to help deliver a joint long-term national strategy for tourism.
