Steve Double, Member of Parliament for St Austell and Newquay has welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement, while visiting the constituency, of a Five Point Plan to boost tourism right across the UK - spreading the benefits of one of our fastest growing sectors beyond the capital, helping to create jobs and rebalance the economy.
Speaking from local attraction, the Lost Gardens of Heligan, the Prime Minister said,
‘Millions of overseas tourists visit the UK every year and most take in the sights of London. But Britain has so much more to offer, from the Cornish Riviera to the Scottish Highlands and everything in between.
For many areas tourism is a key industry bringing jobs, growth and security for working people. Tourism supports almost one in 10 jobs in the UK and we want to rebalance the economy to make sure this boost is felt right across the country.’
Commenting, Steve said,
“I was delighted to welcome the Prime Minister to our beautiful constituency and show him around the Lost Gardens of Heligan, one of our prime tourist attractions. Tourism has been and remains an important part of both our constituency’s economy, but also Cornwall and the South West as a whole. I was especially pleased that the Prime Minister took the opportunity during his visit to announce this Government’s Five Point Plan to boost tourism. While a national initiative, this also includes a £5 million fund for the South-West.
As a Cornishman born and bred I believe our amazing county’s beautiful scenery rich heritage and wonderful local culture speak for themselves when it comes to looking for reasons to visit. However this extra cash will broadcast this loud and clear internationally and encourage more and more visitors to visit us and put their money into our economy.”
The £5 million fund for the South-West will position the area as a must-see destination, generating an additional £60 million in additional visitor spending, creating up to 1000 jobs and incentivising local partners to work together on improving the experience for visitors to the region. It will also be used to promote the South West in the USA and encourage greater connectivity to the region from the United States.