HOW DOES TOURISM SUPPORT THE RURAL ECONOMY?

How does tourism support the rural economy? Lords to hear evidence

The Government has estimated that in 2016 tourism in ‘predominantly rural areas’ was worth £11.5 billion to the UK economy; in 2017 47 million people visited Cumbria and the Lake District.

On Tuesday the 30th of October, The House of Lords Select Committee on the Rural Economy will ask Visit Britain, National Trust and Cumbria Tourism if rural areas have infrastructure to support the volume of tourists and how the Government can help sustainable rural tourism.

The Committee will begin taking evidence at 9.45am and will question:

• Rebecca Burton, South West Regional Director, National Trust
• Gill Haigh, Managing Director, Cumbria Tourism
• Patricia Yates, Director of Strategy and Communications, Visit Britain

The evidence session will be held in Committee Room 1 in the House of Lords. Other topics the Committee are likely to cover include:

• How does tourism contribute to the rural economy and rural communities?
• What kind of support and advice is provided at the national and local level to rural tourism and heritage businesses and providers?
• What challenges do rural organisations engaged in the rural tourism and heritage sectors face accessing workers and skills?
• What opportunities do you see within the Government’s Industrial Strategy and the plans for local industrial strategies to strengthen the tourism industry in the UK?