West of England groups representing the tourism industry attended a roundtable organised by Dan Norris and co-hosted with Shadow Minister for Tourism and Heritage, Alex Sobel MP.
The special meeting focused on the impact of the pandemic and what support measures are needed, the importance of addressing long-term regional challenges including delivering sustainable tourism, and the efficiency and effectiveness of Tourism Zones and Destination Management Organisations as models for supporting tourism across the region.
The tourism industry is worth £2.4bn and employs around 45,000 people in the West of England
Speaking after the roundtable, Labour’s Dan Norris said: “It should not have taken a pandemic for the importance of this sector to be recognised and acknowledged. This was a highly constructive and positive meeting which has made me all the more certain that with the right support, and with energy, collaboration and resolve, we can maximise tourism’s post-pandemic recovery and long-term success”.