Plans announced to drive rapid recovery of tourism sector

The government has announced a brand new Tourism Recovery Plan. The aim of this new plan is to help the tourism sector recover faster and bring domestic and international travel back to prepandemic levels by 2022 and 2023.

What are the initiatives in the Tourism Recovery Plan?

The new initiatives include a £10m National Lottery Days Out voucher scheme and a 'rail pass' to help encourage domestic travel.

The £10m voucher scheme will be launched by the National Lottery in Autumn 2021 with the aim of encouraging people to take trips after the popular summer season. Players of the lottery will have the chance to claim vouchers which they can redeem at a range of tourist attractions across the UK from September 2021 to March 2022.

The rail pass, meanwhile, will be launched later this year, making it easier and more affordable for staycationers to get around the UK. The new pass builds on the success of the BritRail pass which provides international visitors with flexible travel options across the country as well as offering them discounted entry to some of our biggest tourist attractions.

What else is being done?

The UK government will also develop a Sustainable Tourism Plan later this year to put the UK at the forefront of the global discussion on sustainable travel. This plan also looks at further measures we can take to reduce the impact of tourism on our environment whilst balancing the needs of local communities with the economic benefits generated by tourism.

£19 million has already been set aside for marketing and promoting destinations across the UK. A £5.5 million domestic campaign is already underway too.

Kate Nicholls, the CEO of UKHospitality, has welcomed the news of the Tourism Recovery Plan, saying:

"We are delighted to see the Government recognising the key role hospitality and tourism plays in the UK with this new Plan. The people and businesses in these sectors will be the power driving the UK’s recovery, in levelling-up, and in building back better as we emerge from the pandemic. The sector is a huge employer of people and investor in local communities and will pay forward to both any support it is given.

“As well as this new Plan, this support needs to include a root and branch reform of business rates, support in promoting our sector as a career of choice for everyone and a permanently reduced rate of VAT. This will enable us to compete on a level playing field with other international destinations, not just as we begin to re-open for domestic and overseas visitors but in the longer term too, cementing the UK’s reputation as a top tourist destination.”

Looking ahead

2022 is set to be a massive year with some major events already planned, including The Queen's Platinum Jubilee, the Festival UK 2022 and the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. These events will promote the very best of Britain at home and abroad. With an additional bank holiday being scheduled for the Platinum Jubilee next year too, the hospitality sector is hoping these events will provide a boost to businesses.