Labour puts design on tourism trail

Design plays a vital role in new initiatives to boost tourism and hospitality in the UK announced by Labour this week.

Labour’s new strategy for tourism and hospitality calls for more effective marketing of Britain both overseas and at home, as well as improved quality of accommodation for tourists.

The party has pledged that if it comes into power it will encourage investment into tourism through the introduction of a new Development of Tourism Act.

Proposals include reinforcing tourism in the capital via a city-wide strategic authority, promoting the UK’s “exciting new buildings and not just its castles”, and establishing a self-regulatory body to improve standards of tourist accommodation, which will include looking at design.

A spokeswoman for the shadow Department of National Heritage comments: “The quality of design is what sells things. There would be a lot of opportunities where we could take advantage of our design talent.” This might include the upgrading of hotels and marketing drives.

Labour’s mission, as outlined in the document Breaking New Ground, is to promote the UK to become one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations.

A shadow spokesman for tourism says Lottery projects would play an important part in Labour’s new strategy.