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British Tourism Week aims to raise local, regional, national and international awareness of the size, value and importance of Britain's £115 billion visitor economy.
An industry and media briefing was held to ‘pre-launch’ British Tourism Week 2011 on Wednesday 20th October 2010 on board the RS Hispaniola, moored at Victoria Embankment on the River Thames, where guests were encouraged to think about how their businesses and organisations can get involved. BTW 2010 saw over 230 events take place across the country to demonstrate the contribution made by businesses large and small, public and private in making tourism the fifth largest industry in the UK, an industry that employs directly or indirectly around 2.6 million people.
During the Week, MPs, Welsh Assembly Members, Members of the Scottish Parliament, and local councillors will also be invited to visit tourism businesses in their constituencies to better understand the importance of the tourism industry in their area. Jobs in tourism account for 10% or more of total jobs in over 130 constituencies of Members of Parliament.
Plans for ‘Party on the Pier’, a national celebration of Britain’s piers and their heritage were also announced at the briefing by Gyles Brandreth, Patron of the National Piers Society. Party on the Pier will kick off the fifth annual British Tourism Week on Saturday 12th March 2011 with simultaneous parties hosted on seaside piers, harbours and jetties around the coast and on inland rivers, canals and lakes.
For more information please see the British Tourism Week 2011 Handout.
British Tourism Week is organised by VisitBritain with the support of the Tourism Society, the Tourism Alliance, the UK's national and regional tourist boards, and an Executive Committee comprising a number of public and private sector organisations.
The fifth Wales Tourism Week, led by the Wales Tourism Alliance will run concurrently, whilst the sixth Scottish Tourism Week will be held from 28 February – 7 March 2011 to coincide with the ScotHot Scottish Hospitality three-day event.
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