New Tourism Minister announced

Barbara Follett has been appointed as the new Minister of State for Culture, Creative Industries and Tourism, following the recent Cabinet reshuffle and Margaret Hodge’s decision to take compassionate leave.

UKinbound chief executive, Mary Rance said, ‘We welcome Barbara Follett MP to her new role and look forward to working with her to ensure that the views of tourism businesses are finally heard by government.

‘Inbound tourism generates £18 billion a year in export earnings but its value and importance are often ignored within Whitehall. The Home Office, the Treasury and even the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) through its budget cuts of VisitBritain, have continued to hinder export tourism but we hope that the new Tourism Minister will be an effective advocate of the industry and will help remove some of the barriers placed in its way by government.’

A spokesman for the British Hospitality Association (BHA) also welcomed the appointment of a new minister and said they looked forward to emphasising the importance of the tourism industry to the UK economy. He said the BHA would urge Follett to support their Take Tourism Seriously campaign.

Barbara Follett, 66, was born in Jamaica. She has been the Labour MP for Stevenage (Hertfordshire) for 11 years. She returns to the DCMS after being Minister for the East of England and Parliamentary Secretary for Equality.Visit her website www.barbara-follett.org.uk/biography/index.html for more information.

Andy Burnham remains Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.