We have just enjoyed a beautiful weekend in Cornwall, the
daffodils are blooming and spring is in the air. This is a taste of the summer ahead and with
Easter approaching, the tourist season will begin again in earnest.
The Economist recently noted that Cornwall has enjoyed a
growth in off-season visitors as our winter tourist offerings of art galleries,
fine dining and long walks become more popular.
But the summer season remains the core of our tourist calendar and our
chance to welcome visitors to our beautiful county.
Tourism is the major employment sector in Cornwall,
especially in Newquay, and our economy would suffer without the significant
revenues that visitors bring to the county.
However, the tourist industry continues to suffer from a reputation of low
wages and low job security, issues that the Government is seeking to address.
When the Prime Minister visited The Lost Gardens of Heligan
last summer he launched his five-point plan to support the tourist sector. The first point in this plan was in respect
of the tourist industry landscape. It
was recognised that a more co-ordinated marketing approach is required,
especially in relation to overseas visitors.
So with this in mind, I was pleased to meet with Visit
Britain recently. I learnt that over
half of the overseas visitors to the UK only visit London. Our challenge is to
spread the word that Cornwall offers a myriad of activities and destinations,
and Visit Cornwall is instrumental in aiming at that goal.
Closer to home, over 1 million people visited the Eden
Project last year, the majority of these being visitors from outside of
Cornwall. I think I stand on pretty firm
ground when I speculate that many, if not most, of these visitors did not linger
long in the wider St Austell and Newquay area.
Again, this is a challenge that we need to address through our marketing
initiatives.
The Government is working hard to secure apprenticeship
positions and these are especially important to the tourist sector. We need to attract talented young people to
sustain and grow this important industry for the future. Should Space Tourism become a reality in
Cornwall we will have a whole new market to cater for.
The tourist season brings challenges as well as
opportunities. Our county welcomes visitors,
but they can increase the burden on our already-stretched infrastructure. I am also conscious that the seagull-nesting
season is upon us and recently met with a number of interested parties to
discuss their approach this year. I
will be following these issues closely as the season progresses.
As I look ahead to the summer I am reminded of the regattas,
carnivals and feast weeks, our uniquely Cornish events that help to strengthen
our community bonds. So with the season
about to start, let’s look forward to a bumper summer for Cornwall.
My team and I are
here to serve the whole constituency and seek to make a real difference to the
lives of everyone who needs help and support in any way. If there is any issue that we can help you
with then please contact us on either 01726 829379 or on office@stevedouble.org.uk.
