Social Tourism
Posted by Brandon Lewis, MP for Great Yarmouth, at 16:20, Wed 1 December 2010:
Tourism is a social activity, we have all been on a trip away and met people and made friends, if only holiday friends. Yet in this case is social tourism that can be so vital to our coastal town economies and help a large group of people who otherwise would not be able to afford a vacation for them or their family in the year. A vacation from our everyday life, if only a short one is good for us that seem undisputed. It is a chance to clear the head and refresh form the toil and trouble of everyday life. For families it can be an immensely important time when a family gets to spend time together without the distraction of everyday life and pressures. This can make it easier for a family to ensure they bond and come together and enjoy time together.
The Family Holiday Association has been running a scheme that brings benefits to families and tourism areas. The tourism areas benefit from this as well and it can be a vital trade boost to coastal towns. Outside of the April to September period many of our coastal areas struggle and in places like Great Yarmouth that seasonal trade means that in the winter unemployment in some areas has been known to reach as high as 16%. As the attractions and the hotels loose the holiday makers, some are fortunate enough to focus on and service business people (particularly oil and gas people) but many attractions are bereft and spend their winter in an eerie state of peace.
By having social tourism at this time of year there two winners:
The tourists who get the benefit of a holiday them and their family would not otherwise enjoy.
The tourist resort that has the benefit of visitors and trade it would otherwise not have at all.
We have about 2.2 million people each year who cannot afford any form of holiday. This can affect depression; disability and family break up as well as failing to give any ease of break for those with long term illness.1.5 million re unable to afford even a day trip to have a family day out together. With prices of so many attractions rising over the years even a simple day out for a family can be expensive. A day trip to the beach sounds cheap and can be, but once you add a few drinks and a sandwich in, even the price of that can rise quickly and for families who are struggling with finances this will be prohibitive.
In Europe this is an area that is already well established with Spain finding that for every 1 Euro that has been spent 1.5 Euro have been recovered in taxes as a result of the tourism rise and it is claimed that around 40,000 jobs have been created directly and indirectly during the scheme being run. This is easy to see as a comparison to the amount of jobs that are given up in the UK when the main season ends, just the extension of the season for a longer period through the winter would make a huge difference to employment in tourism areas.
The Family Association has done a great deal of work in pulling together the ideas and research thus far and since they set up in 1975 they have helped 130,000 parents, children and young people take a holiday. IN our coastal towns we would benefit from the economic boost this can bring and the economy can also benefit from people having help to refresh which can lead to them being more productive when back in their normal life and as such be less of a strain on the tax payer then as well. All round a good economic case is clear to see for this scheme and this organisation. It does not even need taxpayers to lay out money to finance it potentially. What is needed in true Big Society style is for communities in tourist areas where there is a low off season and businesses in those areas to see the economic benefit to them of attracting people in the off season with this sort of scheme and we could quickly see the scheme grow in the way it has in Spain and France and become a booming area and help keep our coastal tourist towns alive and vital in the winter months.
Comments
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Posted by Anthony Pitchford, 23:12, Wed 1 December 2010: (Is this post abusive?) #
is this really from a British MPs office? the grammar and spelling are atrocious!
"It is a chance to clear the head and refresh form the toil" LOL !!
Posted by Kim Hastings, 01:17, Thu 2 December 2010: (Is this post abusive?) #
Socialism !! I don't think so. It's time that non working people understood that (like those who get off their butts and get a job), if you can't afford it then you can't have it. I have never been out of work, have never claimed benefits and want a Ferrari but can't afford one. LIVE WITH IT. Bad idea financed by us tax payers yet again, which we can ill afford. In reality we pay for the entire holiday including the drink and sandwich and at best get 20% back. Nobody else pays for my holiday, when I can afford the time to take one that is. Don't see the advantage myself.
Posted by Anthony Pitchford, 08:56, Thu 2 December 2010: (Is this post abusive?) #
This ain't socialism, it's a scheme to pay hotel owners and other holiday providers out of the state purse! where's the Tory mantra of self-responsibility?
what is the cost to the country going to be? I thought the government said Britain was skint. Are they proposing to take away benefit with one hand, then provide holidays for the less well off with the other hand? That's a real example of 'joined up thinking' LOL
Posted by Brandon Lewis, 19:18, Fri 3 December 2010: (Is this post abusive?) #
Excuse lack of spell check on main post here, will learn not to post remotely in future!
Social tourism is already going on and the conservative view on it comes from my own feelings towards a free market (which I am ardent fan of) and our responsibility to also look after those who really do need it (not those who simply take a lazy option).
keep the debate going though, I do take note of your comments here.
Posted by Kim Hastings, 22:48, Fri 3 December 2010: (Is this post abusive?) #
Mr. Lewis, Your passionate post details the importance of a family holiday to help relieve the stress of modern day living. I take it that would apply to everybody which would include me. So when am I going to be rewarded for all my hard work with a free holiday? That will be never then. As I mentioned I have always been employed and never been a burden on the system and have in the past been described as "lucky". The fact that I have always contributed to this country's coffers has nothing to do with luck. It is called hard work and a determination to succeed. Once I found success I am now a "fat cat" who is exploiting the working man. Difficult to win isn't it. Still if you feel the poor unfortunates need a holiday at my expense then there is little I can do about it. I'll just hand over the cash like a good little boy and watch those who have not been as "lucky" as me spend my cash. Is that a warm glow I feel or total disgust at the exploitation of the "WORKING" man !!!!
Posted by Kim Hastings, 23:05, Fri 3 December 2010: (Is this post abusive?) #
By the way Mr. Lewis, I am going on holiday next year. I paid for it myself and it will be the first one in three years. How "lucky" I am.