Tourism Policy and Local Economic

Development in England

James KennellDirector, Economic Development Resource Centre

Senior Lecturer in Tourism and RegenerationUniversity of Greenwich Business School

The new UK government

• Created in 2010 after an electoral crisis

• Centre-right coalition• Economic crisis driving

policy

Impacts on tourism in England

• Broad changes– Regional Development Agencies abolished– Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) created

• Tourism an early priority (Kennell & Chaperon 2010)

• Tourism governance changes– Regional DMO funding cut– Restructure and cuts for national DMOs– Increased role for private sector in destination

development and management

(Adapted from Buccelato et al 2010: 47)

Tourism and Local Economic Development in England

• Post 1997– Boosterism / Trickle-down economics– Community-level work as sustainable

development– State-driven

“reduce the sector’s dependence on taxpayer

funding” (DCMS 2011:8)

Generally constrained by older models of economic development (orthodox, community)

Governance restructure creates opportunities for progressive LED

• Role for third sector• Local leadership

Tourism and LED in the new policy

• “a particularly effective vehicle for regenerating run-down neighbourhoods, using relatively small amounts of new investment…festivals and cultural connections can be equally powerful…which then acts as a catalyst” (DCMS 2011: 12).

• Sustainable development replaced with ‘economic sustainability’

New economic

models -

Dashboards

Glocalisation -

Local distinctiveness

for global markets

Events -

The end of blockbuster attractions?

Conclusion

• Centre right / neoliberal government• Tourism policy reflects that….• BUT – because of the economic crisis– Localism– Role for third-sector– Private sector engagement

• There are possibilities for tourism being linked to progressive LED