Tourism Minister visits the west

Tourism Minister Nigel Huddleston visited attractions in Bristol and Bath this week to hear about their exciting plans for the future and what the industry needs to recover from the pandemic.

Image - Tourism Minister Nigel Huddleston at Brunel's SS Great Britain with Matthew Tanner and Kathryn Davis

Minister Huddleston was invited by Visit West to showcase developments in the region and learn more about the challenges and opportunities for the visitor economy in recovery from the pandemic. On Monday, he visited the multi-award-winning Brunel’s SS Great Britain in Bristol before moving on to Bath for the famous Roman Baths and Bath Abbey.

The visit comes just days after the launch of The National Lottery Days Out campaign, in association with VisitBritain, where visitors can claim £25 off at hundreds of top attractions and tours across the country, including many in and around Bath and Bristol. The £10million campaign is part of HM Government’s Tourism Recovery Plan.

Visit West’s Director of Tourism, Kathryn Davis says: “We are delighted that the Tourism Minister is taking time to visit some of our region’s most iconic attractions, to learn more of their exciting plans for the future. From walking in the 2,000-year-old footsteps of the Romans to celebrating cutting-edge technology providing inland surf experiences, the West of England has a wealth of attractions and experiences that make our region one of the must-visits for both domestic and international visitors. The West’s visitor economy is worth an estimated £2.33bn and it is vital that we support businesses to recover.”

Image - Tourism Minister Nigel Huddleston at The Roman Baths

With the West of England visitor economy supporting 45,000 jobs, the recovery of the local tourism industry is of high interest to many business leaders, hospitality owners and employees in the region.

The visit concluded on Tuesday with a visit to The Wave in South Gloucestershire, the first inland-surfing destination of its kind, where people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities can experience the joy of surfing and its many physical and mental health benefits.

Tourism Minister Nigel Huddleston said: "I was delighted to visit Bristol and Bath this week. From exploring Brunel's SS Great Britain to surfing on The Wave, there is so much to see and do across the West of England and, with the National Lottery Days Out scheme offering £25 off vouchers for attractions and experiences all over the country. I encourage everyone to get out there and see what's on offer this autumn."