The Alliance's open letter to Secretary of State, Oliver Dowden on the Tourism Taskforce

The Countryside Alliance has written an open letter to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Oliver Dowden, about the importance of tourism to the rural economy, and why the Government must champion rural tourism and start to reopen parts of the countryside that are safe to do so.

Rural tourism in England contributes over £13 billion per year to the economy, and VisitBritain predicts the £80 billion domestic tourism industry, spanning holidays and day visits, will suffer a £22 billion drop this year. Tourism makes a significant contribution to the rural economy, supporting village shops and services, jobs and businesses, and it is crucial to ensuring the long-term sustainability of our countryside. That rural economy has been devastated by the impact of COVID-19, making it even more important that tourism in the countryside resumes as soon as it is safe for it to do so.

You may have seen earlier this week that our President, Baroness Mallalieu, wrote an opinion piece in the Telegraph where, at the heart of her argument, she reinforces the Countryside Alliance's strong belief that tourism underpins the rural economy and will be the engine that restarts it.

These strong messages on reopening and welcoming tourism in the countryside comes during English Tourism Week (25 - 31 May) - an annual celebration of the tourism industry, dedicated to showcasing this country's diverse tourism offer.