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Britain on target for £100m tourism marketing fund

Prime Minister David Cameron has praised the "magnificent" response from the British tourist industry to create a marketing fund of more than £100 million.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Last year the PM challenged the industry to create a marketing fund to boost tourism around the royal wedding, The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The four-year marketing campaign aims to bring in an extra one million overseas visitors a year, two billion more in visitor spending in the UK and create 50,000 new jobs across the country.

Companies including British Airways, DFDS (ferries), lastminute.com, P&O and Radisson Edwardian have pledged cash and payment in kind to help match the £50 million of public money already committed by national tourism agency, VisitBritain.

At a Reception in Downing Street to thank those already involved, the PM said:

Last year I challenged British businesses to help us put together the best tourism marketing campaign ever for Britain - something that will make us the must-see destination for visitors from new growth markets in Asia and Latin America, as well as core ones like Europe and the USA.

The response has been magnificent, with pledges of cash and kind from companies that look set to push us well beyond our initial target.

Read more: Creating 50,000 new tourism jobs: marketing fund ‘on target’ to reach £100m (DCMS website)

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Published 5 January 2011