VisitEngland chair Lady Cobham has announced plans to launch three new specialist tourism forums.
Speaking at the Partners for England Forum held in London today (16 June), she said the three new bodies would be The Strategic Industry Advisory Group; the Visitor Economy Forum; and the Destinations Forum.
The Strategic Industry Advisory Group will meet twice a year and help VisitEngland's implement the National Strategic Framework for Tourism. Members will include 20 key tourism industry figures and organisations such as The Tourism Alliance and the British Hospitality Association.
The Visitor Economy Forum will also meet twice a year and has been tasked with providing an opportunity for the industry to share best practice and debate a wide range of topics affecting domestic tourism. The Forum is open to all with an interest in the visitor economy.
Finally, the Destinations Forum will bring together 40 destination management organisations with common strategic goals and organisational challenges. It will aim to provide the stakeholders with an opportunity to engage with each other and VisitEngland around a joint agenda of national and local tourism business.
The trio of forums will replace the Partners for England set up, which was set up in 2005.
VisitEngland chief executive, James Berresford, said: "We acknowledge the huge contribution that Partners for England has made to shape and coordinate domestic tourism industry in this country. However we are now moving into a new era for the industry which faces a changing infrastructure and fresh challenges.
"We need to adapt and refine our engagement with the industry to ensure that we meet Government targets to grow the value of English tourism and compete effectively on the world stage."
