The Government has announced the publication of the Tourism Recovery Plan Progress Report, which sets out how the government has addressed the commitments made in 2021 to support the tourism industry.

It explicitly recommends continued support for the visitor economy through the framework of the Tourism Recovery Plan; and it outlines the steps we will continue to take to support the future of the industry in the medium to long term.

In June 2021, the UK government published the Tourism Recovery Plan1 in response to the significant impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had wrought on the sector. The Tourism Recovery Plan (hereby referred to as ‘the Plan’) outlined the following six objectives:

For the short to medium term:
1. recover domestic overnight trip volume and spend to 2019 levels by the end of 2022, and inbound visitor numbers and spend by the end of 2023 – both at least a year faster than independent forecasts.

And for the medium to long term:
2. ensure that the sector’s recovery benefits every nation and region, with visitors staying longer, growing accommodation occupancy rates in the off-season and high levels of investment in tourism products and transport infrastructure;
3. build back better with a more productive, innovative and resilient industry, maximising the potential for technology and data to enhance the visitor experience and employing more UK nationals in year-round quality jobs;
4. ensure the tourism industry contributes to the enhancement and conservation of the country’s cultural, natural and historic heritage and minimises damage to the environment;
5. ensure the tourism industry provides an inclusive offer that is open to all, aiming for the UK to become the most accessible tourism destination in Europe by 2025; and
6. make the UK a leading European nation for hosting business events.