BOUYANT WITH THE BEATLES LIVERPOOL’S TOURISM SUCCESS
With British Education Minister Michael Gove setting about killing off travel and tourism qualifications many delegates at the Tourism Society Symposium in Liverpool were aghast that they were on his hit list.
It was even more poignant that the delegates heard that the city has been such a success in tourism itself.
Speakers were in praise of the city that has been a European City of Culture and has turned around its image and financial situation so perfectly all through the developing of its tourism potential.
LIVERPOOL WINNING WITH TOURISM
Many delegates felt that qualifications in tourism are so useful as they are an essential building block in getting the country working and developing a thriving tourism industry for the future.
“The man is an idiot. Liverpool is a perfect example of what is possible with using cultrual tourism as a foundation to move a city out of financial doldrums” said one of the delegates.
Director of the The Beatles Story, Martin King explained what a success it had been for the city pulling in 70% of overseas tourists with huge parties coming from as far away as China and Japan. Dave Jones (Director, Cavern City Tours) tells of the iconic world status that his baby The Cavern is for him and Liverpool.
Although the Beatles are a huge draw for Liverpool the success of the Tate Art Gallery has helped along with the regeneration of The Albert Dock and plenty of other tourism led projects provided many years high value cultural tourist income for the city.
With its two famous football teams also having an effect to help draw in sports mined tourists too!
Perhaps Mr Gove should have come along too and examined for himself just what tourism can do in terms of employment and the financial well being of just one city…Imagine?
