Travel industry leaders have urged the government to ensure the UK remains a competitive marketplace for international tourism as a new prime minister was welcomed to office

Andy Burnham was officially sworn in as the new leader of the Labour Party yesterday (20 July) following the departure of Sir Keir Starmer.

Travel industry leaders have welcomed Burnham to his new role as prime minister and encouraged his government to “support British competitiveness” as an international tourism market.

Joss Croft, CEO of UKinbound, said: “International tourism is fiercely competitive, with destinations around the world competing for visitors, investment and market share.

“You can’t grow an export industry by making it harder and more expensive for customers to buy your product, so we urge the Ggvernment to take a more joined-up approach across Whitehall to ensure policies support, rather than undermine, Britain’s competitiveness.”

A CLIA spokesperson welcomed Burnham to office, saying the association looks forward to continuing the work it began last year on the Cruise Growth Plan.

“CLIA congratulates the prime minister on his appointment and looks forward to working constructively with the new government to support the continued growth of the UK cruise sector,” a spokesperson said.

“The cruise industry makes a significant contribution to the UK economy, supporting jobs, maritime, tourism and coastal communities across the country, as well as thousands of travel agents located in every UK constituency.

“We look forward to working with the government to build on the Cruise Growth Plan we announced last year and to help deliver its forthcoming Visitor Economy Growth Strategy, ensuring the UK remains a competitive place to do cruise business and continues to be one of the world’s leading cruise destinations and source markets.”

Speaking on behalf of the UK Outbound Travel Group, Julie Lo Bue-Said, who is also CEO of The Advantage Travel Partnership, posted on LinkedIn: “A change in prime minister provides an opportunity to refresh relationships, but it should also be an opportunity to focus on the outcomes that matter most to our industry.

“The UK Outbound Travel Group, together with members such as Advantage Travel Partnership, will continue to shape strategy around delivering practical, measurable outcomes for travel businesses, working alongside industry colleagues.”