Representatives from across Oxfordshire’s visitor economy, including Anneliese Dodds MP, gathered online to discuss the pressing issues impacting the sector during English Tourism Week.
The online discussion, organised by destination management organisation, Experience Oxfordshire offered an opportunity for national figures and influencers to discuss potential policy solutions.
Led by Anneliese Dodds MP, businesses from 17 sub-sectors attended the event and Experience Oxfordshire’s CEO, Hayley Beer-Gamage, said that although the county was recovering post pandemic, figures were still lagging behind 2019.
Oxfordshire faces similar challenges to destinations across the UK, with workforce issues, among others, continuing to hinder business performance.
Beer-Gamage commented: “It has been fantastic to have had Anneliese’s support during English Tourism Week. She has held individual meetings with visitor economy businesses, we are grateful to her for sharing her valuable insights with so many Oxfordshire businesses and organisations, many of whom are dealing with difficult operational and management decisions.”
The national tourism board, VisitBritain, is predicting that 2024 will see 97% of 2019’s record figures for tourism with a return in 2025.: “Here at Experience Oxfordshire, we will continue to work efficiently and effectively to ensure that our partners and the county as a whole gains benefit from this,” added Beer-Gamage.
