subject: Manners Maketh Woman [print this page] Common courtesy goes a long wayCommon courtesy goes a long way. The older I get, the more fed up I get with people who cant be bothered to reply to letters. Four months ago, I wrote to Lady Cobham, head of VisitEngland, an official body whose mission is to promote tourism, asking if we could meet. Two months later, having heard nothing, I rang her office, which occupies grand premises in London. Her personal assistant confirmed that my letter had been received. When I asked why I hadnt received a reply, there was a nervous giggle with a promise that my letter would be drawn to the lady's attention. Another two months has now gone by, and still not a squeak from Lady C, who is obviously busy with more important matters. As one of Whitehalls quango queens, Penny Cobham, fomerly a special advisor to David Mellor at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, has fingers in many pies. One of the more lucrative, if ill-fated, was the chairmanship of the British Casino Association, which has now been wound up following its failure to persuade the government to licence casinos throughout the land. For her one-and- a-half days a week on behalf of Britains tourist industry, she receives 33,840.
VisitEngland's mission is to encourage both domestic and foreign tourism, which is why I thought a meeting might be of use. The low priority given to tourism by successive governments has contributed to a 40% decline in Britains share of the booming world holiday market in the past 30 years and an annual balance of payments deficit of nearly 20 billion. Ministers' neglect of tourism, reflected in the fact that it is not even mentioned in the title of its sponsoring department, is lamentable. As Britains fifth-largest industry, it employs over 1.4 million people and generates nearly 100 billion for the economy every year. Each pound invested in the industry results in an estimated 30-1 pay-back. Despite this huge return, the government decided to cut 20% off the 50 million budget of VisitEngland and its parent body, VisitBritain this year ahead of the Olympic Games. Even the impoverished Caribbean island of Aruba now spends more to attract American tourists than Britain. Given this background, you might have thought that Lady Cobham needed allies. But, no doubt, I am naive.
