Public sector tourism organisations are government-funded bodies that help manage, develop and promote tourism. Unlike private businesses that aim to make profit, these organisations work for the public good and focus on creating benefits for destinations and communities.
Key Definitions:
Public sector organisations play a crucial role in tourism because they can take a long-term view and consider wider impacts beyond just profit. They help ensure tourism benefits local communities, protects environments and preserves cultural heritage while still supporting economic growth.
Tourism is managed at different geographical levels, from worldwide organisations down to local councils. Each level has different responsibilities and powers.
United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the leading international tourism body. It helps countries develop sustainable tourism and provides global statistics and research.
Key responsibilities:
National Tourism Organisations (NTOs) like VisitBritain represent entire countries and set the overall tourism strategy.
Key responsibilities:
Regional Tourism Boards like Visit Scotland or Tourism Northern Ireland manage larger regions within a country.
Key responsibilities:
Local Tourism Authorities operate at city, town or district level, like Visit York or Destination Bristol.
Key responsibilities:
Public sector organisations perform several important functions that help tourism develop in a balanced and sustainable way:
Creating tourism strategies and plans for future development. This includes deciding where new tourism facilities should be built and how to improve existing ones.
Advertising destinations to potential visitors through websites, social media, brochures and tourism fairs to attract more visitors.
Collecting data about visitor numbers, spending patterns and satisfaction to help make better decisions about tourism development.
Improving roads, airports, public transport and other facilities that tourists need to access and enjoy destinations.
Running tourist information centres, creating maps and guides and providing information that helps visitors enjoy their stay.
Helping tourism businesses improve their skills and services through training programmes and business advice.
One of the most important ways public sector organisations help tourism is by providing money for development and promotion:
For example, after the COVID-19 pandemic, VisitBritain provided £45 million in recovery grants to help tourism businesses survive and rebuild.
Public sector organisations create rules and standards to ensure tourism is safe, fair and high-quality:
Public organisations help ensure tourism doesn't damage environments or communities:
VisitBritain is the UK's national tourism organisation. It works to attract international visitors to Britain and develop the UK's visitor economy.
Key achievements:
VisitBritain works closely with regional tourism boards like VisitEngland, VisitScotland and Visit Wales to ensure coordinated tourism development across the UK.
Despite their important role, public sector tourism organisations face several challenges:
Many tourism authorities face budget cuts during economic downturns. For example, VisitBritain's core government funding was reduced by nearly 40% between 2010 and 2015. This forces organisations to find creative ways to do more with less money.
Tourism authorities must constantly adapt to changing visitor preferences, new technologies and unexpected events like the COVID-19 pandemic. This requires flexibility and innovation.
Tourism authorities must balance the needs of visitors, local residents, businesses and the environment. For example, cities like Barcelona and Venice are trying to manage overtourism while still supporting their tourism economy.
It can be difficult to measure the direct impact of tourism promotion and development activities. This makes it challenging to prove value for money and justify continued funding.
Public sector tourism organisations are evolving to meet new challenges:
The Lake District National Park Authority is a local public sector tourism organisation that manages England's largest national park - a UNESCO World Heritage Site that attracts over 19 million visitors annually.
Key responsibilities:
Their "Smarter Travel" initiative encourages visitors to use public transport instead of cars, reducing congestion and pollution in the park while still allowing tourism to flourish.
Public sector tourism organisations play a vital role in the tourism industry by:
Understanding how these organisations work is essential for anyone studying tourism, as they create the framework within which all tourism businesses operate.
Log in to track your progress and mark lessons as complete!
Login NowDon't have an account? Sign up here.