[65]
UKinbound calls for "pro-active messaging both online and
through individual contact that international visitors are welcome
and wanted", and for "further training
to ensure
that the customer experience is first-class through the entire
immigration processfrom application to arrival."[66]
45. ABTA has also called for improvements in the
public sector side of the passenger experience,
such as queues at the UK borders: "Whilst we
all want a safe and secure border, long
queues to enter the UK undermine our position as a
global trading hub and create a poor welcome
to Britain for visitors and returning citizens."[67]
ABTA told us that they welcomed the improvements
made for the Olympic and Paralympic Games and "is
pleased that focus has continued since."
They added: "Emphasis should also be placed on a friendly
welcome by immigration officials."[68]
46. While we heard one story of an unwelcoming immigration
official,[69] we did
not receive evidence to suggest that this was in any way typical
of a professional and sometimes hard-pressed Border Force. Indeed,
the issue might be more one of staffing levels and management.
As British Destinations put it to us: "Aircraft don't for
example just arrive in the UK unannounced and passenger numbers
are, we assume, known before departure to the UK. We get a sense
that perhaps at the more strategic level planning has been more
reactive that proactive in the past, although we do also recognise
that judging scale and the time lag may make it impossible to
assess the level of border staff need in Heathrow next year as
a consequence of a campaign in China today."[70]
47. We recommend
that Border Force staffing levels are maintained at levels that
can meet the demand posed by what we hope will be increasing numbers
of tourists. Training of Border Force staff should always factor
in the need to provide a welcoming reception to genuine tourists.
Airport capacity
48. The Airport Operators Association (AOA) told
us that some 72% of inbound visitors arrive by air and account
for 83% of all inbound visitors' spending. One of the concerns
of the Association is the UK's performance in terms of aviation
"connectivity": "the frequency of services, the
economic value they drive, the accessibility of destinations right
across the UK, whether flights take place at convenient times
and their capacity."[71]
The AOA goes on to "urge the committee to support the arguments
in favour of rapid deployment of new runway capacity and encourage
all of the political parties to await the Final Report of the
[Airports] Commission and then to act swiftly on its recommendations."[72]
49. The Airports Commission is an independent commission
chaired by Sir Howard Davies and includes four other members.
It examines the need for additional UK airport capacity and recommends
to government how this can be met in the short, medium and long
term.[73] The Airports
Commission works with the Department for Transport. On 11 November
2014 the Commission published for consultation its assessment
of proposals for additional runway capacity at Gatwick and Heathrow
airports. In its interim report, published in December 2013, the
commission had identified a need for one net additional runway
in London and the South East and shortlisted for detailed appraisal
and public consultation three proposals to deliver this capacity,
two from Heathrow and one from Gatwick. These three proposals
are entitled: Gatwick Airport Second Runway, Heathrow Airport
Extended Northern Runway, Heathrow Airport North West Runway.
50. The Tourism Alliance told us that it does not
have a position on whether the additional capacity needed should
be at Heathrow or Gatwick. Ufi Ibrahim of the Alliance provided
us with the following elaboration: "I hope that I can set
the record straight at that point by saying that the industry's
position is that we would like to ensure that Government does
follow up on the results coming out of the Howard Davies review.
The bottom line for us is that we need more aviation capacity
in the United Kingdom and we would hope that the results of the
review will point to where that capacity should be."[74]
51. An inquiry
as broadly drawn as ours cannot consider the relative merits of
the cases put forward by Heathrow and Gatwick. We do believe,
though, that the Government should respond quickly and decisively
to the Howard Davies review once it has reached its conclusions.
52. More immediately still, use could be made of
spare capacity at regional airports. VisitBritain told us: "New
routes between the UK and overseas regional airports must be encouraged
in order to make the best use of airport capacity to support tourism
growth in the short term. This support is best targeted on the
demand-side, as runway capacity exists and the DfT regional airports
fund will support some of the start-up costs associated with new
air routes."[75]
James Berresford of VisitEngland said: "from an international
perspective, we need to sweat our regional airports much more
effectively than we do. Heathrow is at about 98% capacity at the
moment, but there is no other regional airport at 50% capacity.
From an England perspective, we need to be using the likes of
Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Bristol and so on for maybe
second and third-time visitors into the country."[76]
53. Bristol Airport told us: "A study by York
Aviation for a consortium of regional airports, including Bristol,
demonstrates that an APD [Air Passenger Duty] 'holiday' would
bring forward in time development of new long-haul routes from
regional airports by effectively enlarging the size of the market,
boosting load factors and increasing yields."[77]
The Airport suggests: "A stronger focus on marketing regional
airports as convenient gateways for inbound visitors would support
this objective, with resulting benefits to the visitor economy
outside London."[78]
Darren Caplan of the Airport Operators Association told us: "A
cut in APD should be a cut all over the UK."[79]
We consider the case for reductions in Air Passenger Duty later
in this report.
54. Making more use of regional airports would be
a useful way of increasing visitor numbers in the short term.
Achieving such an increase in traffic will depend on a number
of factors. The Airport Operators Association reminded us: "Ultimately,
it is airlines that determine which routes are flown and therefore
overall connectivity and this depends on long-term route profitability.
However, overall costs, political and regulatory factors play
a major role in determining the attractiveness of starting and
sustaining routes."[80]
Darren Caplan of the Association also referred to a Department
for Transport forecast that passenger numbers would roughly double
by 2050: "They were saying that airports in the South East
would be full up by 2030 and airports outside the South East would
start filling up from 2040, so that includes Birmingham, Bristol
and East Midlands and Manchester. It is not just a South East
issue on capacity. It is something that you have to look at across
the board."[81]
55. The Government
should review what more can be done to promote regional airports,
both as a means of making more use of existing capacity and in
terms of encouraging more visitors to the regions.
60 VisitBritain (TOU0055), para 3.7 Back
61
Brazil, Russia, India and China Back
62
Q 17 Back
63
Tourism Alliance (TOU0031), para 4.6 Back
64
Q 262 Back
65
UKinbound (TOU0022), para 3.5 Back
66
UKinbound (TOU0022), para 3.5 Back
67
ABTA (TOU0011), para 31 Back
68
ABTA (TOU0011), para 31 Back
69
Q 13 Back
70
British Destinations (TOU0092), para 10.3 Back
71
Airport Operators Association (TOU0045) Back
72
Airport Operators Association (TOU0045) Back
73
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/airports-commission
Back
74
Q 31 Back
75
VisitBritain (TOU0055), para 3.7 Back
76
Q 369 Back
77
Bristol Airport (TOU0015), para 48 Back
78
Bristol Airport (TOU0015), para 31 Back
79
Q 174 Back
80
Airport Operators Association (TOU0045) Back
81
Q 175 Back