Come back England all is forgiven

The rumour mill is running hot on the tourism review - a move out of London, a new office in Bristol and a new agency - Visit England. Sometimes consultation is so inconvenient - people will give their opinions - and the overwhelming view is that the development of England as a visitor destination is lost in Visit Britain. That's not the fault of the people who work there, they were given an impossible job and it hasn't worked. And so once more to the question of money - who will pay for this? The begging bowl is going around the usual suspects - the private sector, the Regional Development Agencies, 'partners', and they are playing a game of pass the parcel with 'Not me Guv' as the common response. When will they notice in Whitehall that the world has changed and the creation of RDA's and devolution in Scotland and Wales means that its time to draw a new map? What a shame for Christopher Rodrigues - he seems a very able and thoroughly decent man - he deserves better.

Troubled times

Oh dear - the Tourism Minister walking out of an industry reception, the Chairman of Visit Britain on the Today programme bemoaning the lack of funds to do a decent job, the IPS figures showing a slump in visitors, oh and there's ANOTHER review of tourism - its all going swimmingly. It's so easy to get caught up in all of this and think it really matters. One of my favourite videos of all time is called 'The Man who Planted Trees' - in essence a story about the difference one person can make by setting themselves a course that is right and keeping going. Ministers will come and go (and Tourist Boards come and go even faster) but the fundamental point is that quality, enthusiasm and passion is what matters in the end. Yes it would be nice if we had a government that gave a damn, but maybe we should just assume that they don't and they won't. One hour a week less with them and one hour a week more making our own bit of the universe better and maybe we can change the world.