Call for action to help struggling South West tourism industry

LIB Dem leader Ed Davey has taken his fight for South West tourism to new heights by climbing aboard a rollercoaster at a theme park to demand urgent government action on tax hikes and spiralling costs.

- by LEWIS CLARKE

The Liberal Democrat leader visited the BIG Sheep theme park in Torridge last week along with local MP Ian Roome to call for an emergency summit on the future of tourism in the region.

Sir Ed has urged the secretaries of state for business and trade and for culture, media and sport to convene a meeting before the summer season to address the challenges facing the sector.

Sir Ed said the summit should bring together council leaders, ministers, MPs, tourism experts and business owners to develop a strategy for protecting jobs and sustaining the region’s visitor economy.

The move comes as the Liberal Democrats warned that the Government's planned national insurance increase could “devastate” tourism across the South West. The party estimates that hospitality businesses in the region will see a £75 million rise in their tax bill in the 2025-26 financial year, increasing to £80m by 2029-30.