Written question asked by Nick Harvey (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 15 November 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 18 November 2004. It was answered by Richard Caborn (Labour) on Thursday, 18 November 2004 on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Dept for Culture Media and Sport

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the likely impact of the proposed VisitBritain online accommodation booking system on existing commercial accommodation booking agencies.

Answer: Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the likely impact of the proposed VisitBritain online accommodation booking system on existing commercial accommodation booking agencies. [198978] Mr. Caborn: The Government expects the impact of the EnglandNet information and booking system to be market-neutral. EnglandNet will carry a wide variety of information about attractions and events, as well as details of quality-graded accommodation. It is not designed to replicate the role performed by existing commercial booking agencies. Rather, it will provide such agencies with access to new online marketing opportunities, and make bookings much easier to receive and fulfil. In this, EnglandNet will provide commercial operators with access to the 11 million potential customers who visit VisitBritain's websites each year--a figure set to rise to 20 million by 2007.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 198978; 426 c1803W;426 c1807W
Session: 2003-04
Subjects: Advertising Bed and breakfast accommodation Internet Hotels Publicity Marketing Tourism VisitBritain
Contains statistics: Yes
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk