James Purnell, the newly appointed minister for tourism, is the author of an outspoken article which attacked the proposed London bid for the 2012 Olympic Games as a waste of £5 billion and the “wrong priority” for Britain.
Mr Purnell’s attack on the Games bid was made just ahead of the Cabinet’s decision - in 2003 - on whether to support the attempt to bring the event to Britain for the first time in more than 60 years. Urged on by Tony Blair, the Cabinet gave the bid its full endorsement - despite Mr Purnell’s article, written in his capacity as an MP and a former Downing Street adviser on sport.
He wrote: “We must ask ourselves if it’s worth spending up to £5 billion hosting the games. I don’t think it is. It would be the wrong priority for London, the wrong priority for British sport and unfair to the rest of the country.” The article would have been consigned to history were it not for Mr Blair’s decision last week to give Mr Purnell, 35, his first ministerial job. As tourism minister he is based at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which is heading the Government’s enthusiastic support for the bid. His duties include attracting visitors to Britain.
Related Travel Information
The Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Mr Praful Patel, today brushed aside the resentment over the stalled construction of the terminal of Sri Guru Ramdass International Airport and assured the public that a bigger and modern complex would be built.
Addressing a gathering during the flag-off ceremony of the inaugural Air-India’s Delhi-Amritsar-Birmingham-Toronto flight here today, Mr Patel said top priority was being given to restart the construction of the ultra-modern airport. He, however, said the project could be delayed by another six months as the Ministry of Civil Aviation, in consultation with the Airport Authority of India (AAI), was preparing a
TEHRAN, May 8 (MNA) – Iran and Singapore here on Sunday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on tourism, said a report released by the Iranian Students News Agency.
The said MOU was inked during a visit paid between Iran’s Minister of Commerce Mohammad Shariatmadari and Singapore's Minister for Trade and Industry Lim-Hung Kiang heading a delegation.
“Tourism is among good areas of cooperation”, Shariatmadari said, expressing hope that the potentiality is used more seriously in the future.
Moving the economic cooperation from the simple trading to the joint ventures is among the issues stressed by the countries, he said, adding,
Integrated resorts only one part of govt's tourism promotion
The decision to host two integrated resorts is only one part of the government's overall development plan for the tourism industry.
Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang stressed the move was not an act of economic desperation.
Indeed, the minister said the Singapore economy was doing well.
Mr Lim was speaking to reporters after witnessing the launch of a double MBA programme by Nanyang Technological University and Japan's Waseda University.
Well before a decision was taken for two integrated resorts, the government had already spelt out ambitious targets for the tourism
Singapore Gambles on Casinos to Boost Tourism
The casinos are expected to be operational by 2009. Lee was optimistic the Las Vegas-style resorts would radically alter the skyline and lifestyle of a city-state better known for its strict regulations and disciplined population.
"We want Singapore to have the X-factor — that buzz that you get in London, Paris or New York," Lee said, appealing for support for his first major project since becoming prime minister last August.
He said that while other major capitals had been reinventing themselves, Singapore was losing its share of the global tourism market and in danger
VARIOUS tour operators and agents and tourism officials in Davao City will embark on a series of sales mission in Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong next month, in a bid to expedite the entry of the tourists coming from these markets to the city.
Southern Philippine Tourism Council (SMTC) chair Mary Ann "Baby" Montemayor said Tuesday the groups of tourism stakeholders will be divided into three groups in order to conduct a thorough promotion efforts in each of the three foreign markets.
Montemayor will lead the group who will cover Hong Kong. They will be in Hong Kong from June