Travel's pleas for dedicated ministerial representation fall on deaf ears – for now
Chris Bryant has been named minister for tourism but will also take on another five ministerial portfolios, confirming there will be no dedicated minister for either travel or tourism under the new Labour government.
Bryant, who is MP for Rhondda and Ogmore in Wales, becomes minister for creative industries, arts and tourism at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), with his ministerial brief also encompassing libraries, museums and cultural property, cultural diplomacy and soft power, and heritage.
He will report to secretary of state for culture, media and sport, Lisa Nandy, who joined prime minister Sir Keir Starmer’s first cabinet earlier this month, along with transport secretary Louise Haigh.
"DCMS ministers’ portfolios confirmed," said the Tourism Alliance, posting to X/Twitter. "A great ministerial line up and confirmation that @RhonddaBryant will be our tourism minister."
Abta also congratulated Bryant on his appointment. "#Outboundtravel is worth more than £49bn in GVA to the UK each year and supports more than 843,000 jobs," it said in a X/Twitter post.
"We look forward to working with you on how we can grow the sector and its economic contribution."
It means travel’s pleas for dedicated ministerial representation have fallen on deaf ears following Bryant’s appointment and that of Mike Kane at the Department for Transport, who takes on the aviation brief.
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James Chapple
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