MPs across the county have shown their support for Hertfordshire's tourism and hospitality businesses in celebration of English Tourism Week, 17-26 March. The annual campaign highlights the importance, value and vast contribution of the sector to the UK economy.

Celebrations were kicked-started in Hertfordshire with a visit from The Rt Hon Grant Shapps, Energy Minister and MP for Welwyn Hatfield, to Mill Green Museum and Working Mill, accompanied by Deirdre Wells OBE, Chair of English Tourism Week and Visit Herts Chief Executive, and Mark Bretton – then-Chair of Hertfordshire LEP.

Further tours led by Visit Herts saw Gagan Mohindra, MP for South West Hertfordshire, visit Berkhamsted Castle with Hertfordshire LEP Deputy Chair Neil Rutledge, and Chiltern Canal Boat Holidays and Pendley Manor Hotel with the LEP’s Operations Director Norman Jennings.

Bim Afolami, MP for Hitchin and Harpenden, visited Hitchin Priory and St Paul’s Walden Bury accompanied by Hertfordshire LEP's Chief Executive Neil Hayes.

Gagan Mohindra, MP for South West Hertfordshire said: “I have really enjoyed visiting some of the tourism and hospitality businesses in my constituency during English Tourism Week and meeting the fantastic staff who work so hard in these businesses to provide visitors with amazing experiences. After a tough few years - I urge everyone in my constituency to get out and about and take advantage of the wonderful attractions, landscapes, hotels and historic houses we have in the local area.”

Neil Rutledge, Deputy Chair of Hertfordshire LEP, said: “The support MPs have shown for English Tourism Week is testament to the sector’s importance to the local economy. Hertfordshire’s tourism industry was on a strong growth trajectory pre-pandemic, topping £2.4bn for the first time in 2019. While the industry is showing positive signs of recovery, the pressures businesses continue to face post-pandemic means the support offered by Visit Herts and Hertfordshire Growth Hub remain as important as ever.

“There are a number of opportunities for growth, including the county’s expanding film and TV production sector and the momentum behind screen tourism which we are supporting via our Hertfordshire Film Office.

"With the availability of skilled workers being one of the major barriers in the industry, it is also vital we continue to nurture the next generation of talent. To this end our Hertfordshire Careers Hub and skills portal HOP play a major role, working with schools to raise awareness of careers within the industry and creating opportunities for young people to engage with local employers.”

Deirdre Wells OBE, Chair of English Tourism Week and Visit Herts Chief Executive, said: “We are really pleased with the support that we have seen from local MPs during this year’s English Tourism Week. As everyone knows, businesses in the tourism and hospitality industry in Hertfordshire and across the country were hit really hard by the impact of the pandemic which has been followed by the current cost of living crisis and difficulties with recruiting and retaining staff.

“It is therefore more important than ever that we all show our support for these businesses that do so much to improve our quality of life and wellbeing whilst also providing many vital jobs and supporting the local economy. We are blessed in Hertfordshire to have so many exciting experiences for local, domestic and international visitors from innovative attractions, outstanding hotels, superb landscapes to iconic and historic houses.”

Deepak Choudhary, General Manager of Hitchin Priory Hotel, said: "It was a pleasure to welcome everyone to Hitchin Priory Hotel and to showcase what we have to offer our guests, be it meetings, weddings or a music festival. We are committed to working closely with the local community, with many exciting plans coming soon. We also look forward to working closely with Visit Herts to promote our hotel, high service standards and hospitality. We are grateful to Bim Afolami, for giving up his valuable time to visit us and to provide his support, guidance and ideas to help us explore a better future for the Priory Hotel and the hospitality sector."

Discover Hertfordshire's tourism offer at www.visitherts.co.uk

Support is available for Hertfordshire based businesses from Visit Herts Business, Hertfordshire Growth Hub and Hertfordshire Opportunities Portal (HOP).

Read Visit Herts’ latest Tourism Economic Impact Study for 2021.