On the 22 July, DCMS select committee published a report on Garden design and Tourism. Highlighting the importance of gardens to domestic and international tourism in the UK and looking at garden’s contribution to the UK’s international reputation and standing, the committee is interested in exploring how gardens and garden design contribute to tourism, the creative economy and to our national heritage.
In this short report, DCMS select committee has explored opportunities to create closer partnerships between the garden sector, destination management organisations and the economic regeneration strategies of Local Enterprise Partnerships. They also recognised that garden design should also be considered part of the UK’s creative sector. They propose that the Government should consider a new “UK Garden City” initiative, organised in addition to the current UK City of Culture competition, to promote the creation of new public gardens, and to support the restoration of general lost gardens.
In the lead up to this report, DCMS select committee had launched a short inquiry to explore how gardens contribute to UK tourism, the economy and our national heritage, which closed on the 7th of May. Several organisations, from a variety of sectors, submitted evidence including the National Trust [Alliance member], Historic Houses [Alliance member], The National Lottery Heritage Fund [Alliance affiliate] and ourselves.
To read the full report, click here.
To read the submitted evidence, click here.