Cutting VAT for tourism and investing in transport infrastructure were among the demands MPs heard from businesses in Devon when they came to Exeter to hear views on how to boost the sector.
The Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee held a panel discussion at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum on Monday, January 12, to hear views on tourism in the South West.
The select committee launched an inquiry into the sector last year and is due to publish its recommendations before Parliament is dissolved ahead of the general election.
During a lively session, several speakers complained about a lack of resources to promote destinations such as Exmouth since budget cuts have led to the closure of tourist information centres.
Others said former Education Secretary Michael Gove's crackdown on parents taking children on holiday during term time had harmed the region's tourism sector.
Alistair Handyside, chairman of the South West Tourism Alliance, argued investment in roads, rail and broadband would help the industry.
"Tourism and all businesses will suffer if the A303 doesn't become a dual carriageway all the way through to Exeter," he told the cross-party committee.
"A dual carriageway would enable us to massively increase the number of visitors we can get to come down to stay with us here in the South West."
He also called for deregulation to help small businesses, citing the red tape which prevents him a giving bottle of wine to people staying in his self-catering accommodation when they arrive unless he applies for a licence.
The inquiry is looking into how to encourage foreign visitors to travel to less-visited areas of the UK outside London, as well as how to boost tourism in seaside towns.
Other areas being explored include how best to promote tourism, including through public funding and local partnerships, reducing the regulatory burden on businesses, including VAT, and increasing skills and training.
Many delegates complained that Devon and the South West receive only a tiny fraction of the millions which are spent on promoting tourism in Yorkshire and Scotland.
"We are still the poor cousin," said Mr Handyside. "This sector is a wealth creator, a tax raiser and a job creator, and some proper marketing to get people to stay in England has a huge effect on the balance of payments."
Carolyn Custerson, chair of Visit Devon and chief executive of the English Riviera Tourism Company, pointed out that Visit Devon has an annual budget of just £45,000, limiting its ability to promote the county effectively.
She said: "It was an extremely useful afternoon, giving us the opportunity to raise what have been a number of growing concerns.
"The days of 100 per cent funding from Government and local authorities are gone, but what we want to highlight to Government is the crucially important part that tourism plays in Devon. It's worth £24 billion a year to the Devon economy and supports 72,000 jobs."
The contributions of delegates will help inform the committee's inquiry and help MPs decide what questions to ask at future evidence sessions, including with government ministers.
Exeter MP Ben Bradshaw, a member of the select committee, said he was pleased tourism businesses had an opportunity to raise their concerns directly with MPs.
"The impact of real or perceived infrastructure problems is a real issue for tourism in the South West, and businesses really suffered when the Dawlish rail line fell into the sea, despite the fact that most people travel here by road," he said.
"I hope the report will say that the Government really needs to address these issues, and to have a proper coordinated approach to supporting tourism. Since the abolition of the regional development agencies nobody has statutory responsibility for supporting tourism any more, so nobody does it.
"Exeter City Council does what it can, but East Devon does nothing. There's nobody coordinating it.
"I think the timing of our report will mean tourism is a hot and live issue during the election campaign."
