GSD attacks Govt’s record on tourism

The GSD has blasted the Gibraltar Government’s “atrocious” record on tourism as it claimed that expenditure by visitors had dropped below levels achieved in 2005.

In support of its claims the GSD has published a table showing how much revenue has been lost to Gibraltar from tourism expenditure since the GSLP/Liberal administration entered office.

The table is based on the Government’s own published figures from its tourist survey and contains the inflation adjusted figures alongside them.

According to the GSD, the table reveals the “shocking fact” that in the past five years, Gibraltar has failed to come close to the £280 million highs in tourist expenditure achieved in 2011, the last year of the GSD Administration, and is not even reaching the level of expenditure achieved in 2005.

Trevor Hammond, GSD spokesman for tourism said: “Tourist expenditure has always been a key part of our economy and Government has managed in its time in office to lose hundreds of millions of pounds in tourist expenditure.”

“It has failed to cash on the global rise in tourism of the last few years,” he added.

“It is clearly not investing in the right areas as despite millions being poured into bridges and glass walk ways, there is no sign whatsoever that these investments are drawing any returns.”

“The Government has failed to invest in the right areas, has failed to market Gibraltar properly and when tourists do arrive, policies like preventing them from driving up the Rock and then clamping them for parking in town are having further negative effects.”

“Gibraltar and its businesses are losing a huge amount of money every year as a direct result of the poor way in which this Government has managed our tourist product.”