How to attract and charm tourists
To achieve these visitor figures, she generously lathered a whopping £250,000 on improving internet connectivity at UK conference centres – the plan hopes to increase off-season visitors by encouraging more conferences and exhibitions.
Let's see ... my last three visits to the UK (all to London) were:
1. To see a play at the Globe
2. To see a play at Wyndham's
3. To see an exhibit at the British Museum
Would it entice me to come more often if UK conference centres offer faster internet access? Nope.
Would it help if I have to fork out for the mini-visa? Doubt it.
Would it improve things if the border agents were slightly less brusque and minded their own business instead of making me produce the theatre tickets and hotel booking for their ogling satisfaction each and every time - or at least let me use the e-gates with my non-UK, non-EU passport? Actually, yes, it would.
Sadly, that one does not appear to be on the menu.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
