The chairman of the Wales Tourism Alliance believes the hung parliament following the General Election will force Prime Minister Theresa May to engage more widely on Brexit and other key issues.
“This may be good practice for the complex negotiations with the EU whose politicians are generally more used to working in coalition and don’t see the absence of an outright majority as a failure,” said Adrian Barsby.
“EU negotiations must not be hampered by the election result. The Prime Minister has an opportunity now to ensure a broad church of representation to include the widest possible coalition of views and interests so that the UK’s negotiating position is not interpreted as weakened.
“UK PLC must now communicate a coherent plan that ensures our attractiveness post April, 2019 and allows us to compete for global capital, resources and visitors. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) must be a key priority for the UK Government as well as helping devolved governments to secure investment.
“The visitor economy will be a crucial economic driver and all Governments need to encourage staycation and overseas visitors, which requires infrastructure funding as well as collaborative marketing
“Hopefully, political leaders will reflect on their collective failure and now concentrate on putting the UK before party politics.”
He added that, now the election was over, it was great time to visit and holiday in Wales. Whether weary voters were seeking excitement, adventure, peace and solitude, fine food, breathtaking vistas or wishing to experience the culture, Wales was the ideal place to escape to.