EU action on year-round tourism good for the South West- Letter to the Western Daily Press

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 26th Apr 2010

Sir, Your correspondent, Swindon UKIP Chairman Greg Heathcliffe, attacks my efforts to secure EU support for year-round tourism in the South West (Letters, 21.04.10).

He says 'the EU has never done anything positive for us in Britain and this latest offering will be no different.'

This sweeping statement says a lot about UKIP and betrays the party's policy of rubbishing anything to do with Europe, even if it offers tremendous benefits.

A much better approach to Europe, and one the Lib Dems prefer to take, is to criticise and oppose the EU when it is wrong, but support it when measures are right and beneficial.

In this case, it is right for the EU to play a supporting role in the tourism industry. After all, Europe is the home of 500m potential tourists and plenty of fantastic year-round holiday destinations.

A scheme that encourages individuals, who would not usually holiday, to visit areas in Europe during the off season, presents a great opportunity to the South West.

I will participate fully in the construction of any programme that will help bring additional, year-round and sustainable jobs to the South West, and encourage the local tourism industry to get involved too. Interested parties can put forward their ideas and views direct to the European Commission, or through me.

I am disappointed that Greg Heathcliffe and UKIP cannot put aside their pre-occupation with knocking Europe to join me in this.

Now is not the time for petty party politics, but for finding workable solutions to the economic difficulties that so many communities face.

Yours sincerely,

Graham Watson MEP

For the original story, as reported by the Western Daily Press on 16 April, click on this link; http://www.grahamwatsonmep.org/resources/sites/82.165.40.25-4176318e5862b2.86801678/Misc/EU+tourism+initiative.pdf