British Destinations

Changes to senior tourism personnel at DCMS

Posted on October 14, 2016

I am sure colleague will wish to hear the news  and then to join with me in congratulating Lise-Anne Boissiere, Head of Tourism, Heritage and Cultural Diplomacy DCMS on her new appointment to lead on Housing Strategy at Department for Communities and Local Government, her old department, which she will re-join in early November.

In her two and a half year’s heading the team at DCMS Lisa-Anne has been instrumental in driving through many major changes within GB/UK and English tourism and also in securing programme funding for both VisitBritain and VisitEngland.  The tourism industry has much to thank her for; tourism’s loss is of course DCLG and housing’s gain.

It is to be hoped that Lisa-Anne in her new role will try to take time to engage in resolving some of her former tourism colleagues housing related issues including: social and affordable housing for relatively poorly paid service sector workers in what are usually relatively expensive tourism hot spots, the thorny issues of balancing second and holiday home ownership against local tourism and other worker’s needs in rural and other honey pot tourist locations, addressing some of the difficult, unintended housing impacts of the burgeoning sharing economy, especially within major towns and Cities and looking  once more at the implementation of adequate control measures for the very poorest quality Housing in Multiple Occupancy which still manages to blight key areas of some popular coastal resort towns.

Giles Smith currently the Deputy Director responsible for Cyber Security will take over as Head of Tourism, Heritage and Cultural Diplomacy in mid-November.  We look forward to developing a strong and mutually beneficial working relationship with him and hopefully to sharing some of our joint experience of and expertise in destination management, tourism and the visitor economy.

Meanwhile on behalf of all the British Destination membership I will write to Lisa-Anne to wish her a fond farewell and all the best of good fortune in her new role.