With seven weeks to go until the first British Tourism Week (12-18 March 2007), a new website, www.britishtourismweek.com, has launched as organisers encourage the industry to get involved by supporting existing events or planning their own.

Stephen Dowd, chairman of the British Tourism Week executive council and chief executive of inbound tourism trade body UKinbound, says: “The launch of the British Tourism Week website is a rallying call to businesses and their employees from every part of the UK’s tourism industry, large and small, public and commercial.”

As well as testimonials from national and regional tourist boards, the Tourism Alliance, the Association of British Travel Agents, the Tourism Society and Reed Travel Exhibitions, www.britishtourismweek.com offers the facility to upload a message of support for the Week and its goals.

In addition to three national events that are the centrepiece of British Tourism Week, the calendar now includes the first London International Film Tourism Conference, the involvement of the business tourism sector, a photographic exhibition of Britain's countryside and coastline at the.gallery@oxo, the SHINE Awards for Women in Travel, Tourism and Hospitality and a Regional Tourism Council and Members Conference in the South East of England.

Stephen continues: “If we are to draw national and international attention to the size, value and importance of Britain’s £74 billion visitor economy, we must gain the support of transport and tour operators, travel agents and tourist boards, attractions and accommodation providers throughout the country.”