Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help support hotels in West Dorset constituency.

The Government recognises that hotels in the West Dorset constituency are a major driver of the local economy, contributing to tourism revenue, creating jobs and supporting related industries like restaurants, retail, and transportation. The Government supports hotels across West Dorset through measures such as business rates relief, and funding opportunities like the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in the aim to alleviate operational costs, promote regional tourism, and drive economic growth.

On Friday 2 May, it was announced that Dorset has acquired LVEP status. Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) work in partnership with VisitEngland. These LVEPs will provide strong local leadership and governance in tourism destinations all over the country. They will work collaboratively with both local authority and private sector partners to communicate investment opportunities and to showcase Dorset's strengths as a place to live, work, study and invest in, as well as a premier destination for visitors.