Louise Hubball The Politics Show South West

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To many - the offending website

Many of us are increasingly using the internet for shopping and online banking, but cyberspace is also rapidly becoming the battleground for attracting holidaymakers.

And local tourism associations in the South West are arguing that one website is squeezing them out of the market.

The Visit Britain site has been given �13m by the Government to promote English destinations, but some say this will actually be detrimental to local tourism.

Dartmoor's rugged and desolate beauty has intrigued countless generations and is a popular tourism destination, but at grassroots, there is a battle between national and local methods of attracting the holidaymakers.

And the Visit Britain website is what all the fuss is about.

For holidaymakers, the Visit Britain site offers a one stop shop to search for and book accommodation.

But the Dartmoor Tourism Association prides itself on its local expertise, and is just one organisation, that is saying that Visit Britain is using public money to squeeze local tourism agencies out of the market....

Philip Davies, Dartmoor Tourist Association said: "It's more than concerning, we're being blackmailed, we're being told by Visit Britain if we don't comply with what they demand, they're going to bar our routes to market, which includes access to their website, and just as importantly links from it."

Rural tourism undustries could suffer

Inspections

Dartmoor Tourism Association offers its own inspection service to local self catering properties, but the problem is Visit Britain do not recognise this standard.

To be featured on their website, properties must be inspected by one of their approved officers.

Jane Waters, Marketing Manager, Warm Welcome Hotels expanded, saying: "Advertising on the websites now is the way forward.

"Everyone from the smallest B&B provider has to have an internet presence, and the Dartmoor Tourist Association has given the smallest provider that opportunity which will now be taken away from them if they're in competition with a larger website."

Dartmoor Tourism Association claim Visit Britain's inspections can be up to three times more expensive than the service they offer, so some proprietors are sticking to local assessments, and therefore missing out on advertising revenue.

Local websites offering accommodation bookings, are also aggrieved that the Visit Britain website seems to be performing essentially the same role.

The local MP says something must be done urgently and has raised the matter with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport: "Visit Britain, which is essentially state funded - paid for by the tax payer, is using its muscle and power conferred by public money, to say to small private, private local businesses 'you may not have the benefit of public money unless you do as we say'."

Will visitor numbers to the scenic Dartmoor be affected?

Not all agree

South West Tourism argues that the customer must come first, and Visit Britain not only offers an assured standard of quality, but also gives businesses national exposure.

A spokesman said: "If you go through tourism websites at a regional, local and national level, you get the business.

"But the price for that is that we have the obligation to ensure the quality. And the mechanism that really counts is the national quality scheme."

In a statement the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, which funds the Visit Britain website, said: "It is a revolutionary partnership between public and private sectors which has the potential to transform our tourism industry.

"The private sector could not do this alone - that's why it's right that it is funded using public money".

The EU Commission's competition department is currently investigating a complaint against Visit Britain.

Dartmoor Tourism Association say they are now looking into adding their voice of concern, to the Office of Fair Trading.

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