Nigel Huddleston named as fifth tourism minister since 2017

Nigel Huddleston has been announced as the fifth minister to take up the tourism brief in the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) since 2017.

Huddleston, MP for Mid Worcestershire, said he was "delighted" to join the department as parliamentary under secretary of state for sport, tourism and heritage.

He tweeted: "Can't wait to get started in this fantastic, busy department that has such a positive impact on so many people's lives."

Welcoming Huddleston as well as the department's new secretary of state Oliver Dowden MP, UKinbound CEO Joss Croft said: “In 2018, the inbound tourism industry generated nearly £23 billion of export earnings for the UK economy but the industry still needs the government to continue its intervention and support, if it is to advance its delivery of world class experiences for international visitors and deliver jobs and growth across the whole of the UK.

“There are some significant challenges ahead this year as the industry copes with the impact of the coronavirus, and the concerns of industry to resource businesses after 31 December. It is vital that the government’s new immigration policy allows tourism and hospitality businesses to have continued access to overseas nationals with foreign language skills, and to help plug labour shortages across the UK in key tourism hotspots, ensuring businesses can grow.”

As well as the sport, tourism and heritage brief Huddleston will continue as a government whip for DCMS.

He replaces Helen Whately in the role. Whately held the position for just five months departing to join the Department of Health as a minister of state, following last week's vicious cabinet reshuffle.

Huddleston previously sat on the DCMS select committee, before being appointed parliamentary private secretary to Matt Hancock following the 2017 General Election. He went on to hold the same position for Jeremy Wright.

Prior to becoming an MP he worked for Google as the industry head for travel, before which the MP worked as a consultant at Deloitte in the UK and the US covering the travel & tourism, and tech, media & telecommunications sectors.

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