Photo – Alan Mak MP welcomes Funland owner Marshall Hill to Parliament
Havant MP Alan Mak has announced his backing of Marshall Hill, the local resident and co-owner of Funland Amusement Park on Hayling Island, who also serves as Chairman for the British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Attractions (BALPPA).
Following a lunch in Parliament, Mr Mak said that he was pleased to see Hayling and Havant represented at the highest level of this national association. In the wake of English Tourism Week, the Havant MP was keen to promote the tourism and visitor industries in his constituency.
These sectors and their associated industries are a key element of the local and regional economies. Tourism is worth £12.3 billion annually to the South East, more than Scotland and Wales combined. In itself, Havant Borough attracts over 3 million tourists every year, of which the majority are day visitors. The tourist industry is worth over £160 million to Havant per annum, with the local tourist board hoping to increase these figures by encouraging more staying visitors to Havant.
Mr Mak joined Marshall Hill and other members of the BALPPA at the association’s annual parliamentary lunch. Mr Hill is currently in the second and final year of his tenure as Chairman of the association.
Following the lunch, Alan Mak said: “It was great to sit down with Marshall to discuss the strong performance and future potential of tourism in Hayling and around Havant. To have an industry leader like Marshall supporting our seaside attractions and leisure parks is a real bonus for the local area.
The Havant MP added: “Our tourist economy is faring better than ever. Havant boasts a wealth of excellent hotels and guesthouses, key attractions such as Funland Amusement Park on Hayling Island, and is an area of outstanding natural beauty. I am doing all I can to get industry leaders like Marshall on-board our plan to make Havant the holiday destination in Hampshire.”
Mr Hill said: “I was delighted to join Alan today to discuss how we are going to secure more visitors to Havant and help an already-buoyant tourism industry grow further. At Funland on Hayling Island, we are always looking at ways to attract new visitors and we are expecting another busy summer season.”
Mr Hill added: “As Chairman of the BALPPA, I am keen to champion Hayling and Havant as a great place to visit. Our tourism and derivative industries are so important to the local community and economy, and I am doing all I can to make sure that we have the facilities and impeccable standards to take a lead in this competitive nationwide industry.”
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