Development of Tourism Act 1969

2 General functions and powers. E+W+S

(1) It shall be the function of the British Tourist Authority—

(a) to encourage people to visit Great Britain and people living in Great Britain to take their holidays there; and

(b) to encourage the provision and improvement of tourist amenities and facilities in Great Britain.

and the English Tourist Board, [F1 the Scottish Tourist Board][F1 VisitScotland] and the [F2 Wales Tourist Board[F2 National Assembly for Wales]] shall have the like functions as respects England, Scotland and Wales respectively.

(2) In addition to the specific powers conferred on it by or under the subsequent provisions of this Act but subject to subsections (3) [F3 and (4)[F3 , (4) and (4A)]] of this section, each Tourist Board[F4 and the National Assembly for Wales] shall have power to do anything for the purpose of discharging the functions conferred on it by this section or which is incidental or conducive to the discharge of those functions and in particular (but without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions) for that purpose—

(a) to promote or undertake publicity in any form;

(b) to provide advisory and information services;

(c) to promote or undertake research;

(d) to establish committees to advise them in the performance of their functions;

(e) to contribute to or reimburse expenditure incurred by any other person or organisation in carrying on any activity which the Board[F5 or the National Assembly for Wales] has power to carry on under paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of this subsection.

(3) Only the British Tourist Authority shall have power by virtue of subsection (2) of this section to carry on any activities outside the United Kingdom for the purpose of encouraging people to visit Great Britain or any part of it but this subsection shall not prevent the other Tourist Boards[F6 or the National Assembly for Wales] engaging in such activities on behalf of the Authority.

(4) None of the Tourist Boards shall have power, except as provided by sections 3 and 4 of this Act, to give financial assistance for the carrying out of, or itself to carry out, any project for providing or improving tourist amenities and facilities in Great Britain.

[F7 (4A) The National Assembly for Wales shall also have no such power under this Act, except as provided by sections 3 and 4A.]

(5) In discharging their functions under this section the English Tourist Board, [F1 the Scottish Tourist Board][F1 VisitScotland] and the [F8 Wales Tourist Board[F8 National Assembly for Wales]] shall have regard to the desirability of fostering and, in appropriate cases, co-operating with organisations discharging functions corresponding to those of the Boards[F9 or the National Assembly for Wales] in relation to particular areas within the countries for which the Boards[F9 or the National Assembly for Wales] are respectively responsible; and, without prejudice to the foregoing provisions of this section, each of those Boards[F9 and the National Assembly for Wales] shall have power to provide such organisations with financial or other assistance.

(6) In discharging its functions under this section each Tourist Board[F10 and the National Assembly for Wales] shall have regard to the desirability of undertaking appropriate consultation with the other Tourist Boards[F11 and, as appropriate, the National Assembly for Wales] and with persons and organisations, including those mentioned in the last foregoing subsection, who have knowledge of, or are interested in, any matters affecting the discharge of those functions.

(7) A Tourist Board may charge for its services and receive contributions towards its expenses in carrying out any of its functions.

[F12 (7A) The National Assembly for Wales may charge for its services and receive contributions towards its expenses in carrying out any of its functions under this Act as read with the Tourism (Overseas Promotion) (Wales) Act 1992]

(8) A Tourist Board shall not borrow money except with the consent of the relevant Minister and the Treasury.

[F13 (8A) The National Assembly for Wales may borrow money for the purposes of exercising its functions under this Act as read with the Tourism (Overseas Promotion)(Wales) Act 1992.]

(9) In this Part of this Act “tourist amenities and facilities” means, in relation to any country, amenities and facilities for visitors to that country and for other people travelling within it on business or pleasure.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in Act substituted (E.W.) (29.3.2007) by Tourist Boards (Scotland) Act 2006 (Consequential Modifications) Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/1103), art. 1(1), Sch. para. 1(2)

F2 Words in s. 2(1) substituted (E.W.) (23.11.2005) by Wales Tourist Board (Transfer of Functions to the National Assembly for Wales and Abolition) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3225), art. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 2(1) (with art. 3(1))

F3 Words in s. 2(2) substituted (E.W.) (23.11.2005) by Wales Tourist Board (Transfer of Functions to the National Assembly for Wales and Abolition) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3225), art. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 2(2) (with art. 3(1))

F4 Words in s. 2(2) inserted (E.W.) (23.11.2005) by Wales Tourist Board (Transfer of Functions to the National Assembly for Wales and Abolition) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3225), art. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 2(2) (with art. 3(1))

F5 Words in s. 2(2)(e) inserted (E.W.) (23.11.2005) by Wales Tourist Board (Transfer of Functions to the National Assembly for Wales and Abolition) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3225), art. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 2(2) (with art. 3(1))

F6 Words in s. 2(3) inserted (E.W.) (23.11.2005) by Wales Tourist Board (Transfer of Functions to the National Assembly for Wales and Abolition) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3225), art. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 2(3) (with art. 3(1))

F7 S. 2(4A) added (E.W.) (23.11.2005) by Wales Tourist Board (Transfer of Functions to the National Assembly for Wales and Abolition) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3225), art. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 2(4) (with art. 3(1))

F8 Words in s. 2(5) substituted (E.W.) (23.11.2005) by Wales Tourist Board (Transfer of Functions to the National Assembly for Wales and Abolition) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3225), art. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 2(5) (with art. 3(1))

F9 Words in s. 2(5) inserted (E.W.) (23.11.2005) by Wales Tourist Board (Transfer of Functions to the National Assembly for Wales and Abolition) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3225), art. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 2(5) (with art. 3(1))

F10 Words in s. 2(6) inserted (E.W.) (23.11.2005) by Wales Tourist Board (Transfer of Functions to the National Assembly for Wales and Abolition) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3225), art. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 2(6)(a) (with art. 3(1))

F11 Words in s. 2(6) inserted (E.W.) (23.11.2005) by Wales Tourist Board (Transfer of Functions to the National Assembly for Wales and Abolition) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3225), art. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 2(6)(b) (with art. 3(1))

F12 S. 2(7A) added (E.W.) (23.11.2005) by Wales Tourist Board (Transfer of Functions to the National Assembly for Wales and Abolition) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3225), art. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 2(7) (with art. 3(1))

F13 S. 2(8A) added (E.W.) (23.11.2005) by Wales Tourist Board (Transfer of Functions to the National Assembly for Wales and Abolition) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/3225), art. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 2(8) (with art. 3(1))

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 2 extended (16. 5. 1992) by Tourism (Overseas Promotion)(Wales) Act 1992 (c. 26), ss. 1(1)(3), 3.

C2 S. 2(3) excluded by Tourism (Overseas Promotion) (Scotland) Act 1984 (c. 4, SIF 64), s. 1

C3 S. 2(3) excluded (16. 5. 1992) by Tourism (Overseas Promotion)(Wales) Act 1992 (c. 26), ss. 1(1)(3), 3.

C4 S. 2(8) modified (1.7.1999) by S.I. 1999/672, art. 2, Sch. 1