THE MP for Newquay has called for Cornwall’s tourism industry to work collectively to develop a replacement for the county’s tourist body following its demise.

Noah Law MP has warned businesses not to form separate groups after Visit Cornwall entered voluntary liquidation as he believes a new organisation is needed that fights for Cornwall and represents the industry as a whole.

He has given reassurances to local tourism organisations of Cornwall that the county’s four Labour MPs are committed to creating a Local Visitor Economy Partnership as successor to Visit Cornwall.

Mr Law has spoken out after delivering his Tourism Action Plan after staging a tourism summit in Newquay, which was attended by 40 businesses within the hospitality sector, who agreed multiple actions across 23 different areas including improving parking, supporting business rate reform, investment in street scene enhancement, and holding South West Water to account on sewage pollution.

He said: "I recognise that this is an uncertain time for tourism businesses, but my message is: ‘Don't panic, and don’t create splintered groups. We need a new organisation that represents the industry as a whole.”

Mr Law has called on the Tourism Minister to meet Cornwall’s MPs, and is working with Visit England to help the local industry establish what best practice and governance should look like. He and fellow Labour MP Jayne Kirkham, for Truro and Falmouth, are also meeting Sarah Preece, Cornwall Council Cabinet to move forward alternative ideas.

He is also calling on Cornwall Council to provide minutes of a recent meeting to discuss further next steps which can be delivered “at pace,” following the closure of Visit Cornwall.

Mr Law fully supports Cornwall Council in issuing a survey to hear informed, first-hand views from businesses about what they want to see from any future partnership, were it to be established.

He said: “Ultimately, my goal reflects what I am hearing from local businesses within my constituency, which is that any such body should be for the sector, and led by the sector, with real business playing a key role in directing resources.

“Any new body has to be for the greater good of Cornwall, and securing Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) status is an absolute must to ensure we can plug into national funding, and our Government's ambitious National Visitor Economy Strategy.

Jayne Kirkham, Labour MP for Truro and Falmouth added: “The tourism and hospitality sector in Cornwall is a vital, core industry. It’s so important that it continues to be represented coherently and have its voice heard at the highest levels of government. We want to ensure that is possible going into the future and will work with stakeholders and the council to help it get up and running.”

Veryan Palmer, director of the Headland Hotel, who has provided robust support to the tourism industry in Cornwall, added: The steps Cornwall Council are taking with business leaders from the various Visitor Economy sectors is promising, we now all need to remain committed to the future of a destination management organisation that supports Cornwall’s success in welcoming visitors to our beautiful region for years to come.”