News Archive Tourists back Liverpool's bid to become SmokeFree
Tourists back Liverpool's bid to become SmokeFree
October 1, 2004 - PRESS RELEASE
Tourists back Liverpool's bid to become smokefree
Liverpool's move to become a smokefree city has won the support of tourists from across the world.
Three quarters of visitors questioned in a survey commissioned by Smokefree Liverpool revealed they were bothered by smoking in enclosed places.
And more than half of the 300 tourists from across the UK and the rest of the world said their trip to Liverpool would have been more enjoyable if public places and restaurants had been smokefree.
The findings come as a group of more than 200 delegates descend on Liverpool for The Smokefree City Conference which takes place at the SAS Radisson Hotel on Monday October 4th.
The one-day conference will examine how health, business, productivity and city image can be improved by taking positive action against tobacco smoke.
Smokefree Liverpool chair, Gideon Ben-Tovim and Liverpool City Council Leader Cllr Mike Storey will outline their vision for a smokefree city while the key players from New York, which became a smokefree city on March 30 2003, will give their views on a live satellite link.
Christina Chang, Special assistant to New York City's Commissioner will reveal the lessons learned from implementing smokefree policies in New York while Rick Sampson, President & CEO of New York State Restaurant Association will explain how the hospitality industry reacted to the tobacco control.
Ciaran Staunton, proprietor of O'Neills Bar in Manhattan is to discuss the difficulties which still remain for his industry while Joanne Koldare, Director of New York City Coalition for a Smokefree City will explain why working together is the only way forward.
Said Mark Brandreth, Project Director of Smokefree Liverpool: "New York and Ireland have taken the bold decision to make their cities smoke free. It is our intention that Liverpool will follow them and it is a decision that many more cities around the world will take.
"The public health benefits of making smoking less and less socially acceptable are indisputable especially the impact it would have on improving the health of people who currently work in an atmosphere where they are forced to breathe in second hand tobacco smoke.
"This special one-day conference will bring together the key players in the smokefree movement and an opportunity not to be missed for anyone determined to improve their city by becoming smokefree."
Ends
For further details contact Roger Kenyon at Kenyon Fraser on 0151 706 9932.
Key findings and tourism survey details
300 visitors were interviewed at several city centre locations during August/ early September. A 91 per cent response rate was achieved.
42 per cent were international visitors, 58 per cent were regional or national visitors. This is in line with the latest Destination Benchmarking tourism survey for Liverpool.
73 per cent of respondents were non-smokers, 27 per cent were smokers.
The survey found:
76 per cent of visitors (including 36 per cent of smokers) are bothered by smoke in enclosed public places - 58 per cent are bothered a fair amount or a great deal.
80 percent of visitors stated that "it would not have made any difference to their decision" to visit Liverpool if they had thought that smoking was NOT allowed inside public places including tourism attractions, local transport, shops, pubs and restaurants in Liverpool. However, 15 per cent said that if they had thought Liverpool was smoke-free, it would have encouraged them even more to visit Liverpool compared to just 3 per cent who stated that they would have decided not to come to the city.
When asked whether they would be more or less likely to visit Liverpool in future if the city became smoke-free, 72 per cent of visitors stated that it would make no difference to them. However, 21 per cent said that they would be "more likely to visit in future" compared to 7 per cent who said they would be "less likely" to visit in future. Not surprisingly, these respondents were, respectively, non-smokers and smokers.
Visitors were also asked what difference it would make to their enjoyment of their time in Liverpool if all public places in the city including tourist attractions, local transport, pubs and restaurants were smoke-free. 55 per cent reported that they would enjoy their time in Liverpool more (35 per cent "a lot more") compared to just 8 per cent who stated that they would enjoy their time less.
Note to editors
SmokeFree Liverpool is working towards making Liverpool a SmokeFree city by 2008, the year the city celebrates its status as European Capital of Culture. A city where you can work, relax and play without fear of harming your health.
Smoke Free Liverpool Group is a partnership of members from the voluntary statutory sector and includes the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, Central, North and South Primary Care Trusts, Liverpool City Council's Environmental Health and Trading Standards Departments, Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, North West TUC, Health@Work, Scarman Trust and Liverpool Health Promotion Service.
Smoking kills and there are numerous medical studies to back this up. But tobacco doesn't just kill smokers, each year up to 100 people die in Liverpool as a direct result of inhaling second hand tobacco smoke.
Research carried out by SmokeFree Liverpool reveals that working alongside a smoker can increase a person's risk of heart disease and lung cancer by 30%.
In the UK many workplaces have already established smoke free policies but there are still many sectors including the hospitality industry where smoking is still tolerated. And it is in these areas where death rates from lung cancer are as high as 17%.
SmokeFree Liverpool believes everyone has the right to work, relax and play in a smokefree environment.
