Prince Charles hosts British Tourism reception

British Tourism Week kicked off with a reception hosted by the Prince of Wales.

The week-long event, which will include conferences and other initiatives designed to highlight how vital the industry is to the British economy, started with a reception attended by around 200 tourism officials at the Tower of London.

The industry is worth around £85 billion to the UK economy, the BBC reports.

"Royal recognition of the importance of British Tourism Week will help us redefine both the image and the reality of British tourism in the important years ahead," commented Stephen Drowd, chairman of tourism week's executive council.

Prince Charles is also the patron of British Tourism Week.