Border guards told to cut waiting time of airport queues

Britain's border guards are to be told to cut queues at ports and airports to boost tourism to Britain, the Standard reveals today.

Applying for a visa to visit Britain will also be made faster and simpler with the opening of a network of visa biometric centres abroad.

The Border Agency, which is responsible for immigration controls, has been criticised for queues at airports. Chancellor George Osborne and tourism minister John Penrose are due to unveil the Government's tourism strategy on Friday.

Other proposals include moving the first bank holiday in May to April or October to lengthen the summer tourism season.

Ministers believe that tourism can become one of the three fastest-growing sectors in Britain, creating nearly 200,000 jobs and boosting the economy by an extra £36 billion by 2020.