Business leaders have urged people not to "demonise" tourists and second homeowners saying that they play an important part in Cornwall's economy.

There have been reports of increased visitor numbers in Cornwall this summer due to the Covid-19 pandemic restricting overseas travel and comments from some locals who fear that tourism is causing damage to the Duchy.

However, business leaders have said this week that there is a danger that criticising tourists and second home owners could drive them away.

Kim Conchie, chief executive of Cornwall Chamber of Commerce, said: "We mustn't get to the situation in Wales in the 1970s where they burned down second homes. You can't tar everyone with the same brush.

"Second home owners who are not buying their products and services from local people and not contributing to things like local shops and pubs, we are not happy with that.

"But Cornwall is leading the way with sustainable and regenerative tourism. We need to say that these people are welcome but this is how we want you to act – to support local businesses and services.

"There is a danger of demonising them. I understand why some people don't like it but a lot of people don't appreciate just how important tourism is. It is 33% of our GDP.

"Nobody asks you when you go into a shop whether you are a visitor or local but with Cornwall having 500,000 odd residents and 4million visitors a large proportion of customers in shops and businesses will be visitors."

Mr Conchie also highlighted that it is Cornish craftsmen and women who will be working to carry out repairs, decoration and improvements to holiday accommodation out of season and who will rely on that income.

And he said that second home owners would be willing to pay a good rate in return for the quality job they would get from Cornish workers.

He said: "We can't be in a poverty bubble because we are refusing to benefit from the rest of the world."

Mark Duddridge, chairman of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) agreed but said that it was important that tourism does not damage Cornwall.

"We mustn't demonise tourism. The fact that so many people come to spend their time here in Cornwall gives us such a huge boost and puts us on the map.

"But we also know that if you get it wrong you will damage the offer, it will get too busy. We have to make sure we don't damage it."

He said that Visit Cornwall and other organisations were doing a lot of work to see what can be done to make tourism more sustainable and also to try and extend the season so that tourism can be a year-round industry.

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