Tourism - Winter 2005 - issue 122

TOURISM The Jour nal for the Tourism Industry

Quarter I 2005 Issue 122

IN THIS ISSUE • IN FOCUS Practicalities of Working in Tourism: Bob Cotton Lisa Francis Brandon Crimes Sarah Hague

PLUS: STOP PRESS • STOP PRESS • STOP PRESS • STOP PRESS

Book for Prospects 2005 now… …and add your views on what 2005 holds in store for tourism.

Being held at the Sofitel St. James Hotel in London Prospects continues to be one of the Society’s most popular annual events. On the panel and putting domestic, inbound, outbound and business tourism under the spotlight this year will be Stephen Dowd FTS, John Donnelly FTS, Michael Hirst FTS and Bill Maxwell FTS. See the booking form for more information.

To ensure that you don’t miss out book

NOW

• Inbound Tourism Stephen Dowd • Domestic Tourism Adrian Sanders • Widening the Access Anita Thornbury • Quality That Sells Alan Britten • Youth Travel Emma English

And: Membership News Meetings Reports Networks News

STOP PRESS • STOP PRESS • STOP PRESS • STOP PRESS email: admin@tourismsociety.org

•

website: www.tourismsociety.org

EDITORIAL Chairman’s Page

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It appears that there is no other industry so riddled by contradictions as tourism. We all love being tourists, yet we loathe visitors invading our local communities.

Tourism is widely recognised as a major job creator and the main, if not the only, regeneration force in many parts of the country. And yet, in a political sense, tourism is a poor relation to other industries; so badly regarded in some destinations that it doesn’t even get to sit at the table where important local decisions are being taken. It is enough, however, to walk the length and breadth of the cavernous Excel at the time of the World Travel Market to see the enormity of this industry and to sense the excitement and energy which tourism exudes.

2005 Spring Calendar of Events

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Inbound Tourism

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Domestic Tourism

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Special Feature: Quality That Sells

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The lack of political recognition for the role of tourism partially stems from the fact that, although it was estimated that the industry contributes c. 3.4% of total GDP, until recently there was very little information on the worth of each sector of tourism and how much it contributes to the local, regional and national economies.

Until the 1980s, tourism, unlike manufacturing, was not considered to be a real industry worth measuring. And yet the Pinney Memorandum of April 1944 to the government recommended: “The briefest consideration of the matter is sufficient to establish that, if a detailed classification of any country’s receipts from tourists were undertaken, they would be found to percolate into every division and sub-division of the national economy.” (The quote comes from the book British Tourism: The Remarkable Story of Growth by Victor Middleton to be published in spring 2005.)

Special Feature: Responsible Travel - There is no Time to Wait

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Special Feature: The Promise of Youth Travel

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Special Feature: Coach Travel Goes Budget

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Special Feature: Waiting for Tourism in Harrow...

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Generation X

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Meeting Reports: Travel and Tourism Media Masterclass Dark Tourism: Where do you Draw the Line Human Capital / Outdoor Capital

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Networks News

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Book Reviews

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This statement succinctly summarises what Tourism Satellite Accounting (TSA) methodology endeavours to measure today. Anyone outside of the tourism industry will be dazzled with the complexity of TSA information (clearly demonstrated by the presentations at the recent DCMS seminar on the subject), and astonished with the enthusiasm this set of statistics evokes in the industry. It isn’t perhaps so surprising when one realizes that TSA are first of all about the credibility of comparable economic information on tourism, clearly demonstrating the worth of the industry. At present this system of information gathering still has several flaws, allowing for many approximations and assumptions, but its significance is political. With this data at their disposal, tourism practitioners at all levels and in all sectors of the industry will be able to demand an ongoing commitment from their paymasters to the tourism cause. And this is likely to be facilitated even further by the EU legislation on TSA currently being prepared in Brussels, as confirmed by the EU commissioner who came to the TSA seminar to make this announcement.

News from The HQ

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Obituaries

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Membership News

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Anna Ryland - Guest Editor

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2004 In Focus

CONTENTS

In Focus: Hospitality: Mixing Business with Pleasure Tourism Training How To Get That Elusive Job Welcome To The Workplace

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Special Feature: Widening the Access

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This year’s Annual Conference on Event Tourism attracted nearly 90 delegates to Liverpool’s John Moores University in June.

© The Tourism Society, 1 Queen Victoria Terrace, Sovereign Court, London E1W 3HA Tel: 020 7488 2789 Fax: 020 7488 9148 Email: admin@tourismsociety.org Website: www.tourismsociety.org Registered in England No. 01366846 ISSN 0261 3700

From L to R: Simon Calder, Travel Editor for the Independent and Dan Cruikshank, BBC Correspondent and Travel Writer, speak at an event on TravelWriting in May

Alison Rice tells an audience of over 50 how not to deal with journalists at the Media Masterclass in September.

From L to R: John Lennon, co-author of ‘Dark Tourism: The Attraction of Death & Disaster’; Brian Human FTS, Chair of the Tourism Working Group, EHTF and Jim Trotman MTS from Lancaster Council sit on the panel for the highly popular ‘Dark Tourism’ event in November.

The subscription fees for 2004 are £72.00 (inland) and £80.00 (overseas) Guest editor - Anna Ryland Print In-Print Colour, Malton Tel: 01653 697261 Tourism is the journal of The Tourism Society. The views expressed in Tourism are those of individual authors and not necessarily those of The Tourism Society.

Whilst unsolicited material is welcomed, neither transparencies nor unpublished articles can be returned. The Tourism Society cannot be held responsible for any services offered by advertisers in Tourism. All correspondence must be addressed to The Editor.

Tourism is only available to members of The Tourism Society and on subscription, and is distributed quarterly to 1400 senior professionals working in national and regional tourist boards, local government, travel agencies and tour operators, visitor attractions, accommodation and catering, entertainment, information services, guiding, consultancies and education and training.

Adrian Clark FTS and Graham Wason FTS receive their retirement gifts at this year’s Annual Dinner at the Berners Hotel in November.

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Michael Anderson MTS, Managing Director, Web Marketplace Solutions Limited, 2a Railway Street, Beverley, East Yorkshire HU17 0DX Tel: 01482 871 846 Fax: 01482 865 618 E-mail: mikea@wmps.biz Website: www.wmps.biz Janet Beckett MTS, Head of Vocational Studies, The Armthorpe School, Mere Lane, Armthorpe, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN3 2DA Tel: 01302 831 582 Fax: 01302 300 757 E-mail: staff19@armthorpe.doncaster.sch.uk Su Beswick MTS, Tourism Marketing Consultant, Su Beswick Marketing, 22 Knowle House Close, Kingsbridge, Devon TQ7 1AN Tel: 01548 853 292 Mobile: 07968 905 373 E-mail: su@beswickmarketing.co.uk Christopher Curran MTS, Director of External Relations, Institute of Commercial Management, The Fusee, 20a Bargates, Christchurch BH23 1QL Tel: 01202 490 555 Fax: 01202 490 666 E-mail: ccurran@icm.ac.uk Website: www.icm.ac.uk Emma Dhesi MTS, PA, London 2012, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5LT Tel: 020 7093 5004 Fax: 020 7093 5001 E-mail: emma.dhesi@london2012.com Website: www.london2012.com Lisa Fox MTS, Co-ordinator, Regional Initiatives & Publications, World Travel & Tourism Council, 1-2 Queen Victoria Terrace, Sovereign Court, London E1W 3HA Tel: 0870 727 9882 Fax: 0870 728 9882 E-mail: lisafox@wttc.org Website: www.wttc.org Sarah Hague MTS, Tourism Development Database Assistant, The Mersey Partnership, 12 Princes Parade, Liverpool L3 1BG Tel: 0151 227 2727 Fax: 0151 227 2325 E-mail: sarah.hague@merseyside.org.uk Website: www.merseyside.org.uk Mike Lyon MTS, Director, Write Style Communications Ltd, 1 Verdon Place, Barford, Warwick CV35 8BT Tel: 01926 624 410 Fax: 01926 624 614 E-mail: mike@write-style.co.uk Website: www.write-style.co.uk

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Noreen McCain MTS, HR Management Consultant, VisitBritain, Thames Tower, Blacks Road, Hammersmith, London W6 9EL Tel: 020 8563 3063 Fax: 020 8563 3062 E-mail: noreen.mccain@visitbritain.org Website: www.visitbritain.com

David Thompson MTS, Account Director, PMS Marketing Ltd, 4 Stirling Park, Amy Johnson Way, Clifton Moor, York YO30 4WU Tel: 01904 690 004 E-mail: davidt@pmsml.co.uk Website: www.pmsml.co.uk

Reynald Naulleau MTS, Graduate, Ceram Sophia Antipolis, European School of Management, Les Pommettes, 85160 Saint Jean de Monts, France Tel: +33 06 19 06 65 08 E-mail: reynald@naulleau.com

Alison Whitfield MTS, Director, Ethos Marketing, 15 Station Road, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 5EZ Tel: 01403 243 619 Fax: 01403 217 558 E-mail: alison@ethosmarketing.co.uk Website: www.ethosmarketing.co.uk

Denise Otero MTS, Marketing Consultant, 5734 57th Way, West Palm Beach, Florida 33409 USA Tel: +1 561 801 3273 E-mail: denise1172@hotmail.com

STUDENTS

Eddie Ottmann MTS, Travel and Tourism, IMC, 3 Cumberland Close, St Margarets, Twickenham TW1 1RS Tel: 020 8892 9968 E-mail: eddie@integermc.co.uk Jo Owen MTS, Asistant Director of Sales, The Berners, Berners Street, London W1A 3BE Tel: 020 7666 2000 Fax: 020 7666 2001 E-mail: berners@berners.co.uk Website: www.jjwhotels.com Jennifer Pegg MTS, Thomson Learning EMEA, High Holborn House, 50/51 Bedford Row, London WC1R 4LR E-mail: jennifer.pegg@thomson.com Website: www.thomson.com Peta Shields MTS, Head of Department Tourism & Hospitality, Bridgend College, Cowbridge Road, Bridgend CF31 3DF Tel: 01656 302 231 Fax: 01656 663 912 E-mail:pshields@bridgend.ac.uk Madeline Stiles MTS, Chief Executive, The Historical Association, 59a Kennington Park Road, London SE11 4JH Tel: 020 7820 5980 Fax: 020 7582 4989 E-mail: mstiles@history.org.uk Website: www.history.org.uk Vanessa Thomas MTS, Managing Director, t3 Solutions, PO Box 214, Ashford, Middlesex, TW15 3WD Tel: 01784 257 257 Fax: 01784 257 257 E-mail: vanessa.thomas@t3solutions.co.uk Website: www.t3solutions.co.uk

Chair man’s thoughts David Curtis-Brignell FTS holidaymaker. First Olympia, then Olympia 1 and 2, then Earls Court (1 and 2) and now the massive sprawl that is Excel (to some, still contentious).

But back to nostalgia. What has happened over the past 25 years has changed so much about the industry, the way it works, where people travel (and where they travel less to). About the only thing that would not surprise someone cryogenically frozen in 1979 and warmed up in 2005, would be the price.

Bath Spa University College Rebecca King Yasmin-Holly Mears Rebecca Jordan Tiffany Nikki Thayer Matthew Touey Birmingham College of Food & Techology, Tourism & Creative Studies Nicola-Jayne Ambrose Katie Lamb University of Hertfordshire Disninder Bhogal Rebecca Liu Ekta Bimal Shah University of the Highlands and Islands Gillian Redmond Kings College London Naadiya Rawat London South Bank University Anisa Warsame Plymouth University Benjamin Brown Jordanka Dimitrova Salford University Belinda Davenport University of Westminster Farhan Abdi Clare Arouche Valentin Gabriel Avram Sharon Chou Nataliya Kazakova Xiaodong Wu

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ostalgia isn’t what it used to be. There are just too many anniversaries and commemorations than it’s possible for a respectable tourist industry to link in with. Where 2002 gave us the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and 2004 the 60th anniversary of D-Day, 2005 takes us further back (200 years in fact) for an excuse to celebrate Britain’s maritime history with Sea Britain.

Not that this is the first time – those of us who remember Maritime England will also remember A Taste of England, two long life promotions from the dear departed ETB (also recently revived by VisitBritain), that really started to get a wide range of tourism businesses involved in the industry back in the 1980s.

All of this came to mind when I was made aware that not only had I attended the World Travel Market this year, but that I had attended the 25th World Travel Market.

I confess that I missed the first one.

And without wishing to invite references to the kind of outerwear normally associated with trainspotters, I confess that I have not missed one since missing the first one.

Of course, in those days it was also a public show. Much has changed, not just the absence of the great British

Package holidays for under £100.

Coach travel between major British cities for £1, international flights for under £1 and yes – this is today, not the late 70s!

I may be using the wrong sources for research, but the only headline I got from a search of stories using the search criteria ‘Tourism headlines and 1979’ on a pretty important UK site, was "Brighton bares all" the story that the resort (now city) had given in to the naturist lobby and declared part of the beach "clothes-free."

Air Europe and others. The latter, well we know, don’t we...

We can now book a holiday without writing off for the ‘official guide’ waiting a week then finding that to seek accommodation we had to cut out and post a form to the Information Bureau. We can see colour, 360 degree images of the ensuite room we are considering booking and can check the menu and the establishment’s GM statement – even for small B&Bs. We can drive from London to Cornwall in less than a week even without the assistance of an AA route map detailing every traffic light en route.

CHAIRMAN’S PAGE

MEMBERSHIP NEWS

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

Another change, that was long overdue, is that we can find out how accessible the accommodation or attraction is for disabled tourists.

October 1st 2004 is certainly a date we should be celebrating and commemorating in future years. What are we waiting for then? Probably the first prosecution under the DDA.

We had to wait another three years for Laker Airways to go bust, eight years for Windsor Castle to catch fire, 15 years for the Channel Tunnel to open.

We have had two Gulf wars (one at the time of writing which has officially ended but...) both of which had significant effects on travel and tourism. The first resulted in the demise of ILG, 3

2005 spring calendar of events JANUARY

27th Regional Food and Drink: A British Tourism Asset A joint event with VisitBritain and FoodFromBritain The Bonnington in Bloomsbury, London

MARCH

31st 'Increase Profitability through Quality & Customer Delivery' in the London Hospitality & Tourism Market A joint event with the Guild of Travel & Tourism The Berners Hotel, London

Tbc How safe are our visitors? Crisis Management & Security Issues London

Tbc Conference on Traditional Music & Tourism Tourism Society Scotland, Glasgow

FEBRUARY 1st Partneriaeith Newydd – New Ways of Working Tourism Society Wales event Copthorne Hotel, Cardiff 8th An International Convention Centre for London?

A joint discussion event with ACE The Berners Hotel, London TBC 16th Careers for Tourism Students University of Westminster, London 4

3rd Annual BTTF Q&A Discussion Politicians under the Spotlight Joint with UKInbound NEC, Birmingham

Tbc Tourism in a Glass: Whisky as a Stimulant Tourism Society Scotland Auchentoshan Distillery, Clydebank

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ulsome tributes have already been paid to Lord Parry of Neyland, who died in his sleep at his home in Llangwm on 1st September 2004, at the age of 78. He has been described with affection as ‘part of the fabric of Wales’, renowned for his ability as an ambassador and orator, his charitable work and his legendary skills as ‘an accomplished arm twister’.

Born Gordon Parry, he trained as a teacher. Made a life peer in 1975, he went on to make a distinctive contribution to the Upper Chamber as a gifted speaker, and by instituting the much acclaimed annual St David’s Day luncheon.

Lord Parry served as Chairman of the Wales Tourist Board from 1978 to 1984, at a time of great change for tourism and for the Board itself.

For more information, suggestions or sponsorship please contact:

To book your place at these events please contact Flo or visit our website www.tourismsociety.org

The chapel in Neyland was full to overflowing, and a large crowd stood outside in the September sunshine, as people from all walks of life came to celebrate Lord Parry’s life. This was a truly joyous occasion, marked appropriately by an enthusiastic rendering of traditional hymns and eloquent tributes laced with humorous anecdotes and poignant memories.

All of those who knew and had the good fortune to work with Gordon Parry will remember him as a true son of Pembrokeshire, an inspired ambassador for Wales and a tireless worker for charitable causes. We extend our sympathies to his daughter Catherine, who lost both her parents within such a short space of time, and to the family.

R. Elwyn Owen

Katrine Prince OBE FTS 1939 – 2004

©The Tourism Society 2004

Flo Powell Meetings Executive E: flo@tourismsociety.org T: 020 7488 2789

Tourist operators were facing great uncertainties, as they sought to understand and get to grips with mounting competition from sunshine holiday destinations. Concurrently, the Wales Tourist Board was seeking to consolidate its position as a statutory agency, charged with guiding a disparate industry during a period of structural change within the Welsh economy. Lord Parry’s renowned skills as a communicator, coupled with his ability to engage with people from all walks of life, equipped him well during this exciting period and he established a lasting reputation as an ambassador for tourism and for Wales. He was instrumental in putting Wales on the international tourism map, and he helped lay the foundations for a more confident and professional tourism industry.

OBITUARIES

EVENTS

10th Prospects Sofitel St James Hotel, London

23rd eMarketing for Tourist Destinations Joint with the University of Surrey, University of Surrey, Guildford

Lor d Parry Of Neyland

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ith the tragic death of Katrine Prince on 10 September 2004, we have lost an inspirational force that transformed the tourist guiding profession. From the moment Katrine qualified as a London Blue Badge guide thirty years ago, she devoted her considerable intellect and energy to developing tourist guide training and the requisite professional organisational structures both in the UK and worldwide. This outstanding personal contribution was recognised with the award of the OBE in 1999.

In 1998 Katrine accepted The Tourism Society’s Annual Award on behalf of Blue Badge guides. She worked tirelessly to increase the standing, both in the UK and internationally, of the profession of tourist guiding,

culminating in 2002 in the establishment of the Institute of Tourist Guiding as the government approved standard setting body for the sector. It stands as a lasting legacy of Katrine’s life’s work.

Katrine was Director of Studies for the London Blue Badge course from 1985 to 2002. Over 700 London Blue Badge guides qualified under her tutelage. With her extraordinary gifts, she nurtured each and every one, inspiring them with her enthusiasm and enabling them to reach their full potential. She transformed the course with her visionary concept of the essence of good tourist guiding: the marriage of knowledge and practical guiding skills. This is now known internationally by the title of her influential book, The Art of Guiding.

Katrine revolutionised tourist guiding not only in the UK but in other countries worldwide, from Florence to Fiji. Until the last week of her life she was closely involved in the European Federation of Tourist Guide Associations. Her paper and subsequent workshop on Comparative Guide Training throughout Europe were first steps towards the establishment of a common platform

for tourist guide training across Europe. Her criteria for a Europe-wide language test for tourist guides, based on the system developed in the UK, were approved earlier this year.

Following a bone marrow transplant two years ago, she was mainly confined to her home, with occasional forays to various parts of the UK and Europe to catalyse new courses, to run Communication Seminars, to lead workshops for guide trainers or examiners and, as always, to give unstintingly her advice, time and expertise. Undeterred and, though frail, more indomitable than ever, she became Deputy President of the Institute of Tourist Guiding in March and was looking forward to assuming the Presidency in November. She continued to make a unique contribution to the Institute right up until the last week of her life.

We shall all miss Katrine’s warmth, generosity, sense of humour and zest for life. She leaves her husband, Martin, two sons, Philipp and Christophe, and her sister, Brigitte.

Fiona Grant MTS and Tom Hooper MTS 29

News from the HQ

The China Syndr ome Stephen Dowd FTS

Carrie England, Flo Powell and Mark Jakobsen are your Secretariat Staff and welcome contact from members at all times, on any subject! Feel free to get in touch by email, phone, fax or snail mail to request information about events, update your contact details, pass on a comment about any aspect of Society membership – or just for a chat!

THANKS.. …to all those members who so generously donated to the retirement funds of Adrian Clark (Director) and Graham Wason (Chairman). We were able to buy a suitcase and digital camera for Adrian’s retirement travels and a luxurious hamper to remind Graham of us during Christmas!

Check out the photo page to see Adrian and Graham receiving their gifts at the Annual Dinner.

LETTERS PAGE From the next edition of the journal onwards, we’d like to include a page of letters from members. These can be on any subject and you can email, fax or post them to us. Comment on an article from a previous journal, an event you’ve been to, a book you’ve read, a great website you’ve come across – anything at all that you’d like to share with your fellow members.

MEMBERS NEWS Have you recently changed jobs, been promoted, got married, had a baby, won an award? Then we’d like to hear from you so that we can include it on our forthcoming Members News page of the journal. Go on, tell us what you’ve been up to lately!

PROSPECTS SURVEY Have you filled the survey form in yet, to let us know what you think will happen to the industry in 2005?

The survey is on the back of the Prospects booking form contained in this journal, or online at www.tourismsociety.org and the results will be presented at the event on 10th January 2005 at the Sofitel St James Hotel, London. Join us for one of the best events in the TS calendar!

MEMBERSHIP QUESTIONNAIRE We want to know what you think about the Tourism Society! Please fill in the survey at www.tourismsociety.org and make your opinion count. We want to be a Society you’re proud to belong to, one that gives you value, relevance and opportunities to interact. So get involved and let us know how and what to improve!

PARTICIPATION Got a hot topic you’d like to see the TS hold an event / discussion meeting / seminar on? E-mail your ideas to us and we’ll see if we can fit it into the calendar and organise it. Got a great idea for a journal article that you or someone you know would like to write? Let Mark know!

Interested in sponsoring a TS event, or providing a venue, audio-visual or other services? We’d love to hear from you! Sponsoring all or part of a TS event is a great way to raise your brand or company awareness amongst a targeted audience of travel industry professionals. Preferential rates for members – give Flo a call to discuss further!

Until the mid-1990s, and before the introduction of the Approved y every measurable criteria Destination Status (ADS) scheme, China is the sluggish giant of Chinese Nationals could only travel the world economy. Despite abroad for business or education, sustained growth, well above global except for some rare ‘sponsored or averages in both industrial output and self-paid’ trips. Under ADS China GDP for almost 20 years, this vast would agree with individual country, home to 20% of the world’s countries, or groups of countries in population, still remains outside the some cases, a strictly controlled top five global economies, lagging system to allow Chinese tourists to behind such relative minnows as visit that destination. It often comes as Germany, France and, yes, the UK. a surprise to learn that only National However, if current growth is Tourism Organisations of ADS maintained, and there is every countries are allowed to operate in indication it should, China will find China, and equally stringent rules itself the second largest economy in govern the sales and marketing the world by 2020. activities of travel agents and tour Then the real operators within ...it is vital that the UK challenge will China. achieve ADS as soon as begin. Being a distant second to possible...

The rising the USA, who prosperity of a currently have less Chinese middle than a quarter of China’s population class fascinated with an outside but over six times the economic world, that most have seen only might, could well be an through TV, means that China’s uncomfortable position to be in, as increasingly robust consumerism is Japan discovered over the last being led by outbound tourism. In decade. Moreover, if, as some fact, demand already outweighs predict, China is to become the supply even in relation to 34 economic powerhouse for the second countries now within the ADS half of this century, it needs to build scheme. The UK is one of a number sustainable, new-economy industries of countries currently negotiating an that provide employment for a new ADS deal but, although we believe generation of educated, city-dwelling agreement is close, no workers. Like most growing announcements had been made at economies, the Chinese recognise the time of writing this article. that, amongst others, tourism is a great solution to this problem.

It is vital that the UK achieve ADS as

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INBOUND

advantage of the In just over 20 years ...only National Tourism opportunities that China built an the current and impressive domestic Organisations of ADS liberalisation and inbound countries are allowed to future of Chinese tourism operate in China... outbound travel infrastructure and regulations will enjoyed enviable provide. The World Tourism growth, but only in recent years has it Organisation’s latest estimate is that recognised that outbound tourism is a Chinese outbound tourism will grow vital part of the tourism equation. This from under 18 million trips in 2004 to would seem lethargic behaviour in over 100 million by 2020, making it our fast-paced, high-tech society, but the fastest growing market in the for cultural and political reasons world. change comes much more slowly in China.

Currently 85% of all Chinese outbound tourism is to South East Asia, with just 9% heading to Europe. However, this is likely to change quickly as 12 European countries joined the ADS club this year. The UK has to catch-up with its closest competitors, but we can take heart form the fact that many Chinese people regard Britain as a ‘must see’ destination. Moreover, the Chinese are among the top spenders when travelling abroad. Although notoriously tough negotiators on basic package prices, they more than make up for this on arrival, spending $2100 for an average 12 day trip.

ADS, however, is only a short term solution if China is serious about their policy of "Building a World Tourism Power and Developing a New Mainstay Industry". To achieve its ambitious plans it will require a fundamental shift away from the present ‘planned, organised and controlled’ tourism industry to a fullblooded embrace of the free market business environment. The giant is waking up but isn’t ready to sprint just yet.

Stephen Dowd FTS is Chief Executive, UKinbound (formerly The British Incoming Tour Operators Association)

soon as possible to take full 28

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Banking on mor e holidays

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eople on the Continent and in North America enjoy far more public holidays than we do. Not only do their economies survive the extra days off, but their domestic tourism industry benefits greatly.

What better way to encourage people to take a day trip or short break enjoying the attractions of their country than to increase the numbers of Bank Holidays in the UK. Encouraging people to use their time off in the UK would be the key to making the extra Bank Holidays work for the UK economy and the tourism sector in particular. Those who have to work during public holidays could use their day in lieu later to visit an attraction, resort or amenity. The emphasis should be on encouraging UK residents to visit UK attractions out of season, especially the traditional holiday areas like Cornwall, Wales and Scotland as well as our coastal and inland resorts, national parks and themed attractions.

The UK currently has around a £15 billion deficit in the balance of payments in the tourism sector. Much of this is due to the decline in overseas tourism to the UK as a result of international terrorism, but also continuously growing number of Brits taking their ...there is holidays abroad.

The bank holiday

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would alleviate weekend gives a ...more bank holidays stress from a lot of majority of people families! an opportunity to would be an excellent get out of the house mechanism of exceeding Tomorrow’s Tourism and take a day trip this target with no cost to Today, a recent or a short break. document Day trips are vital the public purse... published by the to UK tourism, Department of bringing nearly £30 Culture Media and Sport, has per person per visit to the industry. communicated the new growth target Around 1,261 million such trips are for the tourism industry - £100 billion made every year; therefore an by 2010. Some industry increase in public holidays would commentators feel that this is a target only boost the economy. An increase easily achievable through normal in the number of bank holidays growth. More bank holidays would be coupled with a good marketing an excellent mechanism of exceeding campaign to encourage domestic this target with no cost to the public tourism would have a direct effect on purse. the balance of payments.

It should also benefit local tourism.

My constituents, for example, would have more time to see the delights of Torbay which are on their doorstep. I believe that a departure from the single annual holiday, and the May/August bank holiday getaway rush would definitely benefit local attractions.

One of the key ways to make extra bank holidays even more successful is to combine them with a marketing strategy. People need to be reminded about unique attractions on their doorsteps, but they also need the time to visit them. Three more bank holidays can be the answer to this issue - benefiting the economy and the tourism industry.

The idea of an ...day trips are vital to UK autumn bank tourism, bringing nearly holiday is a superb one for families £30 per person per visit to with school-age the industry... children. It is currently believed that 29% of parents who take their children out of school for a family holiday do so because of job requirements and holiday entitlement.

An extra bank holiday would not only allow parents to spend more time with their children over the autumn half-term break but to take holidays when the schools are closed.

The extra holidays may also calm the rush and the traffic jams of the existing long weekends as people will have more choice about when they take their weekend breaks or visit relatives. The August and May jams would no doubt hopefully be spread the sector would see a over more marked improvement... weekends. This

Adrian Sanders MP is the Liberal Democrat Spokesman for Tourism

Food is one of the main focuses which, for such a short book with such a grand title makes it rather repetitive, but may be representative in that food is the main focus.

There are some bizarre, almost ridiculous analogies included between, for example, cruising and the Garden of Eden, cruising and using the internet, which often make very little sense and have no real conclusion. The book has muddled aims as it is descriptive in some senses, yet attempts to apply quite complex contexts to cruising. Some of the contexts introduced such as semiotics and cruising, sociological analysis, and psychoanalytical interpretation are thought provoking, but unfortunately ‘introduced’ is a key term here as the book does not get beyond introducing them which can make it frustrating to read.

On the whole, the book is perhaps more appropriate as a cruise guide rather than for academic purposes,

continued from page 22 myth and sensationalism that need not be a part of the experience.

Jim Trotman MTS, Principal Tourism Officer, Lancaster City Council: ‘Homesick Tourism: Germany’ This lecture deals with a little known part of recent European history, the flight of over 16 million Germans from Eastern Europe as a direct result of the Second World War. Prior to the Second World War rulers and political boundaries often changed but people remained in their homes.

This mass exodus, second only to the mass movement of people following

although it is thought provoking for students and academics. It is less of a cultural analysis and more of a sales pitch on the whole with limited direction and purpose. The title is deceptive as there is a dearth of cultural analysis, but is very much descriptive narrative. Overall useful as a reference tool for some cruising logistics, and quite an interesting read for the layman, but for a tourism specialist or undergraduate student it is very limited in its usefulness mainly due to the descriptive nature of the chapters, but also due to the short length of the whole book which does not allow some of the more academic themes to develop fully.

Alethea Sellars Senior Lecturer Tourism Management, University of Hertfordshire

Title: Tourism Management Author: Neil Leiper Pulblisher: Pearson Hospitality Press, 2004 ISBN: 1-86250-533-0 Number of pages: 411 pages Price: £33.25 This, the third edition of Neil Leiper’s textbook, builds admirably on the excellent groundwork established by its predecessors. The major revisions from the second edition comprise the inclusion of discussion questions and supplementary reading lists at the end of each of chapter, and the addition

the partition of India in 1947, brought to an end over 700 years of settlement across central and eastern Europe. People often refer to May 1945 as the time when the killing in Europe stopped. It did not. Over 3 million Germans perished as a direct result of the expulsions from the East, either as they fled ahead of the Red Army, or were subsequently deported from their traditional homes, extending from the Baltic Coasts to the Steppes of Russia and the Sudetenland. Since the end of communism in Eastern Europe, travel has become much easier and it has become possible for people to trace their roots.

of several new diagrams. The discussion questions are thought provoking and seem eminently suited either to assisting individual readers to consolidate their learning or as prompts to help initiate lively group discussions. The supplementary reading lists are up to date and serve as excellent signposts to further study.

But it is the innovative approach and highly penetrative writing style that stand out as the most impressive features of this book. In particular, Leiper’s writing style, which manages to be expositional yet at the same time sharply incisive, continues to impress. Leiper presents his ideas in a manner that is at the same time both down-to-earth and erudite. This challenges readers to re-think their assumptions and build their understanding of the subject on more substantial foundations.

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DOMESTIC

Adrian Sanders MP

such detail to the trade press.

Berger's compulsion to include lists on food consumption, menus and activities does make the book oversimplified in places, and reduces the academic nature of the book thus making it more appropriate for Further Education students or serving a purpose for the cruise novice who is interested in cruising as more than just a holiday.

Above all, this is a very thoughtful book. While many tourism textbooks include industry professionals among their intended readership, few are as well suited to the interests of such readers as this book. Academics, students and tourism managers alike will benefit from the exercise it will give to their brains.

Brian Garrod MTS University of Wales, Aberystwyth

Today, 'homesick tourism' is now bringing many Germans back to their former homes and regular trains now run between Berlin and cities like Danzig (Gdansk) and Kõnigsberg (Kaliningrad). In some areas, many buildings have survived. The economic benefits of tourism now appear to outweigh any remaining ethnic animosity. Time is beginning to heal the hatred of the past and it is tourism that is helping to bring people back together and foster better understanding between nations.

Ros Forster MTS and Mark McTique MTS both work for the Lancaster City Council 27

Title: The Global Nomad: Backpacker Travel in Theory and Practice Credits: Ed. Greg Richards and Julie Wilson Publisher: Channel View Publications, 2004 ISBN: 1-873150-76-8 Number of pages: 298 Price: £24.95 Backpackers have grown in number and status over the past decade to the extent that they now represent a significant force in global tourism.

Until now, much has been assumed about their patterns of behaviour, their travel itineraries, and their contribution to the destinations they seek for that 'authentic' backpacking experience. In many ways, this very welcome and highly readable book shatters many of the myths about backpacking and suggests that far greater forces are at play in the moulding of backpacker motivations, needs, expectations and impacts.

There is perhaps an argument that nullifies the use of the term backpacker in the contemporary literature as the phenomenon has taken on such a dynamic in recent years.

I commend the editors for bringing together a very knowledgeable team of contributors who together have managed to provide a very critical overview of backpacking in all its forms, dimensions, and destinations.

Perhaps the only weakness of the book, and it is a small one, is the dominance of examples from Australia and New Zealand. I have no doubt that the book will serve as an essential purchase for students, especially those completing final year or masters dissertations, as will it also be a catalyst I feel for academics wishing to research this growing domain of interest, especially in new destinations. In conclusion, this is an excellent book which comes highly recommended!

Alan Fyall MTS Reader in Tourism Management International Centre for Tourism & Hospitality Research Bournemouth University

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Title: Internet Guide to Travel Health Credits: Elizabeth Connor Publisher: The Haworth Information Press, 2004 ISBN: 0-7890-1824-1 Number of pages: 134 Price: £8.33 This text, "the one-stop resource for reliable information on preventing and dealing with health problems while travelling", draws primarily upon English language travel information websites (400+), from a North American perspective (the UK is a secondary reference point), with the material organised into eight chapters: 1. An introduction to health related web usage.

2. General travel health sites (30 sites) eg British Airways Travel Clinics.

3. Pre-travel planning (32 sites) eg checklists, health documentation, vaccinations.

4. Specific issues and concerns (100 sites) eg accidents, disabilities, travelling with pets.

5. Diseases, conditions and ailments (125 sites) eg allergies, yellow fever.

6. Interactive tools (25 sites), very few are of any direct relevance to the non-North American traveller 7. Organisations (23 sites) publishing travel health literature eg World Health Organisation.

8. Full-text publications (43 sites) drawn from educational, governmental and commercial sites eg Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Whilst not exhaustive, or indeed entirely accurate from a UK perspective (eg TRAVAX is only interactive if you are a subscribing health professional), this text does provide an extensive website directory. Given this, it is likely to be of relevance to the academic and practising tourism community, both of whom need to be concerned about health and safety risk management. If consulted alongside works such as Dawood’s (2002, Traveller’s Health – How to Stay Healthy Abroad. 4th Edn. Oxford University Press: Oxford.) comprehensive and accessible book on traveller’s health, this text will

Hospitality: mixing business with pleasur e Bob Cotton OBE FTS

provide a useful addition to the tourism literature.

Philippa Hunter-Jones MTS Manchester Metropolitan University

Title: Review of Ocean Travel and Cruising: A Cultural Analysis Author: Arthur Asa Berger, PhD Publisher: The Haworth Hospitality Press, NY. 2004 ISBN: 0-7890-2197-8 Number of pages: 126 Price: $39.95 Cruising as a topic has received little attention in the academic arena. As a growth area that is increasingly appealing to a wide client base, Berger has made an attempt to fill that void with a concise and accessible book which is written in plain English, using very little jargon so is easy to understand. Much of the narrative within all chapters can be accused of stating the obvious, but with an unexplored topic such as cruising perhaps it needs stating.

However some of this is a good introduction to not only cruising but tourism as a subject area, therefore good for the non-specialist.

On the whole, Berger gives a reasonable insight into the world of cruising from a first hand perspective, and hints at what goes on behind the scenes. The personal style does limit the extent to which the reader can take for granted what he is saying as true for all cruises as the study is based on a very small sample of the cruise product.

Many of the more academically focussed elements are taken directly from the Dickinson & Vladimir book which, although becoming dated, is still one of the better books on cruising to date.

Due to the shortness of the chapters, some of the finer details are a little tedious, i.e. those on food consumption, but students often like such facts at their finger tips.

However some of the facts and figures will date the book very quickly so it may be better to leave

B

ritain’s hotel, restaurant, leisure and tourism industry is worth over £75bn to the economy of the country, providing 2million jobs in some 300,000 separate establishments. And Britain attracts 13million overseas visitors every year.

Not only is the industry the main – sometimes the only – economic generator in some regions of the country, it is also a key support element in hospitals and nursing homes, schools and colleges, offices and factories, and in the army, navy and air force. What’s more, the industry continues to grow, with more hotels and restaurants opening every year than ever before.

These are the bare facts – not often recognised - of what is Britain’s largest service industry. In London alone, tourism keeps the capital’s transport system and taxis going, its restaurants and pubs busy, its theatres, museums and other attractions open, and its retailers happy. For example, overseas visitors contribute every year £100m to London buses and tube system, 25% of all taxi fares, and 30% of theatre tickets. What’s more, they keep coming back – 50% of them are repeat visitors.

There is thus hardly a region of Britain that does not benefit from the tourism and hospitality industry, with many regions depending on it. It provides large-scale job and career opportunities. Yet, as an industry, it

suffers from severe skill and people shortages. Why is this? Research carried out by Springboard UK, the industry’s recruitment and career advisory organisation, tends to support anecdotal evidence: the industry’s image of long, unsocial hours, hard work, and poor pay puts off parents, careers advisers and young people themselves.

towards improving its employment practices. To begin with, there are over 30 universities with degree courses, and several hundred other colleges running supervisory and craft courses. Spread throughout the country, these colleges are teaming up with local employers to offer a wide range of NVQs and other qualifications.

In fact, the industry offers skilled people almost unlimited opportunities – in craft work, such as the kitchen or restaurant, front of house or back stage, as well as supervisory or management positions. A trained graduate can become a manager of a hotel, restaurant or leisure attraction in their early twenties, with commensurate salaries. The manager of a top London hotel earns a six figure sum; top line chefs are equally well paid. Talented chefs and customer-service staff are in huge demand, and all have the opportunity to work in this country or abroad; hotel and catering skills are international.

There have also been national initiatives, such as the launch of the Best Practice Forum, of which the British Hospitality Association is the lead member. The Forum is designed to provide positive and practical help to every business in the industry, but it is particularly aimed at the 250,000-plus small and mediumsized hospitality establishments. The Forum’s programme - Profit Through Productivity – has now absorbed the association’s Excellence Through People programme, which encourages hospitality businesses to improve their employment practices, so that they measure up to the best.

At the same time, many of the industry’s traditional unsocial employment practices, such as split shifts, are disappearing, though the nature of the 24-hour industry means that many sectors can never close.

Nevertheless, a five- day week and regular holidays are now commonplace.

What’s attractive about the industry?

Firstly, there’s a sense of excitement – every day is different. The industry is ideal for those with creative skills, and for those who like meeting people. Almost every establishment depends on staff with customer care skills. Yes, sometimes the pressure of work is intense, and people need a sense of humour when working in the industry. They also need to enjoy working in a team. But there’s a huge sense of satisfaction to be gained when customers are happy and keep coming back.

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It’s no coincidence that both of these schemes are primarily concerned with the recruitment and retention of skilled labour through improved employment and operational practices. As the industry continues to grow (over £1.2 billion has been invested in new hotels in the last 18month period), a high and largely unsatisfied demand for skilled labour has almost inevitably followed.

Employers recognise this. Labour costs amount to as much as 30% of total revenue (and even more in some hotels), but the Best Practice Forum provides the means to enable hospitality businesses to become more efficient. At the same time, it is important that every business – even the best - raises its standards even further to meet growing international competition. continued on page 10

Relying on the quality of its staff, the industry has taken several steps 7

Tourism training fr om a Welsh perspective

The kangar oo connection

Lisa Francis AM

John Alwyn-Jones FTS

IN FOCUS

I

nterestingly and optimistically, three years post foot and mouth disease (FMD) and five years post devolution in Wales, there is now a general recognition among tourism operators that improving quality services and facilities in the industry is equal to an increase in all-yearround visitor spend. For many, this had led to year-round employment as opposed to just seasonal job opportunities.

Whilst we would probably all agree that it took the tragedy of FMD to highlight the importance of tourism UK wide, I believe that it took devolution and the creation of the Welsh Assembly's Economic Development Committee to recognise the contribution that tourism was making to the Welsh economy.

Certainly, since 1999, the Welsh administration's relationship with the Wales Tourist Board has become dynamic and more demanding. As a result, there has been a marked growth in certain tourism areas and a much greater emphasis placed upon the importance of marketing Wales as a visitor destination.

Recent labour market research has shown that 90,000 people are employed in tourism in Wales, nearly 8% of the total workforce. However, the nature of the business remains mostly small - around 6,000 micro businesses employing fewer than ten people. Many of these are family run.

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Cultural tourism and the unique 'pulling power' of the Welsh language also give Wales something very special to offer.

So how do we provide for the training needs of those who want to develop a career within the tourism industry and those who ceaselessly complain about a dearth of skilled and professional help? Some changes are underway and one of the most positive one is the the emergence of Tourism Training for Wales (TTFW). It is a relief that they are now 'out there' to help tourism operators and to encourage those who are looking for a career within the industry. Not only are they working to bridge the gap which exists between tourism businesses and educationalists, but they are also supportive of businesses who are committed to investing in staff skills and knowledge. The recent launch of their new, easy-to-navigate website "whodoiask.com" will be an absolute boon to small tourism operators in Wales.

Offering training and development opportunities is obviously significant in retaining staff who are keen to progress. In Wales over the last few years, in-house training and mentoring have proved extremely successful. For small accommodation providers, it makes sense for training courses to be available locally. Wales needs more of them, and providers need to be aware of the idiosyncrasies and fragile timetables that are part and parcel of a small business.

Higher expectations with regard to career progression and earning potential will clearly affect the number of people wanting to work in tourism, and there is a need to provide relevant courses. However, whilst learning provision may be deemed sufficient in terms of the number of tourism and hospitality courses available in Wales, these courses do not necessarily reflect the needs of the industry.

As one of my more cynical hotelier friends put it : "Training is the political master's answer to job creation".

It's imperative that filling training places doesn't just become a 'bums on seats exercise'. Students need to enrol on these courses because they feel they are entirely appropriate for them, and not just as a means to an end.

Whilst four years ago it took FMD to demonstrate that for far too long tourism in the UK had gone without a voice, here in Wales, devolution is enabling us to assess and properly examine the needs of the tourism industry.

Lisa Fancis AM is the Conservative Welsh Language & Culture Spokesman in the National Assembly for Wales

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s advances in information technology make the world smaller, the opportunities for sharing best practice and skills globally are becoming easier and more relevant.

It is no different in the tourism industry, and from our perspective here in Australia we see an increasing number of global corporations beginning to dominate our business world.

It, therefore, made a great deal of sense to consider developing an alliance between the newly formed Australia Travel and Tourism Professionals and the long established Tourism Society. During my visit to Britain last year, we have discussed with Adrian Clark the ways in which we could develop an alliance between Australia and the UK. When we formed ATTP here in Australia some twelve months ago, our objectives were similar to those The Tourism Society had nurtured and developed for many years – therefore the synergies were clear and the alliance made a great deal of sense.

A few months of ‘tooing’ and ‘froing’ the final Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) emerged in early September 2004 - to be signed by the Chairman of The Tourism Society, David CurtisBrignell and the President of ATTP, Faye Alexander. It was formally announced at an ATTP cocktail reception at the Kaminski Gallery in the Rocks Sydney, on 17 September.

What is the meaning of MoU? It exists to express the areas of future professional cooperation and understanding between The Tourism Society in the United Kingdom and Australia Travel and Tourism Professionals of Sydney in Australia (ATTP), and demonstrates that both organisations exist to lead the industry in their respective countries to higher levels of professionalism, providing a forum for communication and training within the industry.

It also serves to facilitate an exchange and communication of views and expertise between the two organisations to mutual benefit.

Both organisations have agreed to create an annual plan or strategy to maximise mutual benefits arising from the memorandum.

This interaction will take many forms and will evolve with time in accordance with the demands of the tourism industry, but in the meantime some of the terms of the MoU are as follows: • Members of the ATTP will be eligible for full membership of the TS on receipt of payment of a subscription amounting to 50% of TS membership subscription fee (for the UK-based members), at the time of joining.

ATTP on receipt of payment of a subscription equivalent to 50% of ATTP membership subscription fee (for Australia-based membership), at the time of joining.

• The ATTP and The TS will refer to this agreement on its website, in their annual directory, in their regular journals, in their newsletters and in other forms of communication as appropriate.

• The TS and the ATTP will be honorary members of each society and will receive one copy of all relevant documentation for their central administrative offices.

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Four days notice of Those of us who ...the recent launch of their a course is not are lucky enough to enough when live in Wales will new, easy-to-navigate may have know that it is the website “whodoiask.com” operators to re-schedule staff breathtakingly will be an absolute boon rotas, have a beautiful and dramatic landscape to small tourism operators wedding booked, or even have to which draws in Wales arrange transport visitors here, for their staff especially because the rural bus service has enthusiasts of outdoor activities been withdrawn! Course providers, wonderfully loyal visitors not afraid of please take note! the vagaries of the weather!

• The TS is establishing the TS International Network. The ATTP will automatically be a member of this network.

• The agreement will run for 12 months from the date of signing this memorandum, and will be renewed automatically for further years until either party gives a written notice, of at least three months, to the other with the intention of cancelling or amending the agreement.

Clearly, the responsibility for implementing this agreement rests with all of us. It is up to us to ensure that our respective management structures and committees work for the mutual benefit of both organisations and their members.

• Members of The Tourism Society shall be eligible for full membership of the

Tourism Society Consultants Group October saw another new initiative by The Tourism Society Consultants Group when they hosted the first events in a new seminar programme entitled "Selling your services at Home or Away, You can make it Pay". Responding to calls from both TS members and non-members, and at the request of co sponsor UKTI United Kingdom Trade and Investment), the Government agency with responsibility for encouraging exports, two special events were organised. The aim was to give UK tourism consultants networking opportunities, and a forum in which they could discuss how to maximise profitable openings for new business by working overseas.

For reviews on the events please visit our website at www.tourismsociety.org 25

How to get that elusive job

John Walsh-Heron FTS

team player. It is select those ...become familiar with the imperative that you individuals that are highly motivated, travel recruitment adverts research the you want articulate, numerate and agencies long before industry to work in. Sadly so and for graduate you graduate... many students do employment, can not recognise that demonstrate not the professional only advanced bodies in tourism, like the Tourism interpersonal skills, but those of a Society, are here to help you manage ‘strategic thinker.’ your career and studies, the take up of student membership of these So what can you do to track down bodies is fairly modest. Consider this that perfect job? not as a cost, but as an on going investment in your own career path.

Firstly you have to be honest with yourself, what are you looking for in Maximise your placement experience life and what type of challenges do and ensure that the contacts you you respond to? Ask yourself those he academic year is now fully made are kept informed of your awkward questions about not only underway and students are career movements after you have your weaknesses, but where you see getting into some sort of routine finished University. If you are yourself in five, ten or even twenty before they are assessed, examined considering a gap year, always try and years time. This way you will start to and reminded about placements and fix up a job to return to. It may not be plan a career path towards the types ultimately employment. Most the ultimate job you are considering, of jobs you could apply for. You can undergraduates on tourism but to return after a gap year to seek guidance from family and programmes have a strong desire to nothing is a long road back into ‘critical friends’. Talk to those people work in the industry, but it is with employment. Again, do not just drift, you identify with success and trace some regret that we let students down but manage your expectations and their path that led to success. We through careers advice that is very aspirations. cannot all be the next Stelios or general and limited in scope. I have Richard Branson! But you will soon often wanted to ask careers advisors Become familiar with the travel recognise the sorts of qualities and how many graduates have become recruitment adverts and agencies long qualifications that are needed to travel agents? All jobs they could before you graduate. By sourcing the succeed. easily undertake, right sort of recruitment agency and but maybe not the knowing the nature of the job market Pack your life with career path they ...so many students do not interesting you can begin to match your career would choose to set plans to when vacancies arise. experiences that recognise that the out on given the demonstrate to an professional bodies in challenges facing Finally, do not forget to tell your employer you have travel agencies. tourism, like the Tourism the qualities that tutors of your success when you find employment. It is so important that Society, are here to help make you an In many respects to the success of graduates in the interesting person. you manage your career gain a good tourism industry is shared with the At the University of and studies... placement and next generation of students.

Hertfordshire, we ultimately excellent Remembering, success breeds emphasise that career prospects success. your career search starts from day graduates today cannot afford to drift one, everything you do on the course into the tourism industry. It is a fact Brandon Crimes MTS is a Senior and more importantly from an that all organisations are becoming Lecturer in Tourism Management at employers points of view, what you more accountable, transparent and the University of Hertfordshire achieved in terms of personal managed in a way that maximises the development whilst at Uni will say a human capital. Many organisations lot about the type of person you are. are recognising that to attract the best Not all of us are leaders, and the staff they have to provide an mistake so many graduates make environment where the individual can when applying for jobs, is to say they grow and contribute to the growth of have leadership qualities, but cannot that organisation. The various sectors provide evidence. It is alright to be a of the travel industry can, and do follower and more importantly, a

T

he Wales Network has been concerned over recent months with the Welsh Assembly Government’s (WAG) announcement that the Wales Tourist Board is to be disbanded and all the staff and its functions merged into the Assembly.

The Wales Network, together with the Wales Tourism Alliance, will be following the WAG plans for the new structure.

Many members attended the Wales Tourism Alliance conference at the Celtic Manor Resort over the weekend of the 31 October/1 November to listen to Andrew Davies,

Economic Development and Transport Minister (whose portfolio includes tourism), outline his initial thinking on the merger. He stressed that nothing would be finalized without full consultation with the tourism industry in Wales. The President of the Tourism Society, John Thurso MP was the main after dinner speaker at the conference.

The Wales Network is organising a meeting on the 1 February 2005 at the Copthorne Hotel in Cardiff with the theme of "Partnership - new ways of working". Alan Brittan FTS will present the progress of quality

schemes harmonization, Malcolm Bell from South West Tourism will talk about SWT working relationship with SWRDA, Julian Burrell FTS, Chairman of the Wales Tourism Alliance will speak on the WTA's relationship with the WTB and the WAG. An invitation is also being extended to Andrew Davies, Economic Development Minister to attend.

Further details and booking forms will be circulated before Christmas.

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Tourism Society Yorkshir e: YTB r etained by r egional development agency.

Sir Thomas Ingilby MTS

Y

orkshire Forward, the regional development agency, has confirmed that the Yorkshire Tourist Board will continue to act as the regional delivery vehicle for tourism in the region. Initial proposals drawn up following a report submitted by consultants Travel Research International Ltd had suggested that the YTB could be revamped or replaced altogether.

Destination management organisations representing North, South, East and West Yorkshire would have been responsible for providing a wide range of services to the industry; each would have had its own office and independent administration. With the vast majority of the board’s 2,850 members and local authorities strongly against the proposals, a fresh approach had to be found.

Under new Articles of Association unanimously approved at the YTB AGM on 11th September, a slim-line 24

board comprising a Chairman, eleven non- executive and three executive directors will take over the reins from 1st April, 2005. A nomination committee will appoint the new board, six of whom will represent the sub-regions and local partnerships. A Regional Tourism Council will be established to ensure that the industry retains a strong voice. Industry representatives from the private and public sectors will sit on the Council in order to review the Board’s operations, and to discuss the regional tourism policy and other strategic tourism issues. Under the terms of the Articles, the Board must give due consideration to any recommendations made by the Council.

It is hoped that new private / public sector local partnerships, responsible for the implementation of local Tourism Action Plans, product development, tourism management

Brandon Crimes MTS

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Tourism Society Wales: News Update

and local marketing, will be in place by 1st April 2006. An Industry Group will enable more private and public sector discussion on key issues, and task groups will be formed to drive forward the agendas for business travel and other specialist interests.

Membership subscriptions will continue to be paid to the YTB, pending a full review of membership services.

Yorkshire Forward is endorsing the new arrangement with a package of finance that incorporates significant funding for nationwide marketing campaigns in 2005 and 2006, following hard on the heels of the very successful ‘Yorkshire-Britain’s Biggest Break’ campaigns of 2002/3.

9

Human capital/outdoor capital

Sarah Hague MTS

8th October 2004 Lochaber, Scottish Highlands Robin Lingard FTS

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and in my current role I am very much involved in helping to ensure that this challenge is met.

O

n completing my BA (Hons) in Leisure and Tourism at Liverpool John Moores University, I applied for my current position in the Tourism Development department at The Mersey Partnership (TMP), which on 1st April 2004 became the official tourist board for Merseyside. I was very pleased to be offered the job as it was one of only a small number of graduate positions that were advertised and the competition for it was very high.

Although I had a lot of deadlines to meet at university, it is far more challenging working at TMP as I have a lot more responsibility and my dayto-day activities directly impact upon both internal colleagues and external partners in the public and private sectors.

My first five months have been very enjoyable as it is a really exciting time to be working in tourism on Merseyside due to the huge amount of tourism development and investment currently underway, particularly in Liverpool itself. Also the city’s status as European Capital of Culture 2008 and more recently, its designation as a World Heritage Site

by UNESCO means there are significant opportunities for Merseyside to increase its profile as a tourism destination on the world stage. Therefore, there is a real challenge ahead for Liverpool and the rest of Merseyside to make sure that these opportunities are capitalised on

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I have an excellent support network within the Tourism Development team, so I am able to learn from some highly skilled and experienced colleagues which is really helping me to develop my skills and gain a deeper understanding of this complex industry. I have been given some excellent opportunities to meet with tourism businesses within Merseyside and also represent TMP and Liverpool at events such as the Labour Party Conference and VAC 2004. There are also some really great projects that I am working on along with the rest of the tourism team, including the district tourism awards which are held in November and a ‘Tourism for All’ project where we aim to help tourism businesses throughout Merseyside to become more accessible.

This year TMP won a ‘British Hospitality Award’ for its contribution to the hospitality industry as well as a ‘Catey Tourism Award’, which recognises TMP’s success in promoting the region as a tourist destination. It’s great to work in an organisation where quality is so high on the agenda as I believe it will give me an excellent base for my own personal development and at this early stage in my career having the opportunity to work where best practice is recognised nationally is invaluable to my personal and professional growth.

There are many aspects of my work where I have been able to apply what I learnt during my time at university to my job and I’m pleased that I have been able to do this so soon after graduating. Putting theory into practice is not always as straightforward as I had imagined as there are many issues that crop up on a day-to-day basis which often require innovative solutions. However, the key to all of the activities I am involved in is working in partnership.

One of the main things that I have learnt since starting at TMP is that the

tourism industry is much more diverse than I had anticipated and impacts upon and is impacted upon by many other sectors. This therefore reenforces the need for a partnership approach to all that I am involved in.

In conclusion, I am enjoying working for The Mersey Partnership and am very much looking forward to the challenges and opportunities ahead for both Merseyside and myself.

Sarah Hague MTS is Tourism Development Database Assistant for The Mersey Partnership continued from page 7 The key to raising quality and standards lies in the recruitment and retention of skilled staff. The aim of the Best Practice Forum is to spread best practice throughout the industry which will, in turn, lead to better staff and better employment practices, and ultimately to better profits. Without them, there can be no investment in facilities and, just as important, no improved conditions of work.

Investment in tourism and hospitality remains a key element of future success.

For those considering a career in hospitality, a sense of realism is now pervading the industry. Employers recognise that the image of employment in tourism and hospitality needs to match the reality.

And this needs to measure to the best practice internationally. Young people undertaking a career in hospitality will enjoy an industry that offers increasingly varied work, a high level of satisfaction, a chance to travel the world, a rewarding salary and – above all – a fascinating lifestyle.

What’s more, its growth means that the opportunities are growing, too.

Not many other industries can claim this.

Bob Cotton OBE FTS is the Chief Executive of British Hospitality Association

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his meeting organised by Tourism Society Scotland sought answers to a perennial question. We know that training is central to success in tourism, but why do only some of us act on this knowledge, and how can we persuade others to do so?

The focus was unique, in geography and topic. Lochaber, clustered around Ben Nevis, is ruggedly beautiful and has long attracted those for whom leisure means activity.

Local businesses and agencies are aiming to have Lochaber recognised as the Outdoor Capital of the UK. What does this ambition imply for training and for management development? What special skills are needed to underpin the growth of adventure tourism? With the valuable support of Lochaber Enterprise, Lochaber College and the Ice Factor, some 35 delegates gathered - initially in Fort William - to listen, learn and discuss, under the chairmanship of Robin Lingard FTS. Two speakers described the local background. Principal Dan MacLeod explained the roles of Lochaber College, as a learning base for Lochaber’s industries and as part of the developing University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI). Then business leader Finlay Finlayson, of Crannog Concept, introduced the Outdoor Capital vision he has done so much to champion.

Next, Ivan Broussine (of consultants Rocket Science) linked local issues to the national scene. Their recent study confirmed the persistent skills problems dogging the Scottish tourism and hospitality industry. Compared with other economic sectors, it has twice the labour turnover, more skills gaps, more part-time/short term workers and higher vacancy rates.

Tourism employers are less likely to have training and development plans.

Staff are predominantly engaged in

‘elementary’ occupations, requiring few or no qualifications. Potential recruits believe career prospects are poor. Yet increasingly the customer is seeking high quality – and will find it elsewhere if Scotland can’t provide it.

The choice is stark. Continue in this negative cycle and lose competitiveness, or move to a positive cycle, based on valuing staff and training them accordingly.

Ivan concluded that recruitment and retention will not get easier. What is needed is a change of attitude by some owners and managers, including biting the bullet of better pay and employment conditions.

While the public agencies should continue to address market failure, the business sector should seek inspiration from good practice of successful companies. Thus the adventure tourism sector, where staff visibly enjoy their work, may have much to teach other parts of the industry.

The perception that tourism offers poor career prospects was addressed

by Laurence Young, of the Lochaber Centre for Tourism Excellence, describing a local initiative (the Accelerated Management Programme) which uses industry-based experience and personal mentoring to fast-track people into management employment through a four step programme.

Results have been encouraging, but the challenge is to find mainstream funding for its continuation and wider roll-out.

Dealing with the retention and recruitment challenge is a priority for Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). As HIE’s Audrey MacLennan explained, they are currently piloting HCIMA’s Hospitality Assured programme with SMEs in certain areas. This self-assessment process, based on a standard of service and business excellence, is backed by coaching/mentoring and leads to accreditation. HIE will be tracking

the results within companies and also hoping to detect changes in public attitudes to tourism employment.

To complete the morning session, Stephen Spencer of Ascension Solutions described the new Scottish initiative to simplify, restructure and refresh the national tourism training programmes. Through business leadership, the aim is to improve perceptions of value and levels of take-up, thus moving steadily away from a culture of subsidy.

MEETING REPORTS

Welcome to the workplace

For lunch and the afternoon session the delegates took the short drive (in brilliant Lochaber weather) to Kinlochleven. Our venue here was the Ice Factor - a £2.2 million conversion of an industrial building into an indoor climbing facility, featuring the world’s biggest indoor ice wall. Still in its first year of operation, the Ice Factor is the brainchild of Jamie Smith, whose presentation focused not on technology but on the quality of his staff (including graduates of UHI), and the attention the company gives to recruitment, training, pay and progression.

Appropriately, the final presentations featured the skills needs of adventure tourism and the best way to meet them. Local operator Tony Shepherd, of Outward Bound Lochiel, sketched the ideal employee. Practical experience and qualifications should be complemented by people skills, together with skills in communications, business and organisation. Too often new recruits have job expectations well out of line with reality. Company training can help to bridge the gap, but a tailored training solution, specified by the sector and on offer from local providers, would be very welcome.

Dr Kerry Godfrey, Dean of Business continued on page 19

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Widening the access

4th November 2004 Lancaster Town Hall Ros Forster MTS Mark McTigue MTS

make for disabled visitors, the answer is, basically, that they do not. Instead they practice ‘universal design’, making attractions accessible to everyone, of all shapes, sizes and abilities. Drinking fountains that work for someone using a wheelchair are at the perfect height for a child.

Professor John Lennon, Glasgow Caledonian University: ‘Dark Tourism: the Attraction of Death and Disaster’ Professor John Lennon spoke about the fascination of visiting sites of ‘death and disaster’, notably sites of concentration camps, sites of assassinations and sites of mass genocide with illustrated reference to the Arlington National Cemetery; the Houston Book Depository, Texas; the Berlin Wall; and Auschwitz-Birkenau.

The Draw of the Event Prof. Lennon spoke about the ‘corrupting fascination’ of visiting such sites and asked why that fascination was inherent. It seems that people want to ‘touch death’, but in a controlled environment. It is difficult to determine whether we should ‘showcase’ these sites of atrocity and the question of what factors allow us to present a site or event as a ‘visitor attraction’ arises – the magnitude of the event? The distance afforded by time? It is true that the interest in an event is increased during a lifetime’s remembrance but there may be events which are still too close to home to be commemorated, such as the Vietnam War, Gulf War or 9/11.

Ethics and Morality How can a balanced, objective view of the event be presented whilst being subject to the commercialism necessarily surrounding such an enterprise?

It was asked whether it is important to present a site authentically, illustrated by the case of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp sites which have been extensively refurbished, remodelled and re-presented in order to effectively shape the tourist experience. Do we have a right to manipulate the visitor’s experience, considering that the visitor does not necessarily seem to be concerned

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with the ‘primacy of the object’ or do we have an obligation to present things as they are now (possibly in a state of decay) or exactly as they were?

The management of a site is affected by the financial and political interests of the management company. The influence and wishes of those affected by the event may have to be taken into consideration, such as the wishes of the families of those affected by the World Wars or in more recent memory, by 9/11.

Problems of Modern Interpretation As interpreters of an event, our view is naturally skewed by time, change and memory. Even if an interpretation is not distorted by deliberate propaganda, slants influenced by government pressure, financial or political interest, or personal subjectivity are still inherent. Modern media technology ‘condenses’ our view of an event so that it can easily be taken out of context (World Trade Center footage was shown continuously immediately after the event from various TV companies’ point of view).

It was discussed how exactly to present the interpretation – with a tour guide? A leaflet? Audio tours?

Display boards? Illustrations and props? This question is probably particular to each attraction and should be discussed according to which seems most appropriate to the situation. We must consider whether the modern use of the location is acceptable – areas within the boundary of the Auschwitz sub-camps are now used as a car-park, a ticket office and sites for food concessions.

We must also consider the appropriateness of offering merchandise and food stands – some of the souvenirs on offer at the Texas Book Depository (site of the assassination of JFK) seem to cross the

Anita Thornberry MTS

boundaries of taste.

Who is the Visitor and What is His / Her Responsibility?

It was considered whether the ‘tourbus’ visitor is a less ‘appropriate’ customer than those who have links or roots in the place, and whether we then have the right to dictate the length or depth or their experience or to criticise if they seem to misinterpret the message.

After the experience, does the visitor have a responsibility to develop his or her thinking and research further, or is it acceptable that the visit has been just one more stop on a tour? Prof.

Lennon suggested that a one-hour visit is better than nothing in keeping the history alive, but expressed a wish for that short visit to make an effective impression upon the visitor.

What is Our Responsibility?

There is a strong case to say that these sites should continue to be presented as a reminder of past atrocities in order to prevent a re-occurrence.

However, it seems that some will only ever attract those with a morbid fascination for the macabre, and sites such as Cromwell Street (location of the West murders) and Dunblane school gymnasium have been demolished.

It appears that our responsibility as tourism providers is to offer as informative, educational, instructive, authentic (possibly), ethical, objective, and entertaining (and cost / time-effective) an experience as possible, whilst dispensing with the continued on page 27

‘A

ccessibility’ leaves a lot of the tourism industry cold.

‘Another cost to my business.’

‘Another piece of red tape.’ ‘I know I have to, but...’

The recent debates around the Disability Discrimination Act (the final phase of which came into effect on October 1st) have tended to reinforce this view – that providing total access is just a costly add-on, required by law.

But there is another side to the ‘accessibility coin’ that we seem to be missing. The potential market is actually huge - think young family with pushchair, elderly couple with stick, or business traveller with poor eyesight - if only we served it better.

Unfortunately, there is no data on the total size of the market of those with impaired mobility. We know from the Disability Rights Association that there are 10 million disabled people in the UK with an estimated £6 billion to spend on travel and tourism. Europe’s elderly and disabled population is about 120 million and there are around 50 million disabled in the USA. Add to this those with sight impairments, the number of children in pushchairs, carers, families and friends and the market is larger still. And most crucially, people who find good accessibility are often loyal and repeat customers.

Providing total accessibility makes good commercial sense. Indeed, if you ask Disney what ‘special provision’ they

For Disney, accessibility is driven by customer service and not the other way around. Most peoples’ memories of a trip relate to good and bad encounters with people and not just whether a piece of machinery was working. Disney knows that this approach makes business sense: it cites the growing demand for its ‘universally designed’ parks and hotels from family reunion groups, with people of all ages from toddlers to grandparents in wheelchairs.

seminar on his experience of the Paralympics in Athens. The city centre was superbly accessible but drop kerbs were viewed primarily as good parking spots.

We don’t talk to each other enough. The industry is frustrated that the ‘accessibility world’ is full of organisations working in silos. We need to pool information, share best practise case studies, and help operators develop the business case for investment in infrastructure and training.

Where do London and England go next?

Unlike Disney, which can own and operate the total visitor experience including transport and hotels, we have hundreds of years of the built environment to manage around.

We need to talk to the travellers themselves: simple but usually forgotten.

Our research for the conference showed that the information we provide as a nation is at best patchy. We tend to concentrate on the places and journeys that are accessible, leaving great gaps in between for the visitor to piece together themselves. If it’s not easy to get somewhere, then we should say so. It’s no good if a hotel offers great service but the access is steep, or the shops, theatres and restaurants nearby are off limits.

There are examples of good practice: Manchester City Council recognised the potential before the Commonwealth Games in 2002, and was determined to provide the best welcome for the disabled athletes and their entourage.

Since then it has broadened its aims, stating that it wants to be the most accessible city in Europe. London has plenty to learn from Manchester, especially as, if we want to be successful with London 2012 Olympic bid, we have to win the Paralympics.

We must accept that we will never be totally accessible. (We held the seminar at the Tower of London to show what can be done even with hundreds of years of cobbles to deal with.) But we can and should share best practise case studies, provide better information and, following Disney’s example, put customer service at the top of our list. No city in the world has a comprehensive information system that takes the potential visitor though every step of their journey. If we can do it in London, it would be a first.

We convened a small seminar in October of London tourism and transport operators, attractions, town centre managers and local authorities, to raise awareness of the mobility and accessibility issues and to help the LDA, as the agency responsible for tourism development in London, plan the next steps.

The seminar has given us at the LDA some clear steers as to where we can put our energies to work. But we would like to hear from anyone in London or elsewhere in the country who has examples of best practice case studies or ground-breaking projects or publications that would help us compile a website of true value to operators. Please contact Elizabeth Pratt at the LDA on elizabethpratt@lda.gov.uk

The good news for the UK is that, although behind the USA, we are already ahead of the rest of Europe in responding to accessibility legislation and in ‘thinking’ accessibility. Peter White, BBC Disability Correspondent, reported to the

SPECIAL FEATURE

MEETING REPORTS

Dark Tourism: wher e do you draw the line?

Anita Thornberry MTS is Project Manager at London Development Agency

11

Travel and tourism media master class

Alan Britten CBE FTS

27 September 2004 The Berners Hotel, London Verité Reily-Collins FTS

SPECIAL FEATURE

promoters and accommodation buyers will adopt policies which deal preferentially with properties in the quality schemes.

• To simplify the provision of advice and support given to accommodation providers, common benchmarking sheets will be adopted by assessors of all five recognised grading bodies.

A

great deal has been written already – not least in this publication – about my work with the Quality Review Group and our recommendations. Generally they have been very well received.

The central idea of establishing customer-friendly, common, consistent and coherent standards of accommodation grading throughout Britain is seen as a basic step in meeting the old adage: "the best way to sell is to make it easy to buy".

Let’s start by reprising the main recommendations: • To improve customer recognition and confidence in the ratings, common standards will be introduced from early 2005 across Britain for all categories of accommodation grading.

• To provide a means whereby properties historically outside the quality net can embark on a process of upgrading, and to unify the efforts of various innovative local authorities to encourage that trend, a new entry level quality standard will be introduced in England.

• To reflect increasing competitive activity and more demanding customer expectations, grading standards will generally be raised.

• To provide incentives for qualityoriented businesses, a vastly increased proportion of tourism

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aside the fact that, although Scotland and Wales will make their own decisions, the Westminster Government is deeply unwilling to find parliamentary time to introduce more red tape into an industry already beleaguered by too many controls, there is the almost inevitable increase in costs. We would like assessors to be counsellors and trusted advisors rather than policemen. And policing a statutory regime, with an appeals procedure, is expensive. Besides which, my personal experience overseas has not led me to feel any more confident about statutory quality ratings than voluntary ones.

‘Statutory’ is for me a last resort.

‘Voluntary’ would have to fail before I personally would advocate the statutory option.

...I prefer to think that although the QRG has not by any means provided all the answers, it is more useful to concentrate on what needs to be done next, rather than on what hasn’t been done already...

• To increase public awareness of rising standards within tourism, a series of public statements incorporating relevant statistics will be developed and launched.

These are very considerable steps forward, reflecting great credit on the quality professionals within the five principal grading organisations. They have agreed that a customer-focused industry requires a basic platform of common standards upon which independent marketing policies can be developed. This has been recognised for many years by many people, but never before have all five competing organisations united in the vision that by accepting a degree of standardisation, they are better serving the customer, and helping the entire industry to prosper.

We still hear criticism of course: why not statutory? Why five different grading organisations? Why only accommodation grading? Why not introduce it faster? As a shameless optimist, I prefer to think that although the QRG has not by any means provided all the answers, it is more useful to concentrate on what needs to be done next, rather than on what hasn’t been done already.

But maybe we should touch briefly on these criticisms before looking at what comes next.

Firstly, Statutory Registration is the oldest of tourism chestnuts. Setting

Secondly, we see five competing organisations as better than one.

Does anyone suppose costs would be reduced by imposing a single, monopolistic organisation on the industry, leaving accommodation providers no choice and no recourse?

Thirdly, it may indeed make sense to merge inspections so that accessibility, sustainability and green credentials could be assessed simultaneously. That may well come.

But with such a broad objective, we could never have achieved the kind of relatively quick wins that we have.

Finally, of course we’d like to move faster. But there are about 120,000 properties across Britain, and only some 120 assessors. There is a practical reason for taking two years to roll out the programme.

Furthermore, even after consultation, further adjustments may need to be made as the new systems are introduced. To achieve our target of full implementation of all new standards in all categories of

W

as it the Berners Hotel – the quality of speakers – or the combination that drew a large crowd to the Travel and Tourism Media Masterclass evening?

Or was it the new Chief Executive, Carrie England MTS, actually coming up to welcome everyone as they arrived, and introducing herself? As a journalist, I hate going to ‘press events’ where the PR department wraps itself around a glass of wine, and thinks because they have persuaded their client to fund the bean feast, their work ends there. I am sure those PRs in the audience took note of her friendly welcome – and learnt by example.

Opening the meeting with some hardhitting and pertinent advice, freelance journalist and broadcaster Alison Rice told the audience of PRs, tourist officers and marketing gurus that the first thing they should do was ‘sort out your message - you’ve all got something to offer; just pick up the phone and talk to a journalist’.

Plan ahead – know your markets and when their supplements come out.

You can always phone to ask if a magazine has a features list – then offer appropriate ‘copy’ at the right time – long before the event.

Remember next year’s Christmas issues are being planned as soon as New Year is over, so get to know your market.

Facts, grammar, details, spelling – were all important. Your press release should be on one page, double or 1.5 spaces, paragraphs of three or four lines, and don’t forget your contact email and telephone number at the bottom of the page – even if it is on the top. Then cut, cut and cut again.

The panel thought you should never send attachments, nor j-pegs (unless asked) and condemned the PR who had sent out a five-page press release that day – gumming up some laptops.

Always find out if the recipients would prefer releases by snail mail – or fax, instead of email.

Anyone who was there would have learnt that journalists like to develop a relationship with sources; they don’t like being told to look at a website, but ‘copy with colour’ usually got results. Writing a press release, the old-fashioned mantra of How, Where, When, What and Why should never be ignored. And when planning press trips, don’t ignore freelancers; a staffer (full-time employee) would only come back with one article; a freelance journalist usually had to sell several stories to different media to make their time away from their desk worthwhile.

Releases should be ‘jargon-free’, and make sure someone is there to answer the phone – we can all tell stories about the PR who sends out a press release the night before going on holiday, and doesn’t arrange for anyone to answer their phone.

And journalists need information NOW – or the day before – so respond to queries immediately; "I have to plan the article, even though it may not go out for days or even weeks", said Alison. VisitBritain were castigated for not answering calls – especially on Fridays (thought I was the only one who suffered!). And don’t lie to the press.

When it comes to writing press releases, Henry Hemming from TravMedia advised the audience to think of the story they had to tell, before writing a release. Decide on an angle – and don’t ignore the old clichés like top five/top ten lists.

The age-old subject of press trips came up – the panel said you should be selective, know your journalists, and for whom they write. And never, never cancel a journalist’s invite because someone better turns up.

Some journalists write for the national

media, others may give you just as good exposure, perhaps even better, in a trade or specialist magazine, and freelancers can be best of all because their story will be re-cycled three-four times (in different guises) in different magazines. Remember too that the huge story splashed across the paper might get no response, if readers don’t lift up the phone, but if there is going to be a big story make sure you have someone to respond to enquiries.

MEETING REPORTS

Quality that sells

Rehearse clients talking to the press about the story they have to tell, or get them media training – don’t let them do a Gerald Ratner. Don’t let them talk jargon, but concentrate on basics, and tell clients NOT to expect every press release will get results.

Judging by the number of people furiously scribbling notes, the evening was a success, and it was good to sit in a conference room with no pillars.

Well done Berners Hotel!!!

Verité Reily Collins FTS, is the author of Becoming a Tour Guide, Working in Aviation, Working in Tourism, among others

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accommodation throughout Britain by 2008 is a serious challenge. But it is not a pious hope. The target will be met.

• The major hotel groups have agreed to participate.

• The RDA strategic directors have adopted a policy whereby applicants for support, or grant-in-aid, will need to provide evidence that they subscribe to the quality agenda.

• VisitBritain will promote only tourist accommodation which has been assessed by a recognised grading organisation, as Scotland and Wales already do.

• Local government in England is looking at ways of increasing the 50% of TICs who adopt a policy of providing advice preferentially about inspected properties.

This is no easy task. Developing a common standards regime means that some ratings will move up and others down. It cannot be otherwise. And we are determined not to wimp out by accepting the lowest common denominator. So, initially, more will go down than will go up. But too draconian an approach will cause a flight from membership. Too feeble a one will fail to reflect rising customer expectations. The quality professionals are stepping warily, but with utter determination to reach their common standards goal by the target dates set.

So we shall start self-catering assessments on the new basis from early 2005. And we shall introduce the new standards for serviced accommodation from January 2006.

And by 2008 the whole process will be complete.

...policing a statutory regime, with an appeals procedure, is expensive...

• DCMS is looking at means of ensuring that government employees use only assessed accommodation for overnight stays and conferences.

These are massive steps forward which will greatly increase the value of the scheme for businesses who participate in it. They carry us a long way down the line towards our objective of attracting more businesses voluntarily into the schemes, by making membership more beneficial.

Meanwhile research into industry and consumer reactions is proceeding and, in the light of it, the five grading organisations are moving towards

continued from page 18 So, maybe now, 16 years after I came to Harrow and Grim’s Dyke, we may be getting somewhere. In recent months, the Government has made it 20

Is it a done deal?

Yes, that much is.

The commitment to introduce common standards is shared and resolute.

But there are important loose ends, and the devil always lurks in the detail. The precise calibration of hotel grades is not finalised. We are not yet happy with ‘Metro’ as the name for a sub-category of urban hotel. And the issue of stars versus diamonds is not categorically resolved. We need to respond to the consultation process in those and other matters.

endorsement. The name, the symbol, the price and the precise promotional benefits await review, recommendation and endorsement before we can proceed, although I am confident this can be accomplished by spring 2005.

By summer 2005 the die will be cast.

The QRG will then show that its commitment not to fall into the timehonoured trap of recreating itself in perpetuity was not mere words. We shall disband.

That, however, is not the end of the story. There is a vast amount of work still needed to sustain the improvement in tourism quality across the board. Accommodation quality is only a part – albeit a very important part – of quality in tourism.

The QRG will have introduced common standards throughout Britain. That, I submit, is a huge achievement and a vital step in building customer confidence. But perhaps equally importantly, our work has generated a momentum in terms of quality awareness. It would be tragic if that was allowed to dissipate.

In this regard it is encouraging that the Minister for Tourism has set up TRIG (the Tourism Reform and Implementation Group), which is specifically charged with monitoring progress in England in the four key areas of Marketing, Product Quality, Skills and Data. We must all hope that TRIG achieves more than some of its predecessors.

SPECIAL FEATURE

So how are we proceeding towards that goal? Many very positive things have already happened:

completion of the revised rating bands.

Meanwhile QRG job is not yet done and we look to the whole industry for support in concluding what we have started.

Perhaps the most vital work (for England at least) still to be completed is definition of the new entry level standard, which has been successfully piloted but still needs final

Alan Britten CBE FTS is Head of the Quality Review Group

mandatory for local councils to promote ‘culture’, which incorporates a host of initiatives including tourism.

We shall see – watch this space. Even the Mayor mentioned the ‘t’ word to me at the garden party.

Paul Follows MTS is the Managing Director of Grim’s Dyke Hotel and Restaurant

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Responsible travel – ther e is no time to wait

The choices we make Adam Handley

SPECIAL FEATURE

performance review The conference only serves to goes well, and ...responsible business remind us of our Peter’s 3pm travel is an issue for vulnerability and – presentation is a all of us... and questions our success. Elated, he commitment to the stays late to grab a business. chat with his chief executive. It is 5pm before Peter sets off for Shepton It was in response to these business Mallet. It’s a dreadful journey – and personal pressures that the drizzling rain, slow Friday evening Meeting Without Moving Foundation traffic, and packed motorway. He has been formed. The foundation is a dozes off for a split second, his car not-for-profit organisation conducting crashes and he’s killed. a high profile campaign aimed at reducing accidents and saving lives Whilst this is a fictitious story, it across all UK business sectors. reflects what happens on the roads Meeting Without Moving’s aims are to across the UK. promote a culture in which eter is an aspiring 30-something, unnecessary business travel is We tend to assume that road mid-manager in one of the UK’s recognised as irresponsible, accidents happen to someone else, leading consumer goods undesirable and antisocial. that our business environment is not companies. With responsibility for that pressured and we can control it. over 300 people in Operations, he To achieve it’s aims, the Meeting However, the facts speak for regularly divides his time between the Without Moving Foundation is themselves.

Bristol and London head offices, the lobbying government departments for Lutterworth Distribution Centre and change in legislation. The Foundation According to the government report the Speke Production facility. also provides a range of aids and compiled by Sir Richard Dykes, there tools to companies, large and small, are about 20 deaths and 270 serious It’s quarter-end, which always means to help promote its aims across their injuries every week in the UK caused some late evenings finalising the respective organisations. Campaign by ‘at work’ business travel. This is reports, and on top of everything else, groups, including RoSPA, the Institute not the commute to and from work; Peter’s boss has asked him to deliver a ‘at work’ travel is defined as that of Occupational Safety and Health, presentation at the prestigious annual Transport 2000 and the Institute of demanded by the rigours of one’s job. industry conference in Harrogate.

Directors have already pledged their To put this in perspective, in the last This is potentially a huge opportunity support for the Foundation. twelve months more people were – to showcase his killed on UK roads talents in front of It’s beyond question that responsible due to ‘at work’ industry top brass ...there are about 20 business travel is an issue for all of us travel than and his chief – employers and employees, national American soldiers deaths and 270 serious executive to boot! and local government bodies, and perished in action injuries every week...

But, it’s also a professional associations that in Iraq! tremendous represent the interests of the travel additional pressure over and above sector.

Modern business means doing more his daily work schedule. things, faster and better, with less.

Next time your company offers you And it is this mantra that contributes Late on Thursday evening Peter slaves the choice of the business trip across to these horrendous statistics. In the over the presentation with his usual the UK or the secondment to Falluja, last thirty years, we’ve all witnessed fastidious attention to detail. take a moment to seriously consider the demise of ‘the job for life’. We Reluctant to be away from his young the latter. The risks are smaller. have come to accept that our family overnight, he decides to leave business life is increasingly pressured, his Shepton Mallet home at 5am on John Blackwell is the Chief that our bosses are always seeking Friday morning for the 250-mile drive Executive of JB Associates more and more commitment from to Harrogate. This will get him there each of us. Business today is in plenty of time for the 10am kick-off witnessing increasing peaks and road conditions permitting. troughs in the demand for product and services. Every personal

P

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H

aving gained a place on Tourism Management course at Napier University in Edinburgh, I started asking myself: ‘What is tourism’? I was afraid that I would be the only person on my course with such a dilemma.

The number of times I have been asked why I’ve chosen Tourism when I have so little knowledge of the subject. The truth is that I don’t actually know why, apart from the realization that it was a wide market with immense growth potential, hence finding a job that I would enjoy within the sector would be easy. Whether I will be selling holidays or working in a managerial capacity for a local tourist board - I am sure that I will find something within the sector that will appeal to too difficult me!

And yet, when our tutorial group ...tourism is (eleven students to define aged between 17 Being a Scottish and 27) was asked patriot, I know that to define tourism, everyone has just I want to work here. Scotland has so looked at one another, and I could much to offer to visitors, and it’s my tell that others were equally clueless. ambition to bring people here and be However, as a class we defined able to positively influence their tourism pretty well. My response was perceptions and experience of this something like this: "Tourism is a very country. As for some of the students difficult thing to define due to the in my class - they’ve chosen tourism vastness of subjects and different simply because it "sounded interesting sectors it contains". Another student in the Prospectus". defined it as: "the study of people moving from one place to another for One of my friends has different recreational activities". Someone else ambitions: after graduating he wants

continued from page 23 and Leisure at UHI, echoed these thoughts. Development and delivery of any new degree programme for the sector should be a joint venture between industry and education. The Outdoor Capital initiative might offer a good basis to work from.

In the final plenary session, the concern was raised that we continue

to work for a package holiday company, go abroad and contribute to their brochures writing about overseas destinations. This is closely linked to a hope of getting free holidays. His plans are contrary to mine - he wants to take Brits abroad, while I want to bring them and overseas visitors here.

...young people deciding to study Tourism are most likely attracted by the vastness of this market and wide job opportunities it offers, many of which appear to be fun...

to preach mainly to the converted.

Companies committed to training need to promote its benefits to the sceptics, in business terms. For Lochaber, the challenge is to ensure that visitors coming for the excellence of adventure tourism find similar excellence in Fort William’s high street. In parallel, a ‘listening partnership’ with the academic sector is to be welcomed, especially as the legislative context of adventure

GENERATION X

added - in the hotel and catering sector.

Therefore, we concluded that tourism is too difficult to define, but we are able to say that it includes many sectors, such as hospitality and leisure.

John Blackwell

For the time being, however, I have decided not to worry about what I do after my degree, and to focus on getting it. My current study modules include Business Skills and Behavioural Studies. The latter may be the most difficult one, yet most important – it is vital to know why consumers make certain choices and to be able to influence them!

All-in-all, young people deciding to study Tourism are most likely attracted by the vastness of this market and wide job opportunities it offers, many of which appear to be ‘fun’. There is no way of avoiding hard work, including a lot of research – since the market is so dynamic and changes very quickly. But this challenge is a part of the fun, and that’s why many of us are here.

Adam Handley is a student at Napier University

tourism grows more daunting.

The conclusion of the meeting was that Lochaber’s success in becoming the Outdoor Capital of the UK will depend first of all on wise and collaborative investment in human capital.

Robin Lingard FTS is a Strategic Development Consultant for Kinnairdie Consulting 19

Waiting for tourism in Harr ow...

The pr omise of youth travel Emma English MTS

SPECIAL FEATURE

O

n my arrival at Grim’s Dyke Hotel and Harrow in 1988 I was astonished with the tourism potential of the hotel and the borough. I began liaising regularly with Harrow Council’s Marketing Manager and the staff of the local TIC, which at the time was situated in the reception of the main Council’s building (far away from the commercial city centre).

Returning to Grim’s Dyke in the summer of 1996, at the time when the hotel was being restored to its former splendour, it became clear to me that apart from the usual hospitality business (both corporate and leisure), both the hotel and the area would greatly benefit from developing tourism services and infrastructure. Having previously worked for six years in Manchester with the Council-appointed Tourism Development Manager, I felt that investment in tourism was most certainly needed here.

I attended my first Borough Conference in 1998 which included all the great and the good senior council officials, councillors and MPs. Having previously read the Borough Development Plan from cover to cover; I have not found one mention of the word ‘tourism’. I raised this issue during the meeting. After Chief Executive’s skilful skirting of the question, to my astonishment, I was

18

asked to chair a Tourism Focus Group. Great, I thought, maybe something will happen at last.

attractions, if not better, why the authorities don’t see the benefit of promoting them?

And yet after the first meeting of the local hotel and attraction managers, the chairing Marketing Manager left for Brent and was not replaced. The Estate Manager took over, but after some lobbying for the post of a Tourism Development Officer and for moving the TIC to the commercial and entertainment centre of Harrow, St Ann’s, everything came to a standstill. The fact that in the meantime the Focus Group visited Lewisham and Richmond to examine the contribution that a Tourism Development Officer can make to an area, made no difference.

Harrow Council’s Charter was 50 years old this year and the Council held a garden party at Grim’s Dyke Hotel for the Borough’s great and the good, inviting almost 500 guests. The garden looked splendid, and the new Chief Executive came to look at the venue. I also showed her the lake where Gilbert (of Gilbert and Sullivan partnership) died, now overgrown, full of fallen trees and covered with decades of leaf mould. She was shocked, that there was not even a plaque to say that this was the spot where one of the Borough’s most famous men had met his death. "This is bad. Who owns this area?," she asked. "You do," I replied. "Good gracious, we must do something clean it up, get a plaque done. Will you put some suitable wording together?" This I did.

Why nothing happened? I suspect that this was because nobody in the Council at the time had the vision to realise what assets they had and how they could be used to encourage tourism to the borough for the benefit of Harrow residents and its business community.

In the succeeding years, the lack of a TDO and any form of tourism planning was apparent: the absence of tourist brown signs, the lack of drive to restore and open to the public the fine Headstone Manor House, the loss of £1 million lottery grant, and dirty streets that repelled both the residents and visitors.

A long- serving stalwart of the tourism cause in Harrow is Martin Verden of the Harrow Heritage Trust. Both of us met again and again discussing the tourism issue and supporting each other’s efforts to get something done.

We despaired at the lack of interest.

The right noises were made to us but, as before, all forms of support and interest gradually died down. Having exhibited at Excursions, Coach & Bus Fair and British Travel Trade Fair for seven years, I have seen how other areas and boroughs promoted their assets. I often thought – why not Harrow. We have just as good

The plaque was erected. The Mayor’s secretary came for a final meeting and we visited the lake. There was a rough wooden stake, wooden board and on it an A4 sign with Harrow Council’s logo. My words laminated and taped to the board with the red and white striped tape, usually used for no-go area notices. Another example of the lack of a TDO and absence of anyone with relevant expertise and guidance. There was even a word missing that made the sentence confusing.

However, this time there may be a happy ending, at last. The new Chief Executive has recognised the need for tourism development in Harrow and has proposed an initial funding of £50,000 to service a Tourism Officer position and administration. Only the publication of the proposed tourism plan is taking ages, and all the interested and affected organisations are waiting impatiently. continued on page 13

...currently international students spend nearly £6 billion a year in Britain - a 10% increase would generate an additional £600 million

Demand for international educational programmes is set to soar in the next decade and beyond, and for the UK, currently enjoying 24% of the world market share, the future looks bright.

I

t has been said that frustration played a big part in establishing the British Educational Travel Association (BETA) - just over a year ago - and it isn’t hard to understand why.

For many years educational and student travel has made a significant contribution to Britain’s £76 billion travel industry. Yet, despite the fact that one in four travellers is a young person, the government, and to a large extent trade associations, have hardly given the sector a second thought.

This situation has now dramatically changed. The nine founding members of BETA, who formed the association to raise the profile of youth and student travel and to lobby the Government, have been joined by eighty other members. Today BETA effectively influences the Government and offers a wide range of seminars and advice, as well as commercial benefits, to its members.

The Culture Secretary of State has recently announced that the Government had set Britain’s travel industry the goal of generating revenue of a £100 billion by the year 2010. If the Government’s objective is to be achieved, youth and student travel, whether educational or leisure, will have to keep making a serious contribution to the industry.

For many people educational travel

However, for Britain to benefit from this explosion in demand, a number of factors must come into play.

First, Britain must remain a safe, secure and welcoming country to live and study in. Second, the quality of programmes must remain at a worldclass level. And third, whilst being the best, we must continue to ensure that often used phrase ‘value for money’ does mean what it says. All this is quite a challenge to Britain’s teaching institutions. They have to respond to the market challenges, maintain the highest quality standards and offer the programmes at an acceptable international price - all at the same time.

However, the rewards for the industry are considerable, as are the rewards for the UK economy. That’s why BETA has been urging the Government to invest more funds to ensure Britain benefits from the growth opportunities.

Currently international students spend nearly £6 billion a year in Britain – a 10% increase would generate an additional £600 million. Surely this is worth additional investment Mr Brown!

Similarly, gap-year travel has become a significant market segment. A generation ago, gap-year travel, undertaken between leaving school or college and starting university, was a privilege of the few. Today many British students travel to overseas destinations to gain work experience (at least that’s what they tell their parents) or simply to sample different

cultures and lifestyles.

Just as many overseas students come to the UK. Many of our hotels, restaurants and bars would have been in serious difficulty if not for the thousands of students from all over the globe undertaking a variety of jobs in the hospitality industry, so vital to the economy.

SPECIAL FEATURE

conjures up a picture of English language tuition or gap-year travel, and these two products certainly are a major part of the sector’s product.

Paul Follows MTS

But gap-year travel or educational programmes are not the whole story.

Hostel operators along with au pair agencies, home-stay operators, transport companies and a host of other producers and suppliers all have a part to play in ensuring that youth and student travel receives the support and recognition it deserves. The benefits to the economy, to say nothing of the social and cultural benefits, are enormous, and while the Government might have been a bit slow in recognising the sector’s value, with some pressure, youth and student travel is now very firmly on the Government’s radar screen.

While every part of Britain’s tourism industry would claim, often with some justification, that their sector deserves more investment by the Government, it is true to say that youth and student educational travel is unique. First, there are substantial and identifiable cultural, economic and social benefits. And second, young people are more frequent travellers than their older counterparts.

If for no other reason the Government must, therefore, make investment in youth and student travel a priority, and BETA will make every effort to ensure that the Government and other public agencies do just that, and acknowledge the important part the sector plays in Britain’s multi-billion tourism industry.

Emma English MTS is the Executive Director, British Educational Travel Association 15

Coach travel goes budget Graham Davies MTS

SPECIAL FEATURE

S

ome of you may remember Sir Freddie Laker and his famous Skytrain. Laker Airways were committed to offering air travel as economically as possible; their passengers had to buy their tickets on the day of travel and meals were paid for separately. When in September 1977 Skytrain took to the air between London and New York with fares of just £118, it was the first budget operation of its type greatly applauded by the public. Responding to the challenge other airlines lowered their fares; however, by 1982 Skytrain went bankrupt owing over £250 million. And the rest is history.

Incidentally, as a tribute to Laker Airways, Virgin Atlantic Airways later named one of its Boeing 747s ‘The Spirit of Sir Freddie’ Budget coach travel came into being almost at the same time, but one needs to look at the origins of coach and bus services to get an understanding of its evolution.

The National Bus Company was created in 1968 as a result of the government initiative to bring together a large number of independent state and private bus and coach companies into a more integrated public transport system. The ‘National’ brand name was introduced for the NBC members’ long-distance scheduled coach services in 1972.

These services first used the National Express title in 1974.

16

There was indeed a plethora of new express coach operators in the market place competing with the then stateowned National Express. These new budget services operated key routes between London and the major cities.

Some of these coach operators got together under the brand name of ‘British Coachways’ in an attempt to market a network of routes. National Express responded to this by cutting fares, speeding up services and working more closely with their ticket agents.

Independent operators went even further - on their Plymouth-London route Trathens introduced a luxury service with hostess service, light refreshments, reclining seats and an on-board toilet/washroom. This lead to National Express introducing their Rapide brand on Plymouth-London route, which they subsequently expanded to a significant number of other London routes. It offered higher specification vehicles with more onboard facilities and faster journey times.

The extensive nationwide network of services, frequency of departures on key routes, comprehensive network of ticket agents and the ability to react quickly were undoubtedly some of the key strengths that enabled National Express to withstand British Coachways and other competitors.

It’s worth mentioning in this context the history of Stagecoach which started in 1976 as a self-drive motor caravan and minibus rental business based in Perth. The service used

second hand buses to carry workers to a local colliery. The business rapidly expanded to include a network of Stagecoach- branded express coach services within Scotland which were sold to National Express in 1989. Stagecoach went on to become one of the major bus operators in the UK and overseas.

The recently launched Megabus service is part of the Stagecoach Group.

Why, therefore, after more than 20 years of upgrading coach travel, have Megabus and Easycoach decided to launch budget coach service? Did the success of budget airlines played a part in this decision?

Not all people buy on price, otherwise Mercedes wouldn’t sell many cars. Price may be important but the decision to buy a product or service is also based on other factors, such as value for money, convenience, the amount of product information available, ease of purchase and ease of access to the product itself.

The operator should also have appropriate breakdown cover in place and a crisis management procedure should the worst ever happen. In an ideal world, the operator would have a yield management system in place in order to maximise the profitability of the route.

Taking all of the above into consideration, the operator will have arrived at a single journey cost, from which he will calculate a break-even

load factor. If he exceeds this load factor by just one passenger on every departure he makes a profit, if not he makes a loss. But then what can he do if the competition lowers their fares?

As with the budget airlines yield management plays an important part in the profitability of budget coach services. How many times have we been attracted by an air fare of say £5 from London to Barcelona only to discover that the £5 fare is no longer available. It applies only to bookings made several weeks or months in advance. Similar conditions apply to budget coach travel. Yes the £1 fare to London is available if you book well in advance, but for a booking for tomorrow made today you will pay a higher fare.

Most coach operators would probably welcome a more fluid pricing policy with the fare level reflecting the demand for travel on a particular day at a particular time. At peak times the fare should be higher, whilst at off peak times the fare could be considerably lower to fill these empty seats.

The arrival of the budget airlines wasn’t good news for every coach operator. Some are in a better position to respond to competition than others. For example Eurolines market leaders in budget travel from London to around 400 destinations in Europe especially Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam, focused on the youth market - responded with their own fares offers and promoted the advantage they have over the budget airlines: direct travel from one city centre to another.

Other will have to respond accordingly. Whether in the budget sector or at the higher end of travel services, successful operators will be those who adopt best practice and exceed customer expectations, but the overall winners will be the travelling public.

SPECIAL FEATURE

Scheduled coach services were strictly regulated since the 1930 Transport Act and needed a licence from the Traffic Commissioners. But the 1980 Transport Act removed that requirement, deregulating express services on distances over 30 miles.

"Suddenly the roads are full of earthbound Freddie Lakers cutting fares, filling coaches with passengers and frightening the trains", as Graham Smith wrote in the autumn edition of Free Life that year.

Pricing a coach fare is more difficult, however, than commonly assumed; a coach operator needs to take a vast number of factors into consideration: fixed cost overheads, distance of route, fuel and driver costs, vehicle depreciation, tax, insurance, service and maintenance. He also needs to consider fares charged by the competition, including rail and other coach operators, plus any budget airlines if appropriate, the seating capacity of the coach, the cost of bringing the product to market, leaflets, timetables, ticketing, sales commission and all the other elements of the cost of sale, coach stop signage and so on.

Graham Davies MTS is a Sales and Marketing Consultant at GLD Consultancy

So what’s different now? What key elements have changed since the eighties? The arrival of the Internet, the increased use of credit/debit cards and the changing patterns of travel are, no doubt, the key factors.

The Internet, which stimulated the growth of budget airlines, such as easyJet, Ryanair, BMI Baby, Flybe and MyTravelLite, has aided the expansion of budget coach services.

The Internet above anything else has made information and products easily available to most people, not just in the UK but worldwide. Suddenly operators have a very effective route to the market with a range of other benefits: a cost of sale is considerably smaller without using retail agents, ticketing mistakes are almost eliminated, and cash flow is improved as the operator takes direct payment from the passenger at the time of booking.

17

Coach travel goes budget Graham Davies MTS

SPECIAL FEATURE

S

ome of you may remember Sir Freddie Laker and his famous Skytrain. Laker Airways were committed to offering air travel as economically as possible; their passengers had to buy their tickets on the day of travel and meals were paid for separately. When in September 1977 Skytrain took to the air between London and New York with fares of just £118, it was the first budget operation of its type greatly applauded by the public. Responding to the challenge other airlines lowered their fares; however, by 1982 Skytrain went bankrupt owing over £250 million. And the rest is history.

Incidentally, as a tribute to Laker Airways, Virgin Atlantic Airways later named one of its Boeing 747s ‘The Spirit of Sir Freddie’ Budget coach travel came into being almost at the same time, but one needs to look at the origins of coach and bus services to get an understanding of its evolution.

The National Bus Company was created in 1968 as a result of the government initiative to bring together a large number of independent state and private bus and coach companies into a more integrated public transport system. The ‘National’ brand name was introduced for the NBC members’ long-distance scheduled coach services in 1972.

These services first used the National Express title in 1974.

16

There was indeed a plethora of new express coach operators in the market place competing with the then stateowned National Express. These new budget services operated key routes between London and the major cities.

Some of these coach operators got together under the brand name of ‘British Coachways’ in an attempt to market a network of routes. National Express responded to this by cutting fares, speeding up services and working more closely with their ticket agents.

Independent operators went even further - on their Plymouth-London route Trathens introduced a luxury service with hostess service, light refreshments, reclining seats and an on-board toilet/washroom. This lead to National Express introducing their Rapide brand on Plymouth-London route, which they subsequently expanded to a significant number of other London routes. It offered higher specification vehicles with more onboard facilities and faster journey times.

The extensive nationwide network of services, frequency of departures on key routes, comprehensive network of ticket agents and the ability to react quickly were undoubtedly some of the key strengths that enabled National Express to withstand British Coachways and other competitors.

It’s worth mentioning in this context the history of Stagecoach which started in 1976 as a self-drive motor caravan and minibus rental business based in Perth. The service used

second hand buses to carry workers to a local colliery. The business rapidly expanded to include a network of Stagecoach- branded express coach services within Scotland which were sold to National Express in 1989. Stagecoach went on to become one of the major bus operators in the UK and overseas.

The recently launched Megabus service is part of the Stagecoach Group.

Why, therefore, after more than 20 years of upgrading coach travel, have Megabus and Easycoach decided to launch budget coach service? Did the success of budget airlines played a part in this decision?

Not all people buy on price, otherwise Mercedes wouldn’t sell many cars. Price may be important but the decision to buy a product or service is also based on other factors, such as value for money, convenience, the amount of product information available, ease of purchase and ease of access to the product itself.

The operator should also have appropriate breakdown cover in place and a crisis management procedure should the worst ever happen. In an ideal world, the operator would have a yield management system in place in order to maximise the profitability of the route.

Taking all of the above into consideration, the operator will have arrived at a single journey cost, from which he will calculate a break-even

load factor. If he exceeds this load factor by just one passenger on every departure he makes a profit, if not he makes a loss. But then what can he do if the competition lowers their fares?

As with the budget airlines yield management plays an important part in the profitability of budget coach services. How many times have we been attracted by an air fare of say £5 from London to Barcelona only to discover that the £5 fare is no longer available. It applies only to bookings made several weeks or months in advance. Similar conditions apply to budget coach travel. Yes the £1 fare to London is available if you book well in advance, but for a booking for tomorrow made today you will pay a higher fare.

Most coach operators would probably welcome a more fluid pricing policy with the fare level reflecting the demand for travel on a particular day at a particular time. At peak times the fare should be higher, whilst at off peak times the fare could be considerably lower to fill these empty seats.

The arrival of the budget airlines wasn’t good news for every coach operator. Some are in a better position to respond to competition than others. For example Eurolines market leaders in budget travel from London to around 400 destinations in Europe especially Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam, focused on the youth market - responded with their own fares offers and promoted the advantage they have over the budget airlines: direct travel from one city centre to another.

Other will have to respond accordingly. Whether in the budget sector or at the higher end of travel services, successful operators will be those who adopt best practice and exceed customer expectations, but the overall winners will be the travelling public.

SPECIAL FEATURE

Scheduled coach services were strictly regulated since the 1930 Transport Act and needed a licence from the Traffic Commissioners. But the 1980 Transport Act removed that requirement, deregulating express services on distances over 30 miles.

"Suddenly the roads are full of earthbound Freddie Lakers cutting fares, filling coaches with passengers and frightening the trains", as Graham Smith wrote in the autumn edition of Free Life that year.

Pricing a coach fare is more difficult, however, than commonly assumed; a coach operator needs to take a vast number of factors into consideration: fixed cost overheads, distance of route, fuel and driver costs, vehicle depreciation, tax, insurance, service and maintenance. He also needs to consider fares charged by the competition, including rail and other coach operators, plus any budget airlines if appropriate, the seating capacity of the coach, the cost of bringing the product to market, leaflets, timetables, ticketing, sales commission and all the other elements of the cost of sale, coach stop signage and so on.

Graham Davies MTS is a Sales and Marketing Consultant at GLD Consultancy

So what’s different now? What key elements have changed since the eighties? The arrival of the Internet, the increased use of credit/debit cards and the changing patterns of travel are, no doubt, the key factors.

The Internet, which stimulated the growth of budget airlines, such as easyJet, Ryanair, BMI Baby, Flybe and MyTravelLite, has aided the expansion of budget coach services.

The Internet above anything else has made information and products easily available to most people, not just in the UK but worldwide. Suddenly operators have a very effective route to the market with a range of other benefits: a cost of sale is considerably smaller without using retail agents, ticketing mistakes are almost eliminated, and cash flow is improved as the operator takes direct payment from the passenger at the time of booking.

17

Waiting for tourism in Harr ow...

The pr omise of youth travel Emma English MTS

SPECIAL FEATURE

O

n my arrival at Grim’s Dyke Hotel and Harrow in 1988 I was astonished with the tourism potential of the hotel and the borough. I began liaising regularly with Harrow Council’s Marketing Manager and the staff of the local TIC, which at the time was situated in the reception of the main Council’s building (far away from the commercial city centre).

Returning to Grim’s Dyke in the summer of 1996, at the time when the hotel was being restored to its former splendour, it became clear to me that apart from the usual hospitality business (both corporate and leisure), both the hotel and the area would greatly benefit from developing tourism services and infrastructure. Having previously worked for six years in Manchester with the Council-appointed Tourism Development Manager, I felt that investment in tourism was most certainly needed here.

I attended my first Borough Conference in 1998 which included all the great and the good senior council officials, councillors and MPs. Having previously read the Borough Development Plan from cover to cover; I have not found one mention of the word ‘tourism’. I raised this issue during the meeting. After Chief Executive’s skilful skirting of the question, to my astonishment, I was

18

asked to chair a Tourism Focus Group. Great, I thought, maybe something will happen at last.

attractions, if not better, why the authorities don’t see the benefit of promoting them?

And yet after the first meeting of the local hotel and attraction managers, the chairing Marketing Manager left for Brent and was not replaced. The Estate Manager took over, but after some lobbying for the post of a Tourism Development Officer and for moving the TIC to the commercial and entertainment centre of Harrow, St Ann’s, everything came to a standstill. The fact that in the meantime the Focus Group visited Lewisham and Richmond to examine the contribution that a Tourism Development Officer can make to an area, made no difference.

Harrow Council’s Charter was 50 years old this year and the Council held a garden party at Grim’s Dyke Hotel for the Borough’s great and the good, inviting almost 500 guests. The garden looked splendid, and the new Chief Executive came to look at the venue. I also showed her the lake where Gilbert (of Gilbert and Sullivan partnership) died, now overgrown, full of fallen trees and covered with decades of leaf mould. She was shocked, that there was not even a plaque to say that this was the spot where one of the Borough’s most famous men had met his death. "This is bad. Who owns this area?," she asked. "You do," I replied. "Good gracious, we must do something clean it up, get a plaque done. Will you put some suitable wording together?" This I did.

Why nothing happened? I suspect that this was because nobody in the Council at the time had the vision to realise what assets they had and how they could be used to encourage tourism to the borough for the benefit of Harrow residents and its business community.

In the succeeding years, the lack of a TDO and any form of tourism planning was apparent: the absence of tourist brown signs, the lack of drive to restore and open to the public the fine Headstone Manor House, the loss of £1 million lottery grant, and dirty streets that repelled both the residents and visitors.

A long- serving stalwart of the tourism cause in Harrow is Martin Verden of the Harrow Heritage Trust. Both of us met again and again discussing the tourism issue and supporting each other’s efforts to get something done.

We despaired at the lack of interest.

The right noises were made to us but, as before, all forms of support and interest gradually died down. Having exhibited at Excursions, Coach & Bus Fair and British Travel Trade Fair for seven years, I have seen how other areas and boroughs promoted their assets. I often thought – why not Harrow. We have just as good

The plaque was erected. The Mayor’s secretary came for a final meeting and we visited the lake. There was a rough wooden stake, wooden board and on it an A4 sign with Harrow Council’s logo. My words laminated and taped to the board with the red and white striped tape, usually used for no-go area notices. Another example of the lack of a TDO and absence of anyone with relevant expertise and guidance. There was even a word missing that made the sentence confusing.

However, this time there may be a happy ending, at last. The new Chief Executive has recognised the need for tourism development in Harrow and has proposed an initial funding of £50,000 to service a Tourism Officer position and administration. Only the publication of the proposed tourism plan is taking ages, and all the interested and affected organisations are waiting impatiently. continued on page 13

...currently international students spend nearly £6 billion a year in Britain - a 10% increase would generate an additional £600 million

Demand for international educational programmes is set to soar in the next decade and beyond, and for the UK, currently enjoying 24% of the world market share, the future looks bright.

I

t has been said that frustration played a big part in establishing the British Educational Travel Association (BETA) - just over a year ago - and it isn’t hard to understand why.

For many years educational and student travel has made a significant contribution to Britain’s £76 billion travel industry. Yet, despite the fact that one in four travellers is a young person, the government, and to a large extent trade associations, have hardly given the sector a second thought.

This situation has now dramatically changed. The nine founding members of BETA, who formed the association to raise the profile of youth and student travel and to lobby the Government, have been joined by eighty other members. Today BETA effectively influences the Government and offers a wide range of seminars and advice, as well as commercial benefits, to its members.

The Culture Secretary of State has recently announced that the Government had set Britain’s travel industry the goal of generating revenue of a £100 billion by the year 2010. If the Government’s objective is to be achieved, youth and student travel, whether educational or leisure, will have to keep making a serious contribution to the industry.

For many people educational travel

However, for Britain to benefit from this explosion in demand, a number of factors must come into play.

First, Britain must remain a safe, secure and welcoming country to live and study in. Second, the quality of programmes must remain at a worldclass level. And third, whilst being the best, we must continue to ensure that often used phrase ‘value for money’ does mean what it says. All this is quite a challenge to Britain’s teaching institutions. They have to respond to the market challenges, maintain the highest quality standards and offer the programmes at an acceptable international price - all at the same time.

However, the rewards for the industry are considerable, as are the rewards for the UK economy. That’s why BETA has been urging the Government to invest more funds to ensure Britain benefits from the growth opportunities.

Currently international students spend nearly £6 billion a year in Britain – a 10% increase would generate an additional £600 million. Surely this is worth additional investment Mr Brown!

Similarly, gap-year travel has become a significant market segment. A generation ago, gap-year travel, undertaken between leaving school or college and starting university, was a privilege of the few. Today many British students travel to overseas destinations to gain work experience (at least that’s what they tell their parents) or simply to sample different

cultures and lifestyles.

Just as many overseas students come to the UK. Many of our hotels, restaurants and bars would have been in serious difficulty if not for the thousands of students from all over the globe undertaking a variety of jobs in the hospitality industry, so vital to the economy.

SPECIAL FEATURE

conjures up a picture of English language tuition or gap-year travel, and these two products certainly are a major part of the sector’s product.

Paul Follows MTS

But gap-year travel or educational programmes are not the whole story.

Hostel operators along with au pair agencies, home-stay operators, transport companies and a host of other producers and suppliers all have a part to play in ensuring that youth and student travel receives the support and recognition it deserves. The benefits to the economy, to say nothing of the social and cultural benefits, are enormous, and while the Government might have been a bit slow in recognising the sector’s value, with some pressure, youth and student travel is now very firmly on the Government’s radar screen.

While every part of Britain’s tourism industry would claim, often with some justification, that their sector deserves more investment by the Government, it is true to say that youth and student educational travel is unique. First, there are substantial and identifiable cultural, economic and social benefits. And second, young people are more frequent travellers than their older counterparts.

If for no other reason the Government must, therefore, make investment in youth and student travel a priority, and BETA will make every effort to ensure that the Government and other public agencies do just that, and acknowledge the important part the sector plays in Britain’s multi-billion tourism industry.

Emma English MTS is the Executive Director, British Educational Travel Association 15

Responsible travel – ther e is no time to wait

The choices we make Adam Handley

SPECIAL FEATURE

performance review The conference only serves to goes well, and ...responsible business remind us of our Peter’s 3pm travel is an issue for vulnerability and – presentation is a all of us... and questions our success. Elated, he commitment to the stays late to grab a business. chat with his chief executive. It is 5pm before Peter sets off for Shepton It was in response to these business Mallet. It’s a dreadful journey – and personal pressures that the drizzling rain, slow Friday evening Meeting Without Moving Foundation traffic, and packed motorway. He has been formed. The foundation is a dozes off for a split second, his car not-for-profit organisation conducting crashes and he’s killed. a high profile campaign aimed at reducing accidents and saving lives Whilst this is a fictitious story, it across all UK business sectors. reflects what happens on the roads Meeting Without Moving’s aims are to across the UK. promote a culture in which eter is an aspiring 30-something, unnecessary business travel is We tend to assume that road mid-manager in one of the UK’s recognised as irresponsible, accidents happen to someone else, leading consumer goods undesirable and antisocial. that our business environment is not companies. With responsibility for that pressured and we can control it. over 300 people in Operations, he To achieve it’s aims, the Meeting However, the facts speak for regularly divides his time between the Without Moving Foundation is themselves.

Bristol and London head offices, the lobbying government departments for Lutterworth Distribution Centre and change in legislation. The Foundation According to the government report the Speke Production facility. also provides a range of aids and compiled by Sir Richard Dykes, there tools to companies, large and small, are about 20 deaths and 270 serious It’s quarter-end, which always means to help promote its aims across their injuries every week in the UK caused some late evenings finalising the respective organisations. Campaign by ‘at work’ business travel. This is reports, and on top of everything else, groups, including RoSPA, the Institute not the commute to and from work; Peter’s boss has asked him to deliver a ‘at work’ travel is defined as that of Occupational Safety and Health, presentation at the prestigious annual Transport 2000 and the Institute of demanded by the rigours of one’s job. industry conference in Harrogate.

Directors have already pledged their To put this in perspective, in the last This is potentially a huge opportunity support for the Foundation. twelve months more people were – to showcase his killed on UK roads talents in front of It’s beyond question that responsible due to ‘at work’ industry top brass ...there are about 20 business travel is an issue for all of us travel than and his chief – employers and employees, national American soldiers deaths and 270 serious executive to boot! and local government bodies, and perished in action injuries every week...

But, it’s also a professional associations that in Iraq! tremendous represent the interests of the travel additional pressure over and above sector.

Modern business means doing more his daily work schedule. things, faster and better, with less.

Next time your company offers you And it is this mantra that contributes Late on Thursday evening Peter slaves the choice of the business trip across to these horrendous statistics. In the over the presentation with his usual the UK or the secondment to Falluja, last thirty years, we’ve all witnessed fastidious attention to detail. take a moment to seriously consider the demise of ‘the job for life’. We Reluctant to be away from his young the latter. The risks are smaller. have come to accept that our family overnight, he decides to leave business life is increasingly pressured, his Shepton Mallet home at 5am on John Blackwell is the Chief that our bosses are always seeking Friday morning for the 250-mile drive Executive of JB Associates more and more commitment from to Harrogate. This will get him there each of us. Business today is in plenty of time for the 10am kick-off witnessing increasing peaks and road conditions permitting. troughs in the demand for product and services. Every personal

P

14

H

aving gained a place on Tourism Management course at Napier University in Edinburgh, I started asking myself: ‘What is tourism’? I was afraid that I would be the only person on my course with such a dilemma.

The number of times I have been asked why I’ve chosen Tourism when I have so little knowledge of the subject. The truth is that I don’t actually know why, apart from the realization that it was a wide market with immense growth potential, hence finding a job that I would enjoy within the sector would be easy. Whether I will be selling holidays or working in a managerial capacity for a local tourist board - I am sure that I will find something within the sector that will appeal to too difficult me!

And yet, when our tutorial group ...tourism is (eleven students to define aged between 17 Being a Scottish and 27) was asked patriot, I know that to define tourism, everyone has just I want to work here. Scotland has so looked at one another, and I could much to offer to visitors, and it’s my tell that others were equally clueless. ambition to bring people here and be However, as a class we defined able to positively influence their tourism pretty well. My response was perceptions and experience of this something like this: "Tourism is a very country. As for some of the students difficult thing to define due to the in my class - they’ve chosen tourism vastness of subjects and different simply because it "sounded interesting sectors it contains". Another student in the Prospectus". defined it as: "the study of people moving from one place to another for One of my friends has different recreational activities". Someone else ambitions: after graduating he wants

continued from page 23 and Leisure at UHI, echoed these thoughts. Development and delivery of any new degree programme for the sector should be a joint venture between industry and education. The Outdoor Capital initiative might offer a good basis to work from.

In the final plenary session, the concern was raised that we continue

to work for a package holiday company, go abroad and contribute to their brochures writing about overseas destinations. This is closely linked to a hope of getting free holidays. His plans are contrary to mine - he wants to take Brits abroad, while I want to bring them and overseas visitors here.

...young people deciding to study Tourism are most likely attracted by the vastness of this market and wide job opportunities it offers, many of which appear to be fun...

to preach mainly to the converted.

Companies committed to training need to promote its benefits to the sceptics, in business terms. For Lochaber, the challenge is to ensure that visitors coming for the excellence of adventure tourism find similar excellence in Fort William’s high street. In parallel, a ‘listening partnership’ with the academic sector is to be welcomed, especially as the legislative context of adventure

GENERATION X

added - in the hotel and catering sector.

Therefore, we concluded that tourism is too difficult to define, but we are able to say that it includes many sectors, such as hospitality and leisure.

John Blackwell

For the time being, however, I have decided not to worry about what I do after my degree, and to focus on getting it. My current study modules include Business Skills and Behavioural Studies. The latter may be the most difficult one, yet most important – it is vital to know why consumers make certain choices and to be able to influence them!

All-in-all, young people deciding to study Tourism are most likely attracted by the vastness of this market and wide job opportunities it offers, many of which appear to be ‘fun’. There is no way of avoiding hard work, including a lot of research – since the market is so dynamic and changes very quickly. But this challenge is a part of the fun, and that’s why many of us are here.

Adam Handley is a student at Napier University

tourism grows more daunting.

The conclusion of the meeting was that Lochaber’s success in becoming the Outdoor Capital of the UK will depend first of all on wise and collaborative investment in human capital.

Robin Lingard FTS is a Strategic Development Consultant for Kinnairdie Consulting 19

accommodation throughout Britain by 2008 is a serious challenge. But it is not a pious hope. The target will be met.

• The major hotel groups have agreed to participate.

• The RDA strategic directors have adopted a policy whereby applicants for support, or grant-in-aid, will need to provide evidence that they subscribe to the quality agenda.

• VisitBritain will promote only tourist accommodation which has been assessed by a recognised grading organisation, as Scotland and Wales already do.

• Local government in England is looking at ways of increasing the 50% of TICs who adopt a policy of providing advice preferentially about inspected properties.

This is no easy task. Developing a common standards regime means that some ratings will move up and others down. It cannot be otherwise. And we are determined not to wimp out by accepting the lowest common denominator. So, initially, more will go down than will go up. But too draconian an approach will cause a flight from membership. Too feeble a one will fail to reflect rising customer expectations. The quality professionals are stepping warily, but with utter determination to reach their common standards goal by the target dates set.

So we shall start self-catering assessments on the new basis from early 2005. And we shall introduce the new standards for serviced accommodation from January 2006.

And by 2008 the whole process will be complete.

...policing a statutory regime, with an appeals procedure, is expensive...

• DCMS is looking at means of ensuring that government employees use only assessed accommodation for overnight stays and conferences.

These are massive steps forward which will greatly increase the value of the scheme for businesses who participate in it. They carry us a long way down the line towards our objective of attracting more businesses voluntarily into the schemes, by making membership more beneficial.

Meanwhile research into industry and consumer reactions is proceeding and, in the light of it, the five grading organisations are moving towards

continued from page 18 So, maybe now, 16 years after I came to Harrow and Grim’s Dyke, we may be getting somewhere. In recent months, the Government has made it 20

Is it a done deal?

Yes, that much is.

The commitment to introduce common standards is shared and resolute.

But there are important loose ends, and the devil always lurks in the detail. The precise calibration of hotel grades is not finalised. We are not yet happy with ‘Metro’ as the name for a sub-category of urban hotel. And the issue of stars versus diamonds is not categorically resolved. We need to respond to the consultation process in those and other matters.

endorsement. The name, the symbol, the price and the precise promotional benefits await review, recommendation and endorsement before we can proceed, although I am confident this can be accomplished by spring 2005.

By summer 2005 the die will be cast.

The QRG will then show that its commitment not to fall into the timehonoured trap of recreating itself in perpetuity was not mere words. We shall disband.

That, however, is not the end of the story. There is a vast amount of work still needed to sustain the improvement in tourism quality across the board. Accommodation quality is only a part – albeit a very important part – of quality in tourism.

The QRG will have introduced common standards throughout Britain. That, I submit, is a huge achievement and a vital step in building customer confidence. But perhaps equally importantly, our work has generated a momentum in terms of quality awareness. It would be tragic if that was allowed to dissipate.

In this regard it is encouraging that the Minister for Tourism has set up TRIG (the Tourism Reform and Implementation Group), which is specifically charged with monitoring progress in England in the four key areas of Marketing, Product Quality, Skills and Data. We must all hope that TRIG achieves more than some of its predecessors.

SPECIAL FEATURE

So how are we proceeding towards that goal? Many very positive things have already happened:

completion of the revised rating bands.

Meanwhile QRG job is not yet done and we look to the whole industry for support in concluding what we have started.

Perhaps the most vital work (for England at least) still to be completed is definition of the new entry level standard, which has been successfully piloted but still needs final

Alan Britten CBE FTS is Head of the Quality Review Group

mandatory for local councils to promote ‘culture’, which incorporates a host of initiatives including tourism.

We shall see – watch this space. Even the Mayor mentioned the ‘t’ word to me at the garden party.

Paul Follows MTS is the Managing Director of Grim’s Dyke Hotel and Restaurant

13

Travel and tourism media master class

Alan Britten CBE FTS

27 September 2004 The Berners Hotel, London Verité Reily-Collins FTS

SPECIAL FEATURE

promoters and accommodation buyers will adopt policies which deal preferentially with properties in the quality schemes.

• To simplify the provision of advice and support given to accommodation providers, common benchmarking sheets will be adopted by assessors of all five recognised grading bodies.

A

great deal has been written already – not least in this publication – about my work with the Quality Review Group and our recommendations. Generally they have been very well received.

The central idea of establishing customer-friendly, common, consistent and coherent standards of accommodation grading throughout Britain is seen as a basic step in meeting the old adage: "the best way to sell is to make it easy to buy".

Let’s start by reprising the main recommendations: • To improve customer recognition and confidence in the ratings, common standards will be introduced from early 2005 across Britain for all categories of accommodation grading.

• To provide a means whereby properties historically outside the quality net can embark on a process of upgrading, and to unify the efforts of various innovative local authorities to encourage that trend, a new entry level quality standard will be introduced in England.

• To reflect increasing competitive activity and more demanding customer expectations, grading standards will generally be raised.

• To provide incentives for qualityoriented businesses, a vastly increased proportion of tourism

12

aside the fact that, although Scotland and Wales will make their own decisions, the Westminster Government is deeply unwilling to find parliamentary time to introduce more red tape into an industry already beleaguered by too many controls, there is the almost inevitable increase in costs. We would like assessors to be counsellors and trusted advisors rather than policemen. And policing a statutory regime, with an appeals procedure, is expensive. Besides which, my personal experience overseas has not led me to feel any more confident about statutory quality ratings than voluntary ones.

‘Statutory’ is for me a last resort.

‘Voluntary’ would have to fail before I personally would advocate the statutory option.

...I prefer to think that although the QRG has not by any means provided all the answers, it is more useful to concentrate on what needs to be done next, rather than on what hasn’t been done already...

• To increase public awareness of rising standards within tourism, a series of public statements incorporating relevant statistics will be developed and launched.

These are very considerable steps forward, reflecting great credit on the quality professionals within the five principal grading organisations. They have agreed that a customer-focused industry requires a basic platform of common standards upon which independent marketing policies can be developed. This has been recognised for many years by many people, but never before have all five competing organisations united in the vision that by accepting a degree of standardisation, they are better serving the customer, and helping the entire industry to prosper.

We still hear criticism of course: why not statutory? Why five different grading organisations? Why only accommodation grading? Why not introduce it faster? As a shameless optimist, I prefer to think that although the QRG has not by any means provided all the answers, it is more useful to concentrate on what needs to be done next, rather than on what hasn’t been done already.

But maybe we should touch briefly on these criticisms before looking at what comes next.

Firstly, Statutory Registration is the oldest of tourism chestnuts. Setting

Secondly, we see five competing organisations as better than one.

Does anyone suppose costs would be reduced by imposing a single, monopolistic organisation on the industry, leaving accommodation providers no choice and no recourse?

Thirdly, it may indeed make sense to merge inspections so that accessibility, sustainability and green credentials could be assessed simultaneously. That may well come.

But with such a broad objective, we could never have achieved the kind of relatively quick wins that we have.

Finally, of course we’d like to move faster. But there are about 120,000 properties across Britain, and only some 120 assessors. There is a practical reason for taking two years to roll out the programme.

Furthermore, even after consultation, further adjustments may need to be made as the new systems are introduced. To achieve our target of full implementation of all new standards in all categories of

W

as it the Berners Hotel – the quality of speakers – or the combination that drew a large crowd to the Travel and Tourism Media Masterclass evening?

Or was it the new Chief Executive, Carrie England MTS, actually coming up to welcome everyone as they arrived, and introducing herself? As a journalist, I hate going to ‘press events’ where the PR department wraps itself around a glass of wine, and thinks because they have persuaded their client to fund the bean feast, their work ends there. I am sure those PRs in the audience took note of her friendly welcome – and learnt by example.

Opening the meeting with some hardhitting and pertinent advice, freelance journalist and broadcaster Alison Rice told the audience of PRs, tourist officers and marketing gurus that the first thing they should do was ‘sort out your message - you’ve all got something to offer; just pick up the phone and talk to a journalist’.

Plan ahead – know your markets and when their supplements come out.

You can always phone to ask if a magazine has a features list – then offer appropriate ‘copy’ at the right time – long before the event.

Remember next year’s Christmas issues are being planned as soon as New Year is over, so get to know your market.

Facts, grammar, details, spelling – were all important. Your press release should be on one page, double or 1.5 spaces, paragraphs of three or four lines, and don’t forget your contact email and telephone number at the bottom of the page – even if it is on the top. Then cut, cut and cut again.

The panel thought you should never send attachments, nor j-pegs (unless asked) and condemned the PR who had sent out a five-page press release that day – gumming up some laptops.

Always find out if the recipients would prefer releases by snail mail – or fax, instead of email.

Anyone who was there would have learnt that journalists like to develop a relationship with sources; they don’t like being told to look at a website, but ‘copy with colour’ usually got results. Writing a press release, the old-fashioned mantra of How, Where, When, What and Why should never be ignored. And when planning press trips, don’t ignore freelancers; a staffer (full-time employee) would only come back with one article; a freelance journalist usually had to sell several stories to different media to make their time away from their desk worthwhile.

Releases should be ‘jargon-free’, and make sure someone is there to answer the phone – we can all tell stories about the PR who sends out a press release the night before going on holiday, and doesn’t arrange for anyone to answer their phone.

And journalists need information NOW – or the day before – so respond to queries immediately; "I have to plan the article, even though it may not go out for days or even weeks", said Alison. VisitBritain were castigated for not answering calls – especially on Fridays (thought I was the only one who suffered!). And don’t lie to the press.

When it comes to writing press releases, Henry Hemming from TravMedia advised the audience to think of the story they had to tell, before writing a release. Decide on an angle – and don’t ignore the old clichés like top five/top ten lists.

The age-old subject of press trips came up – the panel said you should be selective, know your journalists, and for whom they write. And never, never cancel a journalist’s invite because someone better turns up.

Some journalists write for the national

media, others may give you just as good exposure, perhaps even better, in a trade or specialist magazine, and freelancers can be best of all because their story will be re-cycled three-four times (in different guises) in different magazines. Remember too that the huge story splashed across the paper might get no response, if readers don’t lift up the phone, but if there is going to be a big story make sure you have someone to respond to enquiries.

MEETING REPORTS

Quality that sells

Rehearse clients talking to the press about the story they have to tell, or get them media training – don’t let them do a Gerald Ratner. Don’t let them talk jargon, but concentrate on basics, and tell clients NOT to expect every press release will get results.

Judging by the number of people furiously scribbling notes, the evening was a success, and it was good to sit in a conference room with no pillars.

Well done Berners Hotel!!!

Verité Reily Collins FTS, is the author of Becoming a Tour Guide, Working in Aviation, Working in Tourism, among others

21

Widening the access

4th November 2004 Lancaster Town Hall Ros Forster MTS Mark McTigue MTS

make for disabled visitors, the answer is, basically, that they do not. Instead they practice ‘universal design’, making attractions accessible to everyone, of all shapes, sizes and abilities. Drinking fountains that work for someone using a wheelchair are at the perfect height for a child.

Professor John Lennon, Glasgow Caledonian University: ‘Dark Tourism: the Attraction of Death and Disaster’ Professor John Lennon spoke about the fascination of visiting sites of ‘death and disaster’, notably sites of concentration camps, sites of assassinations and sites of mass genocide with illustrated reference to the Arlington National Cemetery; the Houston Book Depository, Texas; the Berlin Wall; and Auschwitz-Birkenau.

The Draw of the Event Prof. Lennon spoke about the ‘corrupting fascination’ of visiting such sites and asked why that fascination was inherent. It seems that people want to ‘touch death’, but in a controlled environment. It is difficult to determine whether we should ‘showcase’ these sites of atrocity and the question of what factors allow us to present a site or event as a ‘visitor attraction’ arises – the magnitude of the event? The distance afforded by time? It is true that the interest in an event is increased during a lifetime’s remembrance but there may be events which are still too close to home to be commemorated, such as the Vietnam War, Gulf War or 9/11.

Ethics and Morality How can a balanced, objective view of the event be presented whilst being subject to the commercialism necessarily surrounding such an enterprise?

It was asked whether it is important to present a site authentically, illustrated by the case of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp sites which have been extensively refurbished, remodelled and re-presented in order to effectively shape the tourist experience. Do we have a right to manipulate the visitor’s experience, considering that the visitor does not necessarily seem to be concerned

22

with the ‘primacy of the object’ or do we have an obligation to present things as they are now (possibly in a state of decay) or exactly as they were?

The management of a site is affected by the financial and political interests of the management company. The influence and wishes of those affected by the event may have to be taken into consideration, such as the wishes of the families of those affected by the World Wars or in more recent memory, by 9/11.

Problems of Modern Interpretation As interpreters of an event, our view is naturally skewed by time, change and memory. Even if an interpretation is not distorted by deliberate propaganda, slants influenced by government pressure, financial or political interest, or personal subjectivity are still inherent. Modern media technology ‘condenses’ our view of an event so that it can easily be taken out of context (World Trade Center footage was shown continuously immediately after the event from various TV companies’ point of view).

It was discussed how exactly to present the interpretation – with a tour guide? A leaflet? Audio tours?

Display boards? Illustrations and props? This question is probably particular to each attraction and should be discussed according to which seems most appropriate to the situation. We must consider whether the modern use of the location is acceptable – areas within the boundary of the Auschwitz sub-camps are now used as a car-park, a ticket office and sites for food concessions.

We must also consider the appropriateness of offering merchandise and food stands – some of the souvenirs on offer at the Texas Book Depository (site of the assassination of JFK) seem to cross the

Anita Thornberry MTS

boundaries of taste.

Who is the Visitor and What is His / Her Responsibility?

It was considered whether the ‘tourbus’ visitor is a less ‘appropriate’ customer than those who have links or roots in the place, and whether we then have the right to dictate the length or depth or their experience or to criticise if they seem to misinterpret the message.

After the experience, does the visitor have a responsibility to develop his or her thinking and research further, or is it acceptable that the visit has been just one more stop on a tour? Prof.

Lennon suggested that a one-hour visit is better than nothing in keeping the history alive, but expressed a wish for that short visit to make an effective impression upon the visitor.

What is Our Responsibility?

There is a strong case to say that these sites should continue to be presented as a reminder of past atrocities in order to prevent a re-occurrence.

However, it seems that some will only ever attract those with a morbid fascination for the macabre, and sites such as Cromwell Street (location of the West murders) and Dunblane school gymnasium have been demolished.

It appears that our responsibility as tourism providers is to offer as informative, educational, instructive, authentic (possibly), ethical, objective, and entertaining (and cost / time-effective) an experience as possible, whilst dispensing with the continued on page 27

‘A

ccessibility’ leaves a lot of the tourism industry cold.

‘Another cost to my business.’

‘Another piece of red tape.’ ‘I know I have to, but...’

The recent debates around the Disability Discrimination Act (the final phase of which came into effect on October 1st) have tended to reinforce this view – that providing total access is just a costly add-on, required by law.

But there is another side to the ‘accessibility coin’ that we seem to be missing. The potential market is actually huge - think young family with pushchair, elderly couple with stick, or business traveller with poor eyesight - if only we served it better.

Unfortunately, there is no data on the total size of the market of those with impaired mobility. We know from the Disability Rights Association that there are 10 million disabled people in the UK with an estimated £6 billion to spend on travel and tourism. Europe’s elderly and disabled population is about 120 million and there are around 50 million disabled in the USA. Add to this those with sight impairments, the number of children in pushchairs, carers, families and friends and the market is larger still. And most crucially, people who find good accessibility are often loyal and repeat customers.

Providing total accessibility makes good commercial sense. Indeed, if you ask Disney what ‘special provision’ they

For Disney, accessibility is driven by customer service and not the other way around. Most peoples’ memories of a trip relate to good and bad encounters with people and not just whether a piece of machinery was working. Disney knows that this approach makes business sense: it cites the growing demand for its ‘universally designed’ parks and hotels from family reunion groups, with people of all ages from toddlers to grandparents in wheelchairs.

seminar on his experience of the Paralympics in Athens. The city centre was superbly accessible but drop kerbs were viewed primarily as good parking spots.

We don’t talk to each other enough. The industry is frustrated that the ‘accessibility world’ is full of organisations working in silos. We need to pool information, share best practise case studies, and help operators develop the business case for investment in infrastructure and training.

Where do London and England go next?

Unlike Disney, which can own and operate the total visitor experience including transport and hotels, we have hundreds of years of the built environment to manage around.

We need to talk to the travellers themselves: simple but usually forgotten.

Our research for the conference showed that the information we provide as a nation is at best patchy. We tend to concentrate on the places and journeys that are accessible, leaving great gaps in between for the visitor to piece together themselves. If it’s not easy to get somewhere, then we should say so. It’s no good if a hotel offers great service but the access is steep, or the shops, theatres and restaurants nearby are off limits.

There are examples of good practice: Manchester City Council recognised the potential before the Commonwealth Games in 2002, and was determined to provide the best welcome for the disabled athletes and their entourage.

Since then it has broadened its aims, stating that it wants to be the most accessible city in Europe. London has plenty to learn from Manchester, especially as, if we want to be successful with London 2012 Olympic bid, we have to win the Paralympics.

We must accept that we will never be totally accessible. (We held the seminar at the Tower of London to show what can be done even with hundreds of years of cobbles to deal with.) But we can and should share best practise case studies, provide better information and, following Disney’s example, put customer service at the top of our list. No city in the world has a comprehensive information system that takes the potential visitor though every step of their journey. If we can do it in London, it would be a first.

We convened a small seminar in October of London tourism and transport operators, attractions, town centre managers and local authorities, to raise awareness of the mobility and accessibility issues and to help the LDA, as the agency responsible for tourism development in London, plan the next steps.

The seminar has given us at the LDA some clear steers as to where we can put our energies to work. But we would like to hear from anyone in London or elsewhere in the country who has examples of best practice case studies or ground-breaking projects or publications that would help us compile a website of true value to operators. Please contact Elizabeth Pratt at the LDA on elizabethpratt@lda.gov.uk

The good news for the UK is that, although behind the USA, we are already ahead of the rest of Europe in responding to accessibility legislation and in ‘thinking’ accessibility. Peter White, BBC Disability Correspondent, reported to the

SPECIAL FEATURE

MEETING REPORTS

Dark Tourism: wher e do you draw the line?

Anita Thornberry MTS is Project Manager at London Development Agency

11

Human capital/outdoor capital

Sarah Hague MTS

8th October 2004 Lochaber, Scottish Highlands Robin Lingard FTS

IN FOCUS

and in my current role I am very much involved in helping to ensure that this challenge is met.

O

n completing my BA (Hons) in Leisure and Tourism at Liverpool John Moores University, I applied for my current position in the Tourism Development department at The Mersey Partnership (TMP), which on 1st April 2004 became the official tourist board for Merseyside. I was very pleased to be offered the job as it was one of only a small number of graduate positions that were advertised and the competition for it was very high.

Although I had a lot of deadlines to meet at university, it is far more challenging working at TMP as I have a lot more responsibility and my dayto-day activities directly impact upon both internal colleagues and external partners in the public and private sectors.

My first five months have been very enjoyable as it is a really exciting time to be working in tourism on Merseyside due to the huge amount of tourism development and investment currently underway, particularly in Liverpool itself. Also the city’s status as European Capital of Culture 2008 and more recently, its designation as a World Heritage Site

by UNESCO means there are significant opportunities for Merseyside to increase its profile as a tourism destination on the world stage. Therefore, there is a real challenge ahead for Liverpool and the rest of Merseyside to make sure that these opportunities are capitalised on

10

I have an excellent support network within the Tourism Development team, so I am able to learn from some highly skilled and experienced colleagues which is really helping me to develop my skills and gain a deeper understanding of this complex industry. I have been given some excellent opportunities to meet with tourism businesses within Merseyside and also represent TMP and Liverpool at events such as the Labour Party Conference and VAC 2004. There are also some really great projects that I am working on along with the rest of the tourism team, including the district tourism awards which are held in November and a ‘Tourism for All’ project where we aim to help tourism businesses throughout Merseyside to become more accessible.

This year TMP won a ‘British Hospitality Award’ for its contribution to the hospitality industry as well as a ‘Catey Tourism Award’, which recognises TMP’s success in promoting the region as a tourist destination. It’s great to work in an organisation where quality is so high on the agenda as I believe it will give me an excellent base for my own personal development and at this early stage in my career having the opportunity to work where best practice is recognised nationally is invaluable to my personal and professional growth.

There are many aspects of my work where I have been able to apply what I learnt during my time at university to my job and I’m pleased that I have been able to do this so soon after graduating. Putting theory into practice is not always as straightforward as I had imagined as there are many issues that crop up on a day-to-day basis which often require innovative solutions. However, the key to all of the activities I am involved in is working in partnership.

One of the main things that I have learnt since starting at TMP is that the

tourism industry is much more diverse than I had anticipated and impacts upon and is impacted upon by many other sectors. This therefore reenforces the need for a partnership approach to all that I am involved in.

In conclusion, I am enjoying working for The Mersey Partnership and am very much looking forward to the challenges and opportunities ahead for both Merseyside and myself.

Sarah Hague MTS is Tourism Development Database Assistant for The Mersey Partnership continued from page 7 The key to raising quality and standards lies in the recruitment and retention of skilled staff. The aim of the Best Practice Forum is to spread best practice throughout the industry which will, in turn, lead to better staff and better employment practices, and ultimately to better profits. Without them, there can be no investment in facilities and, just as important, no improved conditions of work.

Investment in tourism and hospitality remains a key element of future success.

For those considering a career in hospitality, a sense of realism is now pervading the industry. Employers recognise that the image of employment in tourism and hospitality needs to match the reality.

And this needs to measure to the best practice internationally. Young people undertaking a career in hospitality will enjoy an industry that offers increasingly varied work, a high level of satisfaction, a chance to travel the world, a rewarding salary and – above all – a fascinating lifestyle.

What’s more, its growth means that the opportunities are growing, too.

Not many other industries can claim this.

Bob Cotton OBE FTS is the Chief Executive of British Hospitality Association

T

his meeting organised by Tourism Society Scotland sought answers to a perennial question. We know that training is central to success in tourism, but why do only some of us act on this knowledge, and how can we persuade others to do so?

The focus was unique, in geography and topic. Lochaber, clustered around Ben Nevis, is ruggedly beautiful and has long attracted those for whom leisure means activity.

Local businesses and agencies are aiming to have Lochaber recognised as the Outdoor Capital of the UK. What does this ambition imply for training and for management development? What special skills are needed to underpin the growth of adventure tourism? With the valuable support of Lochaber Enterprise, Lochaber College and the Ice Factor, some 35 delegates gathered - initially in Fort William - to listen, learn and discuss, under the chairmanship of Robin Lingard FTS. Two speakers described the local background. Principal Dan MacLeod explained the roles of Lochaber College, as a learning base for Lochaber’s industries and as part of the developing University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI). Then business leader Finlay Finlayson, of Crannog Concept, introduced the Outdoor Capital vision he has done so much to champion.

Next, Ivan Broussine (of consultants Rocket Science) linked local issues to the national scene. Their recent study confirmed the persistent skills problems dogging the Scottish tourism and hospitality industry. Compared with other economic sectors, it has twice the labour turnover, more skills gaps, more part-time/short term workers and higher vacancy rates.

Tourism employers are less likely to have training and development plans.

Staff are predominantly engaged in

‘elementary’ occupations, requiring few or no qualifications. Potential recruits believe career prospects are poor. Yet increasingly the customer is seeking high quality – and will find it elsewhere if Scotland can’t provide it.

The choice is stark. Continue in this negative cycle and lose competitiveness, or move to a positive cycle, based on valuing staff and training them accordingly.

Ivan concluded that recruitment and retention will not get easier. What is needed is a change of attitude by some owners and managers, including biting the bullet of better pay and employment conditions.

While the public agencies should continue to address market failure, the business sector should seek inspiration from good practice of successful companies. Thus the adventure tourism sector, where staff visibly enjoy their work, may have much to teach other parts of the industry.

The perception that tourism offers poor career prospects was addressed

by Laurence Young, of the Lochaber Centre for Tourism Excellence, describing a local initiative (the Accelerated Management Programme) which uses industry-based experience and personal mentoring to fast-track people into management employment through a four step programme.

Results have been encouraging, but the challenge is to find mainstream funding for its continuation and wider roll-out.

Dealing with the retention and recruitment challenge is a priority for Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). As HIE’s Audrey MacLennan explained, they are currently piloting HCIMA’s Hospitality Assured programme with SMEs in certain areas. This self-assessment process, based on a standard of service and business excellence, is backed by coaching/mentoring and leads to accreditation. HIE will be tracking

the results within companies and also hoping to detect changes in public attitudes to tourism employment.

To complete the morning session, Stephen Spencer of Ascension Solutions described the new Scottish initiative to simplify, restructure and refresh the national tourism training programmes. Through business leadership, the aim is to improve perceptions of value and levels of take-up, thus moving steadily away from a culture of subsidy.

MEETING REPORTS

Welcome to the workplace

For lunch and the afternoon session the delegates took the short drive (in brilliant Lochaber weather) to Kinlochleven. Our venue here was the Ice Factor - a £2.2 million conversion of an industrial building into an indoor climbing facility, featuring the world’s biggest indoor ice wall. Still in its first year of operation, the Ice Factor is the brainchild of Jamie Smith, whose presentation focused not on technology but on the quality of his staff (including graduates of UHI), and the attention the company gives to recruitment, training, pay and progression.

Appropriately, the final presentations featured the skills needs of adventure tourism and the best way to meet them. Local operator Tony Shepherd, of Outward Bound Lochiel, sketched the ideal employee. Practical experience and qualifications should be complemented by people skills, together with skills in communications, business and organisation. Too often new recruits have job expectations well out of line with reality. Company training can help to bridge the gap, but a tailored training solution, specified by the sector and on offer from local providers, would be very welcome.

Dr Kerry Godfrey, Dean of Business continued on page 19

23

How to get that elusive job

John Walsh-Heron FTS

team player. It is select those ...become familiar with the imperative that you individuals that are highly motivated, travel recruitment adverts research the you want articulate, numerate and agencies long before industry to work in. Sadly so and for graduate you graduate... many students do employment, can not recognise that demonstrate not the professional only advanced bodies in tourism, like the Tourism interpersonal skills, but those of a Society, are here to help you manage ‘strategic thinker.’ your career and studies, the take up of student membership of these So what can you do to track down bodies is fairly modest. Consider this that perfect job? not as a cost, but as an on going investment in your own career path.

Firstly you have to be honest with yourself, what are you looking for in Maximise your placement experience life and what type of challenges do and ensure that the contacts you you respond to? Ask yourself those he academic year is now fully made are kept informed of your awkward questions about not only underway and students are career movements after you have your weaknesses, but where you see getting into some sort of routine finished University. If you are yourself in five, ten or even twenty before they are assessed, examined considering a gap year, always try and years time. This way you will start to and reminded about placements and fix up a job to return to. It may not be plan a career path towards the types ultimately employment. Most the ultimate job you are considering, of jobs you could apply for. You can undergraduates on tourism but to return after a gap year to seek guidance from family and programmes have a strong desire to nothing is a long road back into ‘critical friends’. Talk to those people work in the industry, but it is with employment. Again, do not just drift, you identify with success and trace some regret that we let students down but manage your expectations and their path that led to success. We through careers advice that is very aspirations. cannot all be the next Stelios or general and limited in scope. I have Richard Branson! But you will soon often wanted to ask careers advisors Become familiar with the travel recognise the sorts of qualities and how many graduates have become recruitment adverts and agencies long qualifications that are needed to travel agents? All jobs they could before you graduate. By sourcing the succeed. easily undertake, right sort of recruitment agency and but maybe not the knowing the nature of the job market Pack your life with career path they ...so many students do not interesting you can begin to match your career would choose to set plans to when vacancies arise. experiences that recognise that the out on given the demonstrate to an professional bodies in challenges facing Finally, do not forget to tell your employer you have travel agencies. tourism, like the Tourism the qualities that tutors of your success when you find employment. It is so important that Society, are here to help make you an In many respects to the success of graduates in the interesting person. you manage your career gain a good tourism industry is shared with the At the University of and studies... placement and next generation of students.

Hertfordshire, we ultimately excellent Remembering, success breeds emphasise that career prospects success. your career search starts from day graduates today cannot afford to drift one, everything you do on the course into the tourism industry. It is a fact Brandon Crimes MTS is a Senior and more importantly from an that all organisations are becoming Lecturer in Tourism Management at employers points of view, what you more accountable, transparent and the University of Hertfordshire achieved in terms of personal managed in a way that maximises the development whilst at Uni will say a human capital. Many organisations lot about the type of person you are. are recognising that to attract the best Not all of us are leaders, and the staff they have to provide an mistake so many graduates make environment where the individual can when applying for jobs, is to say they grow and contribute to the growth of have leadership qualities, but cannot that organisation. The various sectors provide evidence. It is alright to be a of the travel industry can, and do follower and more importantly, a

T

he Wales Network has been concerned over recent months with the Welsh Assembly Government’s (WAG) announcement that the Wales Tourist Board is to be disbanded and all the staff and its functions merged into the Assembly.

The Wales Network, together with the Wales Tourism Alliance, will be following the WAG plans for the new structure.

Many members attended the Wales Tourism Alliance conference at the Celtic Manor Resort over the weekend of the 31 October/1 November to listen to Andrew Davies,

Economic Development and Transport Minister (whose portfolio includes tourism), outline his initial thinking on the merger. He stressed that nothing would be finalized without full consultation with the tourism industry in Wales. The President of the Tourism Society, John Thurso MP was the main after dinner speaker at the conference.

The Wales Network is organising a meeting on the 1 February 2005 at the Copthorne Hotel in Cardiff with the theme of "Partnership - new ways of working". Alan Brittan FTS will present the progress of quality

schemes harmonization, Malcolm Bell from South West Tourism will talk about SWT working relationship with SWRDA, Julian Burrell FTS, Chairman of the Wales Tourism Alliance will speak on the WTA's relationship with the WTB and the WAG. An invitation is also being extended to Andrew Davies, Economic Development Minister to attend.

Further details and booking forms will be circulated before Christmas.

T

Tourism Society Yorkshir e: YTB r etained by r egional development agency.

Sir Thomas Ingilby MTS

Y

orkshire Forward, the regional development agency, has confirmed that the Yorkshire Tourist Board will continue to act as the regional delivery vehicle for tourism in the region. Initial proposals drawn up following a report submitted by consultants Travel Research International Ltd had suggested that the YTB could be revamped or replaced altogether.

Destination management organisations representing North, South, East and West Yorkshire would have been responsible for providing a wide range of services to the industry; each would have had its own office and independent administration. With the vast majority of the board’s 2,850 members and local authorities strongly against the proposals, a fresh approach had to be found.

Under new Articles of Association unanimously approved at the YTB AGM on 11th September, a slim-line 24

board comprising a Chairman, eleven non- executive and three executive directors will take over the reins from 1st April, 2005. A nomination committee will appoint the new board, six of whom will represent the sub-regions and local partnerships. A Regional Tourism Council will be established to ensure that the industry retains a strong voice. Industry representatives from the private and public sectors will sit on the Council in order to review the Board’s operations, and to discuss the regional tourism policy and other strategic tourism issues. Under the terms of the Articles, the Board must give due consideration to any recommendations made by the Council.

It is hoped that new private / public sector local partnerships, responsible for the implementation of local Tourism Action Plans, product development, tourism management

Brandon Crimes MTS

IN FOCUS

NETWORKS

Tourism Society Wales: News Update

and local marketing, will be in place by 1st April 2006. An Industry Group will enable more private and public sector discussion on key issues, and task groups will be formed to drive forward the agendas for business travel and other specialist interests.

Membership subscriptions will continue to be paid to the YTB, pending a full review of membership services.

Yorkshire Forward is endorsing the new arrangement with a package of finance that incorporates significant funding for nationwide marketing campaigns in 2005 and 2006, following hard on the heels of the very successful ‘Yorkshire-Britain’s Biggest Break’ campaigns of 2002/3.

9

Tourism training fr om a Welsh perspective

The kangar oo connection

Lisa Francis AM

John Alwyn-Jones FTS

IN FOCUS

I

nterestingly and optimistically, three years post foot and mouth disease (FMD) and five years post devolution in Wales, there is now a general recognition among tourism operators that improving quality services and facilities in the industry is equal to an increase in all-yearround visitor spend. For many, this had led to year-round employment as opposed to just seasonal job opportunities.

Whilst we would probably all agree that it took the tragedy of FMD to highlight the importance of tourism UK wide, I believe that it took devolution and the creation of the Welsh Assembly's Economic Development Committee to recognise the contribution that tourism was making to the Welsh economy.

Certainly, since 1999, the Welsh administration's relationship with the Wales Tourist Board has become dynamic and more demanding. As a result, there has been a marked growth in certain tourism areas and a much greater emphasis placed upon the importance of marketing Wales as a visitor destination.

Recent labour market research has shown that 90,000 people are employed in tourism in Wales, nearly 8% of the total workforce. However, the nature of the business remains mostly small - around 6,000 micro businesses employing fewer than ten people. Many of these are family run.

8

Cultural tourism and the unique 'pulling power' of the Welsh language also give Wales something very special to offer.

So how do we provide for the training needs of those who want to develop a career within the tourism industry and those who ceaselessly complain about a dearth of skilled and professional help? Some changes are underway and one of the most positive one is the the emergence of Tourism Training for Wales (TTFW). It is a relief that they are now 'out there' to help tourism operators and to encourage those who are looking for a career within the industry. Not only are they working to bridge the gap which exists between tourism businesses and educationalists, but they are also supportive of businesses who are committed to investing in staff skills and knowledge. The recent launch of their new, easy-to-navigate website "whodoiask.com" will be an absolute boon to small tourism operators in Wales.

Offering training and development opportunities is obviously significant in retaining staff who are keen to progress. In Wales over the last few years, in-house training and mentoring have proved extremely successful. For small accommodation providers, it makes sense for training courses to be available locally. Wales needs more of them, and providers need to be aware of the idiosyncrasies and fragile timetables that are part and parcel of a small business.

Higher expectations with regard to career progression and earning potential will clearly affect the number of people wanting to work in tourism, and there is a need to provide relevant courses. However, whilst learning provision may be deemed sufficient in terms of the number of tourism and hospitality courses available in Wales, these courses do not necessarily reflect the needs of the industry.

As one of my more cynical hotelier friends put it : "Training is the political master's answer to job creation".

It's imperative that filling training places doesn't just become a 'bums on seats exercise'. Students need to enrol on these courses because they feel they are entirely appropriate for them, and not just as a means to an end.

Whilst four years ago it took FMD to demonstrate that for far too long tourism in the UK had gone without a voice, here in Wales, devolution is enabling us to assess and properly examine the needs of the tourism industry.

Lisa Fancis AM is the Conservative Welsh Language & Culture Spokesman in the National Assembly for Wales

A

s advances in information technology make the world smaller, the opportunities for sharing best practice and skills globally are becoming easier and more relevant.

It is no different in the tourism industry, and from our perspective here in Australia we see an increasing number of global corporations beginning to dominate our business world.

It, therefore, made a great deal of sense to consider developing an alliance between the newly formed Australia Travel and Tourism Professionals and the long established Tourism Society. During my visit to Britain last year, we have discussed with Adrian Clark the ways in which we could develop an alliance between Australia and the UK. When we formed ATTP here in Australia some twelve months ago, our objectives were similar to those The Tourism Society had nurtured and developed for many years – therefore the synergies were clear and the alliance made a great deal of sense.

A few months of ‘tooing’ and ‘froing’ the final Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) emerged in early September 2004 - to be signed by the Chairman of The Tourism Society, David CurtisBrignell and the President of ATTP, Faye Alexander. It was formally announced at an ATTP cocktail reception at the Kaminski Gallery in the Rocks Sydney, on 17 September.

What is the meaning of MoU? It exists to express the areas of future professional cooperation and understanding between The Tourism Society in the United Kingdom and Australia Travel and Tourism Professionals of Sydney in Australia (ATTP), and demonstrates that both organisations exist to lead the industry in their respective countries to higher levels of professionalism, providing a forum for communication and training within the industry.

It also serves to facilitate an exchange and communication of views and expertise between the two organisations to mutual benefit.

Both organisations have agreed to create an annual plan or strategy to maximise mutual benefits arising from the memorandum.

This interaction will take many forms and will evolve with time in accordance with the demands of the tourism industry, but in the meantime some of the terms of the MoU are as follows: • Members of the ATTP will be eligible for full membership of the TS on receipt of payment of a subscription amounting to 50% of TS membership subscription fee (for the UK-based members), at the time of joining.

ATTP on receipt of payment of a subscription equivalent to 50% of ATTP membership subscription fee (for Australia-based membership), at the time of joining.

• The ATTP and The TS will refer to this agreement on its website, in their annual directory, in their regular journals, in their newsletters and in other forms of communication as appropriate.

• The TS and the ATTP will be honorary members of each society and will receive one copy of all relevant documentation for their central administrative offices.

NETWORKS

Four days notice of Those of us who ...the recent launch of their a course is not are lucky enough to enough when live in Wales will new, easy-to-navigate may have know that it is the website “whodoiask.com” operators to re-schedule staff breathtakingly will be an absolute boon rotas, have a beautiful and dramatic landscape to small tourism operators wedding booked, or even have to which draws in Wales arrange transport visitors here, for their staff especially because the rural bus service has enthusiasts of outdoor activities been withdrawn! Course providers, wonderfully loyal visitors not afraid of please take note! the vagaries of the weather!

• The TS is establishing the TS International Network. The ATTP will automatically be a member of this network.

• The agreement will run for 12 months from the date of signing this memorandum, and will be renewed automatically for further years until either party gives a written notice, of at least three months, to the other with the intention of cancelling or amending the agreement.

Clearly, the responsibility for implementing this agreement rests with all of us. It is up to us to ensure that our respective management structures and committees work for the mutual benefit of both organisations and their members.

• Members of The Tourism Society shall be eligible for full membership of the

Tourism Society Consultants Group October saw another new initiative by The Tourism Society Consultants Group when they hosted the first events in a new seminar programme entitled "Selling your services at Home or Away, You can make it Pay". Responding to calls from both TS members and non-members, and at the request of co sponsor UKTI United Kingdom Trade and Investment), the Government agency with responsibility for encouraging exports, two special events were organised. The aim was to give UK tourism consultants networking opportunities, and a forum in which they could discuss how to maximise profitable openings for new business by working overseas.

For reviews on the events please visit our website at www.tourismsociety.org 25

Title: The Global Nomad: Backpacker Travel in Theory and Practice Credits: Ed. Greg Richards and Julie Wilson Publisher: Channel View Publications, 2004 ISBN: 1-873150-76-8 Number of pages: 298 Price: £24.95 Backpackers have grown in number and status over the past decade to the extent that they now represent a significant force in global tourism.

Until now, much has been assumed about their patterns of behaviour, their travel itineraries, and their contribution to the destinations they seek for that 'authentic' backpacking experience. In many ways, this very welcome and highly readable book shatters many of the myths about backpacking and suggests that far greater forces are at play in the moulding of backpacker motivations, needs, expectations and impacts.

There is perhaps an argument that nullifies the use of the term backpacker in the contemporary literature as the phenomenon has taken on such a dynamic in recent years.

I commend the editors for bringing together a very knowledgeable team of contributors who together have managed to provide a very critical overview of backpacking in all its forms, dimensions, and destinations.

Perhaps the only weakness of the book, and it is a small one, is the dominance of examples from Australia and New Zealand. I have no doubt that the book will serve as an essential purchase for students, especially those completing final year or masters dissertations, as will it also be a catalyst I feel for academics wishing to research this growing domain of interest, especially in new destinations. In conclusion, this is an excellent book which comes highly recommended!

Alan Fyall MTS Reader in Tourism Management International Centre for Tourism & Hospitality Research Bournemouth University

26

Title: Internet Guide to Travel Health Credits: Elizabeth Connor Publisher: The Haworth Information Press, 2004 ISBN: 0-7890-1824-1 Number of pages: 134 Price: £8.33 This text, "the one-stop resource for reliable information on preventing and dealing with health problems while travelling", draws primarily upon English language travel information websites (400+), from a North American perspective (the UK is a secondary reference point), with the material organised into eight chapters: 1. An introduction to health related web usage.

2. General travel health sites (30 sites) eg British Airways Travel Clinics.

3. Pre-travel planning (32 sites) eg checklists, health documentation, vaccinations.

4. Specific issues and concerns (100 sites) eg accidents, disabilities, travelling with pets.

5. Diseases, conditions and ailments (125 sites) eg allergies, yellow fever.

6. Interactive tools (25 sites), very few are of any direct relevance to the non-North American traveller 7. Organisations (23 sites) publishing travel health literature eg World Health Organisation.

8. Full-text publications (43 sites) drawn from educational, governmental and commercial sites eg Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Whilst not exhaustive, or indeed entirely accurate from a UK perspective (eg TRAVAX is only interactive if you are a subscribing health professional), this text does provide an extensive website directory. Given this, it is likely to be of relevance to the academic and practising tourism community, both of whom need to be concerned about health and safety risk management. If consulted alongside works such as Dawood’s (2002, Traveller’s Health – How to Stay Healthy Abroad. 4th Edn. Oxford University Press: Oxford.) comprehensive and accessible book on traveller’s health, this text will

Hospitality: mixing business with pleasur e Bob Cotton OBE FTS

provide a useful addition to the tourism literature.

Philippa Hunter-Jones MTS Manchester Metropolitan University

Title: Review of Ocean Travel and Cruising: A Cultural Analysis Author: Arthur Asa Berger, PhD Publisher: The Haworth Hospitality Press, NY. 2004 ISBN: 0-7890-2197-8 Number of pages: 126 Price: $39.95 Cruising as a topic has received little attention in the academic arena. As a growth area that is increasingly appealing to a wide client base, Berger has made an attempt to fill that void with a concise and accessible book which is written in plain English, using very little jargon so is easy to understand. Much of the narrative within all chapters can be accused of stating the obvious, but with an unexplored topic such as cruising perhaps it needs stating.

However some of this is a good introduction to not only cruising but tourism as a subject area, therefore good for the non-specialist.

On the whole, Berger gives a reasonable insight into the world of cruising from a first hand perspective, and hints at what goes on behind the scenes. The personal style does limit the extent to which the reader can take for granted what he is saying as true for all cruises as the study is based on a very small sample of the cruise product.

Many of the more academically focussed elements are taken directly from the Dickinson & Vladimir book which, although becoming dated, is still one of the better books on cruising to date.

Due to the shortness of the chapters, some of the finer details are a little tedious, i.e. those on food consumption, but students often like such facts at their finger tips.

However some of the facts and figures will date the book very quickly so it may be better to leave

B

ritain’s hotel, restaurant, leisure and tourism industry is worth over £75bn to the economy of the country, providing 2million jobs in some 300,000 separate establishments. And Britain attracts 13million overseas visitors every year.

Not only is the industry the main – sometimes the only – economic generator in some regions of the country, it is also a key support element in hospitals and nursing homes, schools and colleges, offices and factories, and in the army, navy and air force. What’s more, the industry continues to grow, with more hotels and restaurants opening every year than ever before.

These are the bare facts – not often recognised - of what is Britain’s largest service industry. In London alone, tourism keeps the capital’s transport system and taxis going, its restaurants and pubs busy, its theatres, museums and other attractions open, and its retailers happy. For example, overseas visitors contribute every year £100m to London buses and tube system, 25% of all taxi fares, and 30% of theatre tickets. What’s more, they keep coming back – 50% of them are repeat visitors.

There is thus hardly a region of Britain that does not benefit from the tourism and hospitality industry, with many regions depending on it. It provides large-scale job and career opportunities. Yet, as an industry, it

suffers from severe skill and people shortages. Why is this? Research carried out by Springboard UK, the industry’s recruitment and career advisory organisation, tends to support anecdotal evidence: the industry’s image of long, unsocial hours, hard work, and poor pay puts off parents, careers advisers and young people themselves.

towards improving its employment practices. To begin with, there are over 30 universities with degree courses, and several hundred other colleges running supervisory and craft courses. Spread throughout the country, these colleges are teaming up with local employers to offer a wide range of NVQs and other qualifications.

In fact, the industry offers skilled people almost unlimited opportunities – in craft work, such as the kitchen or restaurant, front of house or back stage, as well as supervisory or management positions. A trained graduate can become a manager of a hotel, restaurant or leisure attraction in their early twenties, with commensurate salaries. The manager of a top London hotel earns a six figure sum; top line chefs are equally well paid. Talented chefs and customer-service staff are in huge demand, and all have the opportunity to work in this country or abroad; hotel and catering skills are international.

There have also been national initiatives, such as the launch of the Best Practice Forum, of which the British Hospitality Association is the lead member. The Forum is designed to provide positive and practical help to every business in the industry, but it is particularly aimed at the 250,000-plus small and mediumsized hospitality establishments. The Forum’s programme - Profit Through Productivity – has now absorbed the association’s Excellence Through People programme, which encourages hospitality businesses to improve their employment practices, so that they measure up to the best.

At the same time, many of the industry’s traditional unsocial employment practices, such as split shifts, are disappearing, though the nature of the 24-hour industry means that many sectors can never close.

Nevertheless, a five- day week and regular holidays are now commonplace.

What’s attractive about the industry?

Firstly, there’s a sense of excitement – every day is different. The industry is ideal for those with creative skills, and for those who like meeting people. Almost every establishment depends on staff with customer care skills. Yes, sometimes the pressure of work is intense, and people need a sense of humour when working in the industry. They also need to enjoy working in a team. But there’s a huge sense of satisfaction to be gained when customers are happy and keep coming back.

IN FOCUS

BOOK REVIEWS

Book reviews

It’s no coincidence that both of these schemes are primarily concerned with the recruitment and retention of skilled labour through improved employment and operational practices. As the industry continues to grow (over £1.2 billion has been invested in new hotels in the last 18month period), a high and largely unsatisfied demand for skilled labour has almost inevitably followed.

Employers recognise this. Labour costs amount to as much as 30% of total revenue (and even more in some hotels), but the Best Practice Forum provides the means to enable hospitality businesses to become more efficient. At the same time, it is important that every business – even the best - raises its standards even further to meet growing international competition. continued on page 10

Relying on the quality of its staff, the industry has taken several steps 7

Banking on mor e holidays

P

eople on the Continent and in North America enjoy far more public holidays than we do. Not only do their economies survive the extra days off, but their domestic tourism industry benefits greatly.

What better way to encourage people to take a day trip or short break enjoying the attractions of their country than to increase the numbers of Bank Holidays in the UK. Encouraging people to use their time off in the UK would be the key to making the extra Bank Holidays work for the UK economy and the tourism sector in particular. Those who have to work during public holidays could use their day in lieu later to visit an attraction, resort or amenity. The emphasis should be on encouraging UK residents to visit UK attractions out of season, especially the traditional holiday areas like Cornwall, Wales and Scotland as well as our coastal and inland resorts, national parks and themed attractions.

The UK currently has around a £15 billion deficit in the balance of payments in the tourism sector. Much of this is due to the decline in overseas tourism to the UK as a result of international terrorism, but also continuously growing number of Brits taking their ...there is holidays abroad.

The bank holiday

6

would alleviate weekend gives a ...more bank holidays stress from a lot of majority of people families! an opportunity to would be an excellent get out of the house mechanism of exceeding Tomorrow’s Tourism and take a day trip this target with no cost to Today, a recent or a short break. document Day trips are vital the public purse... published by the to UK tourism, Department of bringing nearly £30 Culture Media and Sport, has per person per visit to the industry. communicated the new growth target Around 1,261 million such trips are for the tourism industry - £100 billion made every year; therefore an by 2010. Some industry increase in public holidays would commentators feel that this is a target only boost the economy. An increase easily achievable through normal in the number of bank holidays growth. More bank holidays would be coupled with a good marketing an excellent mechanism of exceeding campaign to encourage domestic this target with no cost to the public tourism would have a direct effect on purse. the balance of payments.

It should also benefit local tourism.

My constituents, for example, would have more time to see the delights of Torbay which are on their doorstep. I believe that a departure from the single annual holiday, and the May/August bank holiday getaway rush would definitely benefit local attractions.

One of the key ways to make extra bank holidays even more successful is to combine them with a marketing strategy. People need to be reminded about unique attractions on their doorsteps, but they also need the time to visit them. Three more bank holidays can be the answer to this issue - benefiting the economy and the tourism industry.

The idea of an ...day trips are vital to UK autumn bank tourism, bringing nearly holiday is a superb one for families £30 per person per visit to with school-age the industry... children. It is currently believed that 29% of parents who take their children out of school for a family holiday do so because of job requirements and holiday entitlement.

An extra bank holiday would not only allow parents to spend more time with their children over the autumn half-term break but to take holidays when the schools are closed.

The extra holidays may also calm the rush and the traffic jams of the existing long weekends as people will have more choice about when they take their weekend breaks or visit relatives. The August and May jams would no doubt hopefully be spread the sector would see a over more marked improvement... weekends. This

Adrian Sanders MP is the Liberal Democrat Spokesman for Tourism

Food is one of the main focuses which, for such a short book with such a grand title makes it rather repetitive, but may be representative in that food is the main focus.

There are some bizarre, almost ridiculous analogies included between, for example, cruising and the Garden of Eden, cruising and using the internet, which often make very little sense and have no real conclusion. The book has muddled aims as it is descriptive in some senses, yet attempts to apply quite complex contexts to cruising. Some of the contexts introduced such as semiotics and cruising, sociological analysis, and psychoanalytical interpretation are thought provoking, but unfortunately ‘introduced’ is a key term here as the book does not get beyond introducing them which can make it frustrating to read.

On the whole, the book is perhaps more appropriate as a cruise guide rather than for academic purposes,

continued from page 22 myth and sensationalism that need not be a part of the experience.

Jim Trotman MTS, Principal Tourism Officer, Lancaster City Council: ‘Homesick Tourism: Germany’ This lecture deals with a little known part of recent European history, the flight of over 16 million Germans from Eastern Europe as a direct result of the Second World War. Prior to the Second World War rulers and political boundaries often changed but people remained in their homes.

This mass exodus, second only to the mass movement of people following

although it is thought provoking for students and academics. It is less of a cultural analysis and more of a sales pitch on the whole with limited direction and purpose. The title is deceptive as there is a dearth of cultural analysis, but is very much descriptive narrative. Overall useful as a reference tool for some cruising logistics, and quite an interesting read for the layman, but for a tourism specialist or undergraduate student it is very limited in its usefulness mainly due to the descriptive nature of the chapters, but also due to the short length of the whole book which does not allow some of the more academic themes to develop fully.

Alethea Sellars Senior Lecturer Tourism Management, University of Hertfordshire

Title: Tourism Management Author: Neil Leiper Pulblisher: Pearson Hospitality Press, 2004 ISBN: 1-86250-533-0 Number of pages: 411 pages Price: £33.25 This, the third edition of Neil Leiper’s textbook, builds admirably on the excellent groundwork established by its predecessors. The major revisions from the second edition comprise the inclusion of discussion questions and supplementary reading lists at the end of each of chapter, and the addition

the partition of India in 1947, brought to an end over 700 years of settlement across central and eastern Europe. People often refer to May 1945 as the time when the killing in Europe stopped. It did not. Over 3 million Germans perished as a direct result of the expulsions from the East, either as they fled ahead of the Red Army, or were subsequently deported from their traditional homes, extending from the Baltic Coasts to the Steppes of Russia and the Sudetenland. Since the end of communism in Eastern Europe, travel has become much easier and it has become possible for people to trace their roots.

of several new diagrams. The discussion questions are thought provoking and seem eminently suited either to assisting individual readers to consolidate their learning or as prompts to help initiate lively group discussions. The supplementary reading lists are up to date and serve as excellent signposts to further study.

But it is the innovative approach and highly penetrative writing style that stand out as the most impressive features of this book. In particular, Leiper’s writing style, which manages to be expositional yet at the same time sharply incisive, continues to impress. Leiper presents his ideas in a manner that is at the same time both down-to-earth and erudite. This challenges readers to re-think their assumptions and build their understanding of the subject on more substantial foundations.

BOOK REVIEWS

DOMESTIC

Adrian Sanders MP

such detail to the trade press.

Berger's compulsion to include lists on food consumption, menus and activities does make the book oversimplified in places, and reduces the academic nature of the book thus making it more appropriate for Further Education students or serving a purpose for the cruise novice who is interested in cruising as more than just a holiday.

Above all, this is a very thoughtful book. While many tourism textbooks include industry professionals among their intended readership, few are as well suited to the interests of such readers as this book. Academics, students and tourism managers alike will benefit from the exercise it will give to their brains.

Brian Garrod MTS University of Wales, Aberystwyth

Today, 'homesick tourism' is now bringing many Germans back to their former homes and regular trains now run between Berlin and cities like Danzig (Gdansk) and Kõnigsberg (Kaliningrad). In some areas, many buildings have survived. The economic benefits of tourism now appear to outweigh any remaining ethnic animosity. Time is beginning to heal the hatred of the past and it is tourism that is helping to bring people back together and foster better understanding between nations.

Ros Forster MTS and Mark McTique MTS both work for the Lancaster City Council 27

News from the HQ

The China Syndr ome Stephen Dowd FTS

Carrie England, Flo Powell and Mark Jakobsen are your Secretariat Staff and welcome contact from members at all times, on any subject! Feel free to get in touch by email, phone, fax or snail mail to request information about events, update your contact details, pass on a comment about any aspect of Society membership – or just for a chat!

THANKS.. …to all those members who so generously donated to the retirement funds of Adrian Clark (Director) and Graham Wason (Chairman). We were able to buy a suitcase and digital camera for Adrian’s retirement travels and a luxurious hamper to remind Graham of us during Christmas!

Check out the photo page to see Adrian and Graham receiving their gifts at the Annual Dinner.

LETTERS PAGE From the next edition of the journal onwards, we’d like to include a page of letters from members. These can be on any subject and you can email, fax or post them to us. Comment on an article from a previous journal, an event you’ve been to, a book you’ve read, a great website you’ve come across – anything at all that you’d like to share with your fellow members.

MEMBERS NEWS Have you recently changed jobs, been promoted, got married, had a baby, won an award? Then we’d like to hear from you so that we can include it on our forthcoming Members News page of the journal. Go on, tell us what you’ve been up to lately!

PROSPECTS SURVEY Have you filled the survey form in yet, to let us know what you think will happen to the industry in 2005?

The survey is on the back of the Prospects booking form contained in this journal, or online at www.tourismsociety.org and the results will be presented at the event on 10th January 2005 at the Sofitel St James Hotel, London. Join us for one of the best events in the TS calendar!

MEMBERSHIP QUESTIONNAIRE We want to know what you think about the Tourism Society! Please fill in the survey at www.tourismsociety.org and make your opinion count. We want to be a Society you’re proud to belong to, one that gives you value, relevance and opportunities to interact. So get involved and let us know how and what to improve!

PARTICIPATION Got a hot topic you’d like to see the TS hold an event / discussion meeting / seminar on? E-mail your ideas to us and we’ll see if we can fit it into the calendar and organise it. Got a great idea for a journal article that you or someone you know would like to write? Let Mark know!

Interested in sponsoring a TS event, or providing a venue, audio-visual or other services? We’d love to hear from you! Sponsoring all or part of a TS event is a great way to raise your brand or company awareness amongst a targeted audience of travel industry professionals. Preferential rates for members – give Flo a call to discuss further!

Until the mid-1990s, and before the introduction of the Approved y every measurable criteria Destination Status (ADS) scheme, China is the sluggish giant of Chinese Nationals could only travel the world economy. Despite abroad for business or education, sustained growth, well above global except for some rare ‘sponsored or averages in both industrial output and self-paid’ trips. Under ADS China GDP for almost 20 years, this vast would agree with individual country, home to 20% of the world’s countries, or groups of countries in population, still remains outside the some cases, a strictly controlled top five global economies, lagging system to allow Chinese tourists to behind such relative minnows as visit that destination. It often comes as Germany, France and, yes, the UK. a surprise to learn that only National However, if current growth is Tourism Organisations of ADS maintained, and there is every countries are allowed to operate in indication it should, China will find China, and equally stringent rules itself the second largest economy in govern the sales and marketing the world by 2020. activities of travel agents and tour Then the real operators within ...it is vital that the UK challenge will China. achieve ADS as soon as begin. Being a distant second to possible...

The rising the USA, who prosperity of a currently have less Chinese middle than a quarter of China’s population class fascinated with an outside but over six times the economic world, that most have seen only might, could well be an through TV, means that China’s uncomfortable position to be in, as increasingly robust consumerism is Japan discovered over the last being led by outbound tourism. In decade. Moreover, if, as some fact, demand already outweighs predict, China is to become the supply even in relation to 34 economic powerhouse for the second countries now within the ADS half of this century, it needs to build scheme. The UK is one of a number sustainable, new-economy industries of countries currently negotiating an that provide employment for a new ADS deal but, although we believe generation of educated, city-dwelling agreement is close, no workers. Like most growing announcements had been made at economies, the Chinese recognise the time of writing this article. that, amongst others, tourism is a great solution to this problem.

It is vital that the UK achieve ADS as

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INBOUND

advantage of the In just over 20 years ...only National Tourism opportunities that China built an the current and impressive domestic Organisations of ADS liberalisation and inbound countries are allowed to future of Chinese tourism operate in China... outbound travel infrastructure and regulations will enjoyed enviable provide. The World Tourism growth, but only in recent years has it Organisation’s latest estimate is that recognised that outbound tourism is a Chinese outbound tourism will grow vital part of the tourism equation. This from under 18 million trips in 2004 to would seem lethargic behaviour in over 100 million by 2020, making it our fast-paced, high-tech society, but the fastest growing market in the for cultural and political reasons world. change comes much more slowly in China.

Currently 85% of all Chinese outbound tourism is to South East Asia, with just 9% heading to Europe. However, this is likely to change quickly as 12 European countries joined the ADS club this year. The UK has to catch-up with its closest competitors, but we can take heart form the fact that many Chinese people regard Britain as a ‘must see’ destination. Moreover, the Chinese are among the top spenders when travelling abroad. Although notoriously tough negotiators on basic package prices, they more than make up for this on arrival, spending $2100 for an average 12 day trip.

ADS, however, is only a short term solution if China is serious about their policy of "Building a World Tourism Power and Developing a New Mainstay Industry". To achieve its ambitious plans it will require a fundamental shift away from the present ‘planned, organised and controlled’ tourism industry to a fullblooded embrace of the free market business environment. The giant is waking up but isn’t ready to sprint just yet.

Stephen Dowd FTS is Chief Executive, UKinbound (formerly The British Incoming Tour Operators Association)

soon as possible to take full 28

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2005 spring calendar of events JANUARY

27th Regional Food and Drink: A British Tourism Asset A joint event with VisitBritain and FoodFromBritain The Bonnington in Bloomsbury, London

MARCH

31st 'Increase Profitability through Quality & Customer Delivery' in the London Hospitality & Tourism Market A joint event with the Guild of Travel & Tourism The Berners Hotel, London

Tbc How safe are our visitors? Crisis Management & Security Issues London

Tbc Conference on Traditional Music & Tourism Tourism Society Scotland, Glasgow

FEBRUARY 1st Partneriaeith Newydd – New Ways of Working Tourism Society Wales event Copthorne Hotel, Cardiff 8th An International Convention Centre for London?

A joint discussion event with ACE The Berners Hotel, London TBC 16th Careers for Tourism Students University of Westminster, London 4

3rd Annual BTTF Q&A Discussion Politicians under the Spotlight Joint with UKInbound NEC, Birmingham

Tbc Tourism in a Glass: Whisky as a Stimulant Tourism Society Scotland Auchentoshan Distillery, Clydebank

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ulsome tributes have already been paid to Lord Parry of Neyland, who died in his sleep at his home in Llangwm on 1st September 2004, at the age of 78. He has been described with affection as ‘part of the fabric of Wales’, renowned for his ability as an ambassador and orator, his charitable work and his legendary skills as ‘an accomplished arm twister’.

Born Gordon Parry, he trained as a teacher. Made a life peer in 1975, he went on to make a distinctive contribution to the Upper Chamber as a gifted speaker, and by instituting the much acclaimed annual St David’s Day luncheon.

Lord Parry served as Chairman of the Wales Tourist Board from 1978 to 1984, at a time of great change for tourism and for the Board itself.

For more information, suggestions or sponsorship please contact:

To book your place at these events please contact Flo or visit our website www.tourismsociety.org

The chapel in Neyland was full to overflowing, and a large crowd stood outside in the September sunshine, as people from all walks of life came to celebrate Lord Parry’s life. This was a truly joyous occasion, marked appropriately by an enthusiastic rendering of traditional hymns and eloquent tributes laced with humorous anecdotes and poignant memories.

All of those who knew and had the good fortune to work with Gordon Parry will remember him as a true son of Pembrokeshire, an inspired ambassador for Wales and a tireless worker for charitable causes. We extend our sympathies to his daughter Catherine, who lost both her parents within such a short space of time, and to the family.

R. Elwyn Owen

Katrine Prince OBE FTS 1939 – 2004

©The Tourism Society 2004

Flo Powell Meetings Executive E: flo@tourismsociety.org T: 020 7488 2789

Tourist operators were facing great uncertainties, as they sought to understand and get to grips with mounting competition from sunshine holiday destinations. Concurrently, the Wales Tourist Board was seeking to consolidate its position as a statutory agency, charged with guiding a disparate industry during a period of structural change within the Welsh economy. Lord Parry’s renowned skills as a communicator, coupled with his ability to engage with people from all walks of life, equipped him well during this exciting period and he established a lasting reputation as an ambassador for tourism and for Wales. He was instrumental in putting Wales on the international tourism map, and he helped lay the foundations for a more confident and professional tourism industry.

OBITUARIES

EVENTS

10th Prospects Sofitel St James Hotel, London

23rd eMarketing for Tourist Destinations Joint with the University of Surrey, University of Surrey, Guildford

Lor d Parry Of Neyland

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ith the tragic death of Katrine Prince on 10 September 2004, we have lost an inspirational force that transformed the tourist guiding profession. From the moment Katrine qualified as a London Blue Badge guide thirty years ago, she devoted her considerable intellect and energy to developing tourist guide training and the requisite professional organisational structures both in the UK and worldwide. This outstanding personal contribution was recognised with the award of the OBE in 1999.

In 1998 Katrine accepted The Tourism Society’s Annual Award on behalf of Blue Badge guides. She worked tirelessly to increase the standing, both in the UK and internationally, of the profession of tourist guiding,

culminating in 2002 in the establishment of the Institute of Tourist Guiding as the government approved standard setting body for the sector. It stands as a lasting legacy of Katrine’s life’s work.

Katrine was Director of Studies for the London Blue Badge course from 1985 to 2002. Over 700 London Blue Badge guides qualified under her tutelage. With her extraordinary gifts, she nurtured each and every one, inspiring them with her enthusiasm and enabling them to reach their full potential. She transformed the course with her visionary concept of the essence of good tourist guiding: the marriage of knowledge and practical guiding skills. This is now known internationally by the title of her influential book, The Art of Guiding.

Katrine revolutionised tourist guiding not only in the UK but in other countries worldwide, from Florence to Fiji. Until the last week of her life she was closely involved in the European Federation of Tourist Guide Associations. Her paper and subsequent workshop on Comparative Guide Training throughout Europe were first steps towards the establishment of a common platform

for tourist guide training across Europe. Her criteria for a Europe-wide language test for tourist guides, based on the system developed in the UK, were approved earlier this year.

Following a bone marrow transplant two years ago, she was mainly confined to her home, with occasional forays to various parts of the UK and Europe to catalyse new courses, to run Communication Seminars, to lead workshops for guide trainers or examiners and, as always, to give unstintingly her advice, time and expertise. Undeterred and, though frail, more indomitable than ever, she became Deputy President of the Institute of Tourist Guiding in March and was looking forward to assuming the Presidency in November. She continued to make a unique contribution to the Institute right up until the last week of her life.

We shall all miss Katrine’s warmth, generosity, sense of humour and zest for life. She leaves her husband, Martin, two sons, Philipp and Christophe, and her sister, Brigitte.

Fiona Grant MTS and Tom Hooper MTS 29

Michael Anderson MTS, Managing Director, Web Marketplace Solutions Limited, 2a Railway Street, Beverley, East Yorkshire HU17 0DX Tel: 01482 871 846 Fax: 01482 865 618 E-mail: mikea@wmps.biz Website: www.wmps.biz Janet Beckett MTS, Head of Vocational Studies, The Armthorpe School, Mere Lane, Armthorpe, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN3 2DA Tel: 01302 831 582 Fax: 01302 300 757 E-mail: staff19@armthorpe.doncaster.sch.uk Su Beswick MTS, Tourism Marketing Consultant, Su Beswick Marketing, 22 Knowle House Close, Kingsbridge, Devon TQ7 1AN Tel: 01548 853 292 Mobile: 07968 905 373 E-mail: su@beswickmarketing.co.uk Christopher Curran MTS, Director of External Relations, Institute of Commercial Management, The Fusee, 20a Bargates, Christchurch BH23 1QL Tel: 01202 490 555 Fax: 01202 490 666 E-mail: ccurran@icm.ac.uk Website: www.icm.ac.uk Emma Dhesi MTS, PA, London 2012, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5LT Tel: 020 7093 5004 Fax: 020 7093 5001 E-mail: emma.dhesi@london2012.com Website: www.london2012.com Lisa Fox MTS, Co-ordinator, Regional Initiatives & Publications, World Travel & Tourism Council, 1-2 Queen Victoria Terrace, Sovereign Court, London E1W 3HA Tel: 0870 727 9882 Fax: 0870 728 9882 E-mail: lisafox@wttc.org Website: www.wttc.org Sarah Hague MTS, Tourism Development Database Assistant, The Mersey Partnership, 12 Princes Parade, Liverpool L3 1BG Tel: 0151 227 2727 Fax: 0151 227 2325 E-mail: sarah.hague@merseyside.org.uk Website: www.merseyside.org.uk Mike Lyon MTS, Director, Write Style Communications Ltd, 1 Verdon Place, Barford, Warwick CV35 8BT Tel: 01926 624 410 Fax: 01926 624 614 E-mail: mike@write-style.co.uk Website: www.write-style.co.uk

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Noreen McCain MTS, HR Management Consultant, VisitBritain, Thames Tower, Blacks Road, Hammersmith, London W6 9EL Tel: 020 8563 3063 Fax: 020 8563 3062 E-mail: noreen.mccain@visitbritain.org Website: www.visitbritain.com

David Thompson MTS, Account Director, PMS Marketing Ltd, 4 Stirling Park, Amy Johnson Way, Clifton Moor, York YO30 4WU Tel: 01904 690 004 E-mail: davidt@pmsml.co.uk Website: www.pmsml.co.uk

Reynald Naulleau MTS, Graduate, Ceram Sophia Antipolis, European School of Management, Les Pommettes, 85160 Saint Jean de Monts, France Tel: +33 06 19 06 65 08 E-mail: reynald@naulleau.com

Alison Whitfield MTS, Director, Ethos Marketing, 15 Station Road, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 5EZ Tel: 01403 243 619 Fax: 01403 217 558 E-mail: alison@ethosmarketing.co.uk Website: www.ethosmarketing.co.uk

Denise Otero MTS, Marketing Consultant, 5734 57th Way, West Palm Beach, Florida 33409 USA Tel: +1 561 801 3273 E-mail: denise1172@hotmail.com

STUDENTS

Eddie Ottmann MTS, Travel and Tourism, IMC, 3 Cumberland Close, St Margarets, Twickenham TW1 1RS Tel: 020 8892 9968 E-mail: eddie@integermc.co.uk Jo Owen MTS, Asistant Director of Sales, The Berners, Berners Street, London W1A 3BE Tel: 020 7666 2000 Fax: 020 7666 2001 E-mail: berners@berners.co.uk Website: www.jjwhotels.com Jennifer Pegg MTS, Thomson Learning EMEA, High Holborn House, 50/51 Bedford Row, London WC1R 4LR E-mail: jennifer.pegg@thomson.com Website: www.thomson.com Peta Shields MTS, Head of Department Tourism & Hospitality, Bridgend College, Cowbridge Road, Bridgend CF31 3DF Tel: 01656 302 231 Fax: 01656 663 912 E-mail:pshields@bridgend.ac.uk Madeline Stiles MTS, Chief Executive, The Historical Association, 59a Kennington Park Road, London SE11 4JH Tel: 020 7820 5980 Fax: 020 7582 4989 E-mail: mstiles@history.org.uk Website: www.history.org.uk Vanessa Thomas MTS, Managing Director, t3 Solutions, PO Box 214, Ashford, Middlesex, TW15 3WD Tel: 01784 257 257 Fax: 01784 257 257 E-mail: vanessa.thomas@t3solutions.co.uk Website: www.t3solutions.co.uk

Chair man’s thoughts David Curtis-Brignell FTS holidaymaker. First Olympia, then Olympia 1 and 2, then Earls Court (1 and 2) and now the massive sprawl that is Excel (to some, still contentious).

But back to nostalgia. What has happened over the past 25 years has changed so much about the industry, the way it works, where people travel (and where they travel less to). About the only thing that would not surprise someone cryogenically frozen in 1979 and warmed up in 2005, would be the price.

Bath Spa University College Rebecca King Yasmin-Holly Mears Rebecca Jordan Tiffany Nikki Thayer Matthew Touey Birmingham College of Food & Techology, Tourism & Creative Studies Nicola-Jayne Ambrose Katie Lamb University of Hertfordshire Disninder Bhogal Rebecca Liu Ekta Bimal Shah University of the Highlands and Islands Gillian Redmond Kings College London Naadiya Rawat London South Bank University Anisa Warsame Plymouth University Benjamin Brown Jordanka Dimitrova Salford University Belinda Davenport University of Westminster Farhan Abdi Clare Arouche Valentin Gabriel Avram Sharon Chou Nataliya Kazakova Xiaodong Wu

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ostalgia isn’t what it used to be. There are just too many anniversaries and commemorations than it’s possible for a respectable tourist industry to link in with. Where 2002 gave us the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and 2004 the 60th anniversary of D-Day, 2005 takes us further back (200 years in fact) for an excuse to celebrate Britain’s maritime history with Sea Britain.

Not that this is the first time – those of us who remember Maritime England will also remember A Taste of England, two long life promotions from the dear departed ETB (also recently revived by VisitBritain), that really started to get a wide range of tourism businesses involved in the industry back in the 1980s.

All of this came to mind when I was made aware that not only had I attended the World Travel Market this year, but that I had attended the 25th World Travel Market.

I confess that I missed the first one.

And without wishing to invite references to the kind of outerwear normally associated with trainspotters, I confess that I have not missed one since missing the first one.

Of course, in those days it was also a public show. Much has changed, not just the absence of the great British

Package holidays for under £100.

Coach travel between major British cities for £1, international flights for under £1 and yes – this is today, not the late 70s!

I may be using the wrong sources for research, but the only headline I got from a search of stories using the search criteria ‘Tourism headlines and 1979’ on a pretty important UK site, was "Brighton bares all" the story that the resort (now city) had given in to the naturist lobby and declared part of the beach "clothes-free."

Air Europe and others. The latter, well we know, don’t we...

We can now book a holiday without writing off for the ‘official guide’ waiting a week then finding that to seek accommodation we had to cut out and post a form to the Information Bureau. We can see colour, 360 degree images of the ensuite room we are considering booking and can check the menu and the establishment’s GM statement – even for small B&Bs. We can drive from London to Cornwall in less than a week even without the assistance of an AA route map detailing every traffic light en route.

CHAIRMAN’S PAGE

MEMBERSHIP NEWS

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

Another change, that was long overdue, is that we can find out how accessible the accommodation or attraction is for disabled tourists.

October 1st 2004 is certainly a date we should be celebrating and commemorating in future years. What are we waiting for then? Probably the first prosecution under the DDA.

We had to wait another three years for Laker Airways to go bust, eight years for Windsor Castle to catch fire, 15 years for the Channel Tunnel to open.

We have had two Gulf wars (one at the time of writing which has officially ended but...) both of which had significant effects on travel and tourism. The first resulted in the demise of ILG, 3

EDITORIAL Chairman’s Page

3

It appears that there is no other industry so riddled by contradictions as tourism. We all love being tourists, yet we loathe visitors invading our local communities.

Tourism is widely recognised as a major job creator and the main, if not the only, regeneration force in many parts of the country. And yet, in a political sense, tourism is a poor relation to other industries; so badly regarded in some destinations that it doesn’t even get to sit at the table where important local decisions are being taken. It is enough, however, to walk the length and breadth of the cavernous Excel at the time of the World Travel Market to see the enormity of this industry and to sense the excitement and energy which tourism exudes.

2005 Spring Calendar of Events

4

Inbound Tourism

5

Domestic Tourism

6

Special Feature: Quality That Sells

12

The lack of political recognition for the role of tourism partially stems from the fact that, although it was estimated that the industry contributes c. 3.4% of total GDP, until recently there was very little information on the worth of each sector of tourism and how much it contributes to the local, regional and national economies.

Until the 1980s, tourism, unlike manufacturing, was not considered to be a real industry worth measuring. And yet the Pinney Memorandum of April 1944 to the government recommended: “The briefest consideration of the matter is sufficient to establish that, if a detailed classification of any country’s receipts from tourists were undertaken, they would be found to percolate into every division and sub-division of the national economy.” (The quote comes from the book British Tourism: The Remarkable Story of Growth by Victor Middleton to be published in spring 2005.)

Special Feature: Responsible Travel - There is no Time to Wait

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Special Feature: The Promise of Youth Travel

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Special Feature: Coach Travel Goes Budget

16

Special Feature: Waiting for Tourism in Harrow...

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Generation X

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Meeting Reports: Travel and Tourism Media Masterclass Dark Tourism: Where do you Draw the Line Human Capital / Outdoor Capital

21 22 23

Networks News

24

Book Reviews

26

This statement succinctly summarises what Tourism Satellite Accounting (TSA) methodology endeavours to measure today. Anyone outside of the tourism industry will be dazzled with the complexity of TSA information (clearly demonstrated by the presentations at the recent DCMS seminar on the subject), and astonished with the enthusiasm this set of statistics evokes in the industry. It isn’t perhaps so surprising when one realizes that TSA are first of all about the credibility of comparable economic information on tourism, clearly demonstrating the worth of the industry. At present this system of information gathering still has several flaws, allowing for many approximations and assumptions, but its significance is political. With this data at their disposal, tourism practitioners at all levels and in all sectors of the industry will be able to demand an ongoing commitment from their paymasters to the tourism cause. And this is likely to be facilitated even further by the EU legislation on TSA currently being prepared in Brussels, as confirmed by the EU commissioner who came to the TSA seminar to make this announcement.

News from The HQ

28

Obituaries

29

Membership News

30

Anna Ryland - Guest Editor

2

2004 In Focus

CONTENTS

In Focus: Hospitality: Mixing Business with Pleasure Tourism Training How To Get That Elusive Job Welcome To The Workplace

7 8 9 10

Special Feature: Widening the Access

11

This year’s Annual Conference on Event Tourism attracted nearly 90 delegates to Liverpool’s John Moores University in June.

© The Tourism Society, 1 Queen Victoria Terrace, Sovereign Court, London E1W 3HA Tel: 020 7488 2789 Fax: 020 7488 9148 Email: admin@tourismsociety.org Website: www.tourismsociety.org Registered in England No. 01366846 ISSN 0261 3700

From L to R: Simon Calder, Travel Editor for the Independent and Dan Cruikshank, BBC Correspondent and Travel Writer, speak at an event on TravelWriting in May

Alison Rice tells an audience of over 50 how not to deal with journalists at the Media Masterclass in September.

From L to R: John Lennon, co-author of ‘Dark Tourism: The Attraction of Death & Disaster’; Brian Human FTS, Chair of the Tourism Working Group, EHTF and Jim Trotman MTS from Lancaster Council sit on the panel for the highly popular ‘Dark Tourism’ event in November.

The subscription fees for 2004 are £72.00 (inland) and £80.00 (overseas) Guest editor - Anna Ryland Print In-Print Colour, Malton Tel: 01653 697261 Tourism is the journal of The Tourism Society. The views expressed in Tourism are those of individual authors and not necessarily those of The Tourism Society.

Whilst unsolicited material is welcomed, neither transparencies nor unpublished articles can be returned. The Tourism Society cannot be held responsible for any services offered by advertisers in Tourism. All correspondence must be addressed to The Editor.

Tourism is only available to members of The Tourism Society and on subscription, and is distributed quarterly to 1400 senior professionals working in national and regional tourist boards, local government, travel agencies and tour operators, visitor attractions, accommodation and catering, entertainment, information services, guiding, consultancies and education and training.

Adrian Clark FTS and Graham Wason FTS receive their retirement gifts at this year’s Annual Dinner at the Berners Hotel in November.

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TOURISM The Jour nal for the Tourism Industry

Quarter I 2005 Issue 122

IN THIS ISSUE • IN FOCUS Practicalities of Working in Tourism: Bob Cotton Lisa Francis Brandon Crimes Sarah Hague

PLUS: STOP PRESS • STOP PRESS • STOP PRESS • STOP PRESS

Book for Prospects 2005 now… …and add your views on what 2005 holds in store for tourism.

Being held at the Sofitel St. James Hotel in London Prospects continues to be one of the Society’s most popular annual events. On the panel and putting domestic, inbound, outbound and business tourism under the spotlight this year will be Stephen Dowd FTS, John Donnelly FTS, Michael Hirst FTS and Bill Maxwell FTS. See the booking form for more information.

To ensure that you don’t miss out book

NOW

• Inbound Tourism Stephen Dowd • Domestic Tourism Adrian Sanders • Widening the Access Anita Thornbury • Quality That Sells Alan Britten • Youth Travel Emma English

And: Membership News Meetings Reports Networks News

STOP PRESS • STOP PRESS • STOP PRESS • STOP PRESS email: admin@tourismsociety.org

•

website: www.tourismsociety.org