This morning, Government has announced a Sector Deal for Tourism.
This really is a game-changer for the industry both in Liverpool and the wider UK, signalling a step-change in how we ensure the success of tourism for the next generation and moving it firmly to the top of the table as a leading industry for the country’s future economic planning.
But what does it mean? The deal is split into five key pillars of activity.
• ‘Ideas’; industry and the BTA will work together to create a new independent Tourism data Hub which will help the sector to better understand visitor preferences in real time
• ‘People’: Industry will create an additional 10,000 apprenticeship ‘starts’ a year by 2025; a £1 million recruitment and retention programme; and increasing in-work training and development of new T-Levels.
• ‘Infrastructure’ – Industry will continue to invest in accommodation- developing an additional 130,000 bedrooms by 2025- and attractions and innovative products. Government will make travel to and around the UK easier for tourists with the development of its Maritime and Aviation strategies as well as a number of policy developments.
• ‘Place’ – piloting up to five new Tourism Zones, supported by central government and a biddable funding process, to drive visitor numbers across the country, extend the season and to tackle local barriers to tourism growth. Joint working to ensure support for the Government’s ambition to make the UK the most accessible tourism destination in Europe.
• ‘Business Environment’ – launching a Business Events Action Plan 2019-25 to make the UK the leading destination for business events in Europe.
This has been hard fought battle to get to this point, but the real work starts now. The British Tourism Authority has been appointed to project manage the deal and will be hosting a conference to kick off an industry engagement programme in September.