Government has announced a ‘Tourism Sector Deal’, the first of its kind, which sets out how the government and industry will work in partnership to boost productivity, develop the skills of the UK workforce and support destinations to enhance their visitor offer.
image: Open Government Licence v3.0
Published alongside the Sector Deal, the International Business Events Action Plan outlines how government will support the events industry in attracting, growing and creating international business events.
Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and Rt Hon Jeremy Wright MP, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, write:
We are introducing Tourism Zones, which will bring businesses and local organisations together to establish a coordinated strategy for growth in their local visitor economy and to increase off-season visits. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in these areas will receive targeted digital skills training and be offered practical guidance in management and leadership through the Be the Business programme to boost productivity.
We are launching a new independent Tourism Data Hub with input from some of our biggest travel companies – online travel agents, booking platforms, and banking and credit card companies. This will allow organisations, including SMEs, to make the most of the big data revolution to understand visitor activity and product preferences.
The government will introduce 2 new T levels in Cultural Heritage and Visitor Attractions, and Catering, to help deliver the industry workers of the future, whilst industry will deliver 30,000 apprenticeships per year by 2025 and will lead a mentoring programme aimed at supporting 10,000 employees to enhance their careers and ensure they can progress within the sector.
We will also work together to ensure that the UK becomes the most accessible tourism destination in Europe by 2025, increasing the number of international disabled visitors by a third….
The ‘Deal’ notes:
The Tourism Sector Deal sets out how the government and industry will work in partnership to boost productivity, develop the skills of the UK workforce and support destinations to enhance their visitor offer.
The government’s modern Industrial Strategy sets out a long-term plan to boost the productivity and earning power of people throughout the UK. The tourism sector has the scale and geographical reach to deliver on this ambition….
Devolved Nations
The British Tourist Authority is the national tourist agency, responsible for marketing Britain worldwide and developing Britain’s visitor economy. However, tourism is a devolved competence, as such, England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, each have their own national board responsible for attracting visitors. The UK government, where appropriate, will continue to consult the devolved governments on future work and join up on projects the devolved governments would like to partner in. There are also a number of policies outlined in this document where the competence is not devolved, most notably visas and immigration. The Skills and Hospitality Board established by the industry proposes working with all 4 nations on the skills agenda.
