Business Travel
Strategy to boost the visitor economy
The organisation responsible for promoting Birmingham and the West Midlands to the rest of the world has launched a strategy which it claims will boost the local visitor economy by more than £1bn. In addition, the West Midlands Growth Company (WMGC) says its
strategy will create an additional 19,000 jobs in the region. The WMGC says its new strategy will cash in on events already
coming to the West Midlands in the coming years, including Coventry City of Culture 2021 and Birmingham’s Commonwealth Games in 2022. The strategy is claimed to be the first to follow the Government’s
‘tourism sector deal’ announcement last June. This was launched in the
dying days of Theresa May’s tenure as prime minister with the aim of creating a ‘tourism data hub’ to collate data aimed at helping businesses attract overseas visitors. The initiative also intends to improve facilities for disabled visitors, as well as a commitment to build a further 130,000 hotel rooms by 2025. The West Midlands regional tourism strategy sets out how it will
‘The visitor economy is critically important to the wider success of the West Midlands’
Ryder to the rescue
grow the value of tourism from £12.6nn in 2018 to £13.7bn during the next decade, a nine per cent increase. This growth will be achieved by attracting more domestic and
international visitors, generating an estimated rise in spend of £1.1bn across the region. A number of key markets will be targeted, including North America, Germany, China, and India. WMGC chief executive Neil Rami said: “The visitor economy is critically important to the wider success of the West Midlands. “With major cultural and sporting events on the horizon, this is the
perfect time to capitalise on the opportunities they will bring, and help the West Midlands to make its mark globally.”
Birmingham-based commercial vehicle rental firm Ryder helped keep a builders’ merchant on the road after its fleet supplier went into administration. Travis Perkins operates some 600
vehicles, and suddenly found itself in need of a new provider to step in and keep things moving. Ryder was able to complete a
purchase and lease back agreement of the fleet in just 96 hours, and keep Travis Perkins’ deliveries moving. Travis group fleet director
Graham Bellman said: “It was a hugely challenging time for us - and for Ryder.
“Within 48 hours of being
contacted, Ryder had prepared and delivered a commercial proposal for 620 rigid trucks, tractor units, and trailers. “It became clear very quickly that
Ryder was the only company that had the foresight and financial capacity to take on these assets. What we needed from our service provider was the right vehicles, competitively priced, and fully compliant with additional short- term rental support for seasonal peaks. Ryder delivered on all of these requirements when we needed them the most.”
On the road: Graham Bellman (left) with John Robinson
Sector Focus
October 2019 CHAMBERLINK 71
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