NEWS TRAVEL WEEKLY BUSINESS UKinbound Convention: Brexit and tourism tax threat among topics at Cardiff event CONTINUED FROM THE BACK
last autumn, 25% of EU migrant workers had already left the UK. “Language skills are a concern
and there is a concern that the post-Brexit regime should be light-touch, so companies can recruit quickly if needed.” Wells added: “The current UK
system for recruiting workers from non-EU countries does not inspire confidence. It can take months to recruit a Japanese speaker from Japan. “Our members would like to
employ more UK people, but we have a long way to go to get more people interested in the industry. The demographics are against us [in Britain] and there is low unemployment.” She insisted: “We want no
impact on EU visitors coming to Britain on holiday. If we are to position ourselves as a ‘global Britain’, we need the right messaging and visa regime, to say ‘We are open for business’. “The tourism industry can
deliver quick results. We would like the British government to see tourism as an enabler for the hard trade deals to follow.” Wells, a senior civil servant
before joining UKinbound as chief executive, added: “I know how difficult [Brexit] will be. Politicians are trying to shape a pragmatic and workable solution while managing opposition in Parliament. “I don’t think either side
wants us to crash out of the EU. [But] we are running out of time to implement radically new arrangements. “I don’t expect things to be
much clearer from March [when UK-EU negotiations resume].” Wells added: “We will do well
as an industry, but whether we do as well as we could have done [without Brexit] is another matter.”
Travel heads blame Brexit for UK recruitment crisis
Ian Taylor
ian.taylor@travelweekly.co.uk
Britain’s decision to exit the EU is having an adverse impact on tourism sector recruitment, say inbound travel leaders.
Senior figures at the UKinbound
Convention in Cardiff last week urged the government to limit post- Brexit restrictions on EU workers. Karin Urban, non-executive
director of inbound tour operator Hotels & More, said its number of EU [job] applicants had fallen 50% “and we have not left the EU yet. There is huge uncertainty, but it will be reflected [more] next year and the year after. The government wants evidence now, but evidence will come in two to three years.” Roberto Pardal, director of tour
operator EuroWelcome, said: “We are interviewing in Spain and having to sell the UK to people.” Strong Recruitment managing
director Kelly Strong added: “The government is not making any reassuring comments. The job situation in Spain and Poland is much better now and people are resigning to go home. “They say ‘I’ll never get on the
Wells counters council plans for tourism bed taxes
The crisis in UK council funding is leading many towns and cities to consider taxes on tourists. The London Assembly is seeking
to impose a bed tax, while cities including Hull and Bath have also proposed such a tax. The Welsh
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travelweekly.co.uk 15 February 2018 LOOKING AHEAD: Prize-winners and attendees at UKinbound Convention
housing ladder [in Britain].’ Salaries in London are not good enough. There is a such a shortage of language skills and no reassurance from the government.” Richard Bryan, managing
director of Qa Research, which carries out a regular confidence survey of UKinbound members, said: “There is nervousness about what will happen to EU workers and freedom of movement of visitors to Britain post-Brexit.” UKinbound chief executive
Deirdre Wells added: “We know how hard it is to employ people from non-EU countries. We’re
government has called for suggestions on how a tourist tax might work. But UKinbound chief executive
Deirdre Wells told Travel Weekly: “Tourists more than pay their way. I understand why councils think this is a potential funding crisis solution, but we have concerns. “Punishing tourists is a pretty
drastic reaction. There is also a practical challenge – the only way to collect this is through a bed tax,
trying to get the message across forcibly to government about the demand for language skills.” Stephen Darke, the Department
for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s head of tourism, told inbound business leaders: “Top- level immigration issues need to be resolved. What you have said will be reported to ministers – please give feedback on roles and skill sets you are struggling to fill.” Darke added: “Aviation is a
big issue – the Department for Transport wants to take that forward for negotiation as early as possible.”
which penalises people who stay the night, when that is what we want to encourage.” Wells added: “We need to invest
in tourism management so there is planning [in relation to] visitor numbers. You could incentivise people to come at off-peak times. “We need public engagement
about the benefits of tourism, in the hinterlands as well as hot spots. This pays for schools and hospitals through VAT contributions.”
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