NEWS


By Samantha Mayling and Ian Taylor


The heads of tourism trade bodies have warned politicians of the damage that Brexit is already causing the inbound industry. Tom Jenkins, chief executive of


Etoa, the European travel association, told MPs: “The inbound industry is experiencing a recruitment crisis.” Deirdre Wells, his counterpart at


UKinbound, said Brexit uncertainty is hitting the confidence of inbound operators and the country is running out of time to negotiate post-Brexit arrangements. Giving evidence to the EU Internal


Market Sub-Committee of MPs at Westminster, Jenkins said: “Before the Brexit vote, the UK was seen as the place for young graduates to go. “Since then the atmosphere has


soured and, owing to the fall in the value of sterling, pay has dropped. “It is particularly unhelpful that


the [UK government’s] definition of ‘skills’, for the purposes of immigration, does not include languages. “We need the government


to implement a new tourism employment strategy that will enable the industry to hire non-UK EU nationals almost as easily as at present.” Recruiting staff was a key


concern for delegates at the UKinbound Annual Convention,


which heard members’ confidence levels are falling. Wells said: “Brexit is key, but it


is all so uncertain. Members are doing a good job of getting on with business in a vacuum. “But we need to keep the


pressure [on politicians]. These are challenging times. Tour operators are trying to contract for a post-Brexit scenario.” She added: “There will have to


be a post-Brexit regime that allows [UK firms] access to EU labour, with the level of migrant workers the industry needs. [But] when we surveyed our members 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.” 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’. “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.” 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.” Senior figures reiterated their


case during a Tourism Industry Council meeting in the Houses of Parliament, with culture secretary Matt Hancock, tourism minister Michael Ellis, and Robin Walker, minister at the Department for Exiting the European Union. Issues affecting the sector were


also highlighted in a Brexit report by the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee: It said: “It is important that the government sets out progress on negotiations regarding the single aviation market, and reassures the tourist industry that contingency plans are being made


in the event of no deal.” � See UKinbound special report p8


Cherie Blair to speak at tourism conference


The first speakers have been announced for a tourism conference on June 28, during the International Business Festival in Liverpool. The event will close with a


keynote address by leading lawyer Cherie Blair – wife of former prime minister Tony Blair. Her speech will follow a day


of discussions for the tourism conference, called Future Global Opportunities for UK Tourism. Jon Young, research director at


consultancy bdrc Continental, will start the event by outlining trends; aviation consultant John Strickland, JLS Consulting director, will chair a discussion on UK regional airports and airlines; and social business expert Katie King, Zoodikers managing director, will look at the impact of artificial intelligence and technology. Organised by Cheeky Monkey


Media, the conference has support from UKinbound, VisitBritain, British Airways, the Association of Group Travel Organisers, the Tourism Society and the Tourism Alliance, among others. To book, visit http://bit.ly/


UKTourismConference. internationalbusinessfestival.com


Face to Face: Sue Biggs, director-general of the Royal Horticultural Society – page 10


Bosses blast Brexit impact on staff


4 TravelGBI | March 2018


travelgbi.com


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