Industry View
An eventful deal
Michael Hirst OBE, chair of the Events
Industry Board and Business Visits and
Events Partnership, explores what the new
Tourism Sector Deal means for the business
events sector
I
“Experts predict
that by 2025 the
number of overseas
visitors coming to
the UK is expected
to grow by 23 per
cent”
40 — August
n June, Prime Minister Theresa May
announced the UK’s first ever Tourism Sector
Deal, which will help continue to support the
country’s position as a key player in the global
tourism sector. Not only will the consumer
tourism industry benefit from this exciting and
long awaited deal but, the business events sector
will also benefit tremendously.
Currently the tourism industry is worth
£68bn to the UK economy. Securing the Tourism
Sector Deal is a huge boost for the tourism and
hospitality sector as it develops to support the
predicted influx of new overseas visitors coming
to the UK. The investment and plans under this
new deal will benefit and help to grow every
region of the UK and will also see conference
centres across the country benefit from an
investment of £250,000, which will improve
broadband connectivity for business visitors.
Organisations within the travel sector can
gain essential knowledge and insights with the
creation of a new Tourism Data Hub, which will
change the way bookings data is used by the
sector. Experts predict that by 2025 the number of
overseas visitors coming to the UK is expected to
grow by 23 per cent so this hub will become a very
useful tool for businesses. The Sector Deal also
sets out an ambition for being the most accessible
destination for those with disabilities.
The government has also published its
International Business Events Action Plan, which
outlines its commitment and support of the
business events industry in attracting, growing
and creating business events to bring greater
numbers of business travellers to the UK.
Within the Sector Deal, business events are
seen as a major route to increased productivity
within the sector by looking to fill spare capacity
across the whole of the UK and reduce seasonality.
The introduction of Tourism Zones will provide
incentives for additional business event facilities.
Through VisitBritain, the Business Event Growth
Fund will continue to support new bids for
international events and applications for funds to
enable more international visitors to be attracted
to existing events.
A range of soft power initiatives, including
letters of support, use of public buildings for
receptions and ministerial endorsements will
be used to help win more international events
to Britain. Arrangements for special facilities in
relation to visas and welcome at ports of entry are
also part of the Action Plan.
It is also encouraging to see that the
government is committing to investing in new
generations to help them carve out a career within
the tourism and hospitality industries, with the
creation of 10,000 new apprenticeships each year
within the sector. Through the creation of these
apprenticeships the skills gap will start to bridge.
The business events sector is creating its own
response to future skills need through its own
Event Management Apprenticeship programme
and a Talent Taskforce set up be the Events
Industry Board is reviewing how best to provide
career opportunities to fill skill gaps.
At the same time, under the auspices of the
Events Industry Board, another taskforce is
looking at infrastructure provision, venue
capacity and occupancy to determine what levels
of additional investment may be necessary to
accommodate future demand.
The Tourism Sector Deal and the International
Business Events Action Plan are a fantastic
leap forward for the tourism and hospitality
industrises. The plans provide a much-
needed boost to the sector and showcase the
government's understanding of the importance of
the tourism, hospitality and business events to the
UK economy.