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| Hospitality Today | Feb / Mar 14
Challenge and question Everything! What are the good things we do that we must keep doing? What are the bad things we do that we must stop doing? What things do we do only occasionally that we should do consistently? What things don’ t we do that we should start doing?
Grout concluded by asking delegates to ask themselves:“ What is your personal Leadership Brand?” We all have one – even if we don’ t want to. Every thing you do affects how others perceive your personal brand. Grout closed by quoting the motto of Forensic Science:“ every touch leaves a trace”.
Hospitality & Government
Martin Couchman OBE, BHA Deputy Chief Executive, gave a rundown of news on various current regulatory issues, including the recent OFT ruling on OTA commissions( see page 41), the welcome – if limited – easing of the UK Visa system for Chinese tourists, the lobbying by the BHA and others for the new Package Travel Directive to make travel an essential part of a package( so hotels do not have to be bonded, for instance, if they include a green fee with a booking).
The Food Information Regulation will require food operators to have allergen information on all their food available on request – which will require training.
The European Commission wants mandatory fees to be charged for food inspections.
There will be shared parental leave from April 2015.
On the industry’ s lobbying for a reduction in VAT on accommodation and attractions to 5 %, Couchman said the Prime Minister had conceded that we“ make a very good argument”.
Peter Hancock, Chief Executive, Pride of Britain Hotels
Figures run through the Treasury’ s own model show that annual GDP would be boosted by £ 4 billion, 80,000 jobs created over 2-3 years, and that the Treasury would profit by £ 2.6 billion in tax revenues over 10 years – BUT the killer may be that the Treasury would lose £ 650m in year one.
On a more practical note, Couchman suggested that hoteliers consider offering a Chinese breakfast, and employing Mandarin speakers, to help them win their share of a fast-growing emerging market.
Ufi Ibrahim thanked Couchman, and told delegates that the industry was getting its messages over to the Government, but that“ the Labour Party needs a hard push on tourism”. She appealed to delegates to use any connections they had to persuade the parties( especially Labour) of the viral importance of our industry.
Are Hotels Commodities? The changing dynamics of distribution
This was a panel debate, moderated by Russell Kett, Chairman, HVS London.
The panel was: David Taylor, Sales Director, Grass Roots HBI; Imogen Furness, Head of Supply Chain, Morgan Stanley; Stuart Johnson, General Manager, Brown’ s Hotel; and Mark Lewis, Managing Director, Hotel Rez.
Next, Jonathan Raggett, Master Innholders Vice Chairman( and MD of Red Carnation Hotels) gave a presentation on the Master Innholder Scholarships:“ growing our future industry leaders”.