Build it better – Yes you can?

That was the question on everyone’s minds as over 200 delegates attended the UK Inbound convention panel debate last week, held at the stunning Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, in the centre of Manchester

This year’s theme of ‘build it better’, was discussed during a panel debate, hosted by Graham McKenzie of TravelMole.

The panel consisted of senior representatives across the UK inbound industry; Sheona Southern (Marketing Manchester), Bernard Donoghue (Association of Leading Visitor Attractions), Rebecca Brooks (Scottish Tourism Alliance) and Kurt Janson (Tourism Alliance).

McKenzie opened the session questioning; ‘build back better’ was this just rhetoric?

”Was 2019 really that good? asked Bernard ”2020 was personally distressing but at the same time liberating. Going forward we must engineer a better future, based on the best we had but better”

But in this new Nirvana ask what we must do to serve our communities better?

‘It’s great to be back together again once more, replied Sheona, I’m feeling giddy being back. We must learn to package our attractions better if we are to create goodwill in our communities’

Rebecca added, ‘We are still very much in survival mode and must learn what the post pandemic customer now requires. Travel is seen as the bogeyman of the virus’.

Kurt Janson commented, ‘We are seen as vacuous; it’s almost a three-letter slogan. Our industry is in denial if it doesn’t embrace what’s going on and learn to define our future. We must work towards a better future’

McKenzie then went onto ask if our industry suffers from an image problem amongst government and the general public?

‘Yes and no’, commented Bernard helpfully, ‘The government only really understands our industry at times of crisis. The rest of the time we are seen as low maintenance. Tourism will take longest to recover. Our industry has had the most help amongst all sectors’ Donoghue concluded.

‘But do we have public support?’  ‘We are a very unsexy industry; nobody fancies us’, sighed Brooks.

OK, so does brand Britain need improving?’

Southern replied, ‘It’s been a tough 3 years and following Brexit and covid our industry needs rebuilding. Manchester has benefited from a strong voice. We’ve also been commended on how we treat each other as individuals. Our green credentials have been recognised: all these things are something I would not have realised prior to this. Maybe we can learn from this going forward’

Rebecca added, ‘We are in a globally competitive environment, we need to get out there and fight harder for our share.’

Janson commented, ‘Post 9/11 we surveyed the American public and asked them why they were not coming to the UK. The results were not what we expected. ”It’s expensive, the weather is poor and food terrible”. We have to remember even post-Covid the reasons for not coming here remain broadly the same as before’

‘So, what are the effects of Brexit on recruitment and how do we build back?’, McKenzie enquired

Donoghue responded, ‘It’s a global crisis for everyone. We’ve lost 980,000 people from London, the majority were EU citizens. We must improve the perception of our industry. We are the most acceptable and diverse industry around. We must get better at pushing the benefits of immigration to our sector to government’

Kurt added,’ 350,000 people are currently furloughed in our industry. We need a range of measures to solve this crisis.’

‘We are not seen as a ‘sexy’ industry – that needs to change ‘,commented Ammie Jones of Compass hospitality, from the audience.

Sheona said: ‘We are responsible for 10% of the UK populations jobs. We need a national tourism plan from government. We are all too fragmented and that needs to change. There are 8,000 vacancies in tourism at present that need filling.’

Rebecca replied, ‘We need creative thinking to solve the vacancies. Immigration has been part of our economic growth over many years and is essential to our industry thriving in the future’.

Mackenzie then concluded the session by asking each of the panel, ‘What single item would you like to see develop from this last 18 months?’

Bernard replied, ‘A metaphor of the repair shop. i.e., to reconnect with friends, family and expand the ‘experience economy’. Globally the UK is brilliant in the attraction sector, and we need to promote this more.’

Sheona added, ‘Why not introduce a type of ‘national service’ for students to work in the hospitality sector. They would learn so much around people skills, communication etc.’

Kurt encouraged us to ‘get out more’. ‘We have all appreciated our outdoor spaces and environment more than ever before. We all have a duty to ensure we protect our landscape more than ever in future’.

Brooks concluded, ‘Tourism is a force for good. We must get back the feelgood factor as soon as we can.’

So, as Graham was just about to conclude an excellent session, in answer to his final question, one of the panel could not help but let their guard down, as to what they had really missed over the last 18 months.

‘Bongo Bingo – you must all go. Its such an amazing experience……’ and I think best that they shall remain nameless.