UKinbound Convention: CEOs slam lack of support from Government, VisitBritain

The annual CEO round table discussion at the UKinbound conference turned out to be a lively affair in 2021 with the Government and Visit Britain coming in for heavy criticism by the attendees.

Moderated by Graham McKenzie of TravelMole, the session started with a statement from DCMS recognising the size and importance of the inbound market and the financial contribution it makes to the UK export economy. 

Once this overview had finished McKenzie posed the question to the audience as to what sort of industry would be left by the spring of 2022 after another winter of negative cashflow.

"International travel to the UK is to all intent and purposes NOT open. The EU is open we are not. It is now critical that restrictions are lifted in this core period otherwise there will be unilateral market failure."

‘We must alter testing requirements now. From what I see there is no evidence of EU and American travellers coming to the UK despite the loosening of some protocols’ summed up the feelings of the audience.

"We are now the only sector throughout the economy that remains closed. The view that staycations are the answer is a myth."

The disastrous effects of another winter without revenue, the ending of furlough plus increasing costs of staff if bookings were to be taken was also discussed with the conclusion that, in the absence of any sector specific support from the government, by the spring of next year many businesses will have failed alongside the closure of many national attractions.

The recently announced VisitBritain plans for consumer campaigns aimed at millennials or thrill seekers was next to receive harsh criticism from the CEO’s. 

"Why are we targeting the millennials and mainly non vaccinated groups in your campaign?’ asked one, "Your strategy is clearly wrong."

"It’s difficult to see how the youth market will drive recovery and make any significant difference to the UK inbound sector."

McKenzie then asked for a show of hands for anyone who felt the VisitBritain campaign plans were money well spent. The lack of any arms going up, said it all.

"What would be a good use of these funds then?"

"We need to look at Scotland and other markets such as France, Ireland and Germany. They seem to have governments that get it. No one in this room sits on the board of VisitBritain. That is an issue. In other countries there is sector representation."

"VisitBritain should look at different ways of using the money. Why can they not divert funding to co-funded campaigns. The issue we have at present is that UK inbound companies do not currently have the funds to campaign on their own."