Key Conference meeting will debate Birmingham’s tourist economy

THE future of Birmingham’s tourism sector will be dependent on securing people with the right skills to sustain its growth, travel experts have said.

Whether the city is equipped to meet the needs of its tourism economy will be the subject of a debate today, organised to coincide with the start of the Conservative Party Conference.

Hotel rooms in the city are at a premium during such events and it is expected that the conference will see an influx of around 14,000 visitors during the next few days.

Travelodge, the UK’s largest independent hotel chain, is hosting the debate at the Novotel on Broad Street.

The event entitled ‘New Champions: Unlocking the skills and growth potential of unexploited sectors in the UK economy’, will feature a high profile panel of speakers, who will discuss the need to raise the profile of UK tourism amongst policy makers, and the need for Government to unleash the growth potential of the industry.

Speakers joining the debate alongside Travelodge Chief Executive Peter Gowers, are Skills Minister  Nick Boles, Ufi Ibrahim, Chief Executive, British Hospitality Association, Dr Gerard Lyons, Chief Economic Advisor to the Mayor of London and Baroness Neville-Rolfe, Under Secretary for Business, Innovation and Skills and Minister for Intellectual Property.
 
The event, which follows just days after Birmingham was named top city destination in the UK for the second year in a row, will be chaired by Nick Faith, Director of Communications at Policy Exchange.
 
Travelodge, which operates 19 hotels across Birmingham, has reported a surge in business due to the conference. It has predicted the event will be worth £17m to the city’s economy.

It said at a time when so many decision-makers would be in the city, it made sense to try and raise the profile of tourism and the important role it plays in Birmingham’s economy.

The debate will also address skills shortages and youth unemployment, looking at how further policymaker support can enable companies to upskill workers and provide more opportunities for school leavers and young people.
 
Peter Gowers said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Policy Exchange in hosting this debate on the role of tourism within the economy.  What the UK needs is a Government that recognises the role that tourism and hospitality play in driving economic growth, so that the industry can unleash its full potential.
 
“The tourism and hospitality sectors have played a key role in the UK’s continued economic recovery, creating a third of all new jobs in the UK since 2010 and contributing 10% of UK GDP. We are putting tourism and hospitality on the agenda and this is a great opportunity to get in front of decision-makers and demonstrate the impact that the tourism industry can make.”
 
Nick Faith, Director of Communications, Policy Exchange said: “In areas of the country that feel particularly isolated by the growth of London, sectors like tourism, catering and hospitality can provide life changing opportunities for people who don’t feel they have a stake in what the Prime Minister refers to as the ‘global race’. This event will look at the ‘forgotten sectors’ of the economy and explore how government can work with business to ensure the economic recovery reaches every part of the country.”