Tourism & Hospitality

Tourism industry looks forward to a bright future

The tourism sector is one of the brightest jewels in Hertfordshire’s crown. It generates millions of pounds each month for the local economy and, despite having a difficult time in the coronavirus pandemic, it is bouncing back strongly as restrictions are gradually eased.

The focus now is very much on bringing visitors back to hotels, restaurants and other key attractions.

St Albans Museums are certainly looking forward to the future with optimism. These star attractions offer a space where visitors can explore the rich history of St Albans. They can discover the Roman heritage of St Albans at Verulamium Museum or visit St Albans Museum and Gallery to see cutting-edge art installations, historic exhibitions and touring blockbuster shows. Farhana Begum, Museum Business Manager at St Albans Museums, says: “Visitors to our museums get the opportunity to explore fascinating permanent and changing exhibitions and take part in a vibrant programme of events, activities and workshops for adults and families across our sites. We’ve just opened our Chroniclers of History exhibition, which displays some of the most exquisite illuminated manuscripts created at St Albans Abbey from as far back as the eleventh century. During the medieval period, the monastery of St Albans had a national reputation for the quality of its chroniclers! “No other monastery produced histories for as long as St Albans, and many of its chroniclers, who included Roger of Wendover, Matthew Paris, William Rishanger, Thomas Walsingham and John of Wheathampstead, came to be celebrated as amongst the finest in the country.” The Chroniclers of History exhibition runs until the end of October this year. Other events and exhibitions are currently ongoing; more details can be found at

www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk/whats-on

Farhana, who has been working at the museums for the last five years and has spent 18 months in her current role, says: “Naturally, the coronavirus proved to be a challenging time for us. We closed on March 2020 and we reopened, closed again and now we’re back open again – it has been a rollercoaster last 18 months! We’re lucky that we received some funding from the Arts Council; this has helped to sustain us during the pandemic. “The future looks a lot rosier. Even though business hasn’t quite returned to prepandemic levels, it’s getting there as more people become more confident about socialising again. We’ve kept some precautions on site – face coverings and sanitisers, for example – so I’m confident that we’ll get more visitors over the coming months, particularly as the vaccination roll-out is going so well in this country. Also, people can get married or have Christmas parties here so it’s a good space for them to mix and socialise.” In particular, Farhana has seen a rise in the number of young people coming to the museums. “It’s great to see”, she says. “Around 35,000 children come to our museums each year so we can help them with their education. Even during the pandemic, we experimented with virtual sessions in which schools could participate. Feedback on these sessions was really positive. “We have a hugely significant collection of Roman artefacts at Verulamium Museum – large-scale mosaics that are in great condition. And there’s something new to see every time you visit the museum and gallery. But what links both museums is our dedication to the local community, local businesses and local artists, so we encourage everyone to get in touch and get involved.” Aubrey Park Hotel also engages widely with the local community. This exclusive venue, which sits peacefully between the historic city of St Albans and the old town of Hemel Hempstead, has 137 bedrooms, nine meeting rooms and a reputation for providing fantastic customer service. Rafael Gonzalez, Managing Director of Aubrey Park, says: “Our aim is to create a personal experience far beyond the realms of just booking a package or meeting room. Whether we’re hosting two or 200 delegates, we take pride in accommodating all styles and sizes of conferences and meetings. We take a consultative approach with all of our clients to ensure we really meet their brief and consider all requirements in a bespoke way.” Although the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns were challenging for Aubrey Park, Rafael sees signs of optimism as the country begins to open up again. “Generally, we’re getting busier,” he says. “People are travelling more and seem to have more confidence again. “Demand is growing. We’ve seen a surge in demand for weddings in particular, and people are looking to book events for Christmas celebrations. While the corporate market has been slower to recover, we’ve recently been getting enquiries from companies looking to book their staff Christmas parties. “It has been a challenging time but I’m more confident than I was this time last year, when there was so much uncertainty. Aubrey Park has a lot to offer individuals and companies and I’m optimistic about the future.”

For more information, visit https://aubreypark.co.uk