talking tourism WINTER 2021/22
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ISSUE 5
THE BEST DAYS OUT • CATA’s Jon Cummins • Visitor survey • Climate change • Is your business pet friendly?
SAVE LIVES BY BECOMING A
TOURISM
Photo credit: Mike Hogan; ©Robert Maynard Photography/ Discovery Communications
BUSINESS
SUPPORTER
I
CORNWALL Registered Charity 1133295
In 2020, 81
adults and 16 children took a trip they
didn’t plan to when they visited Cornwall.
On average, a fifth of patients helped by Cornwall Air Ambulance are visitors to the county, yet only 5% of donations to the charity come from the tourism sector. With your help we can change this. The charity needs the support of local tourism businesses to fund these vital missions and save lives. If you work in the tourism sector, get in touch today to find out what you can do and how a partnership with Cornwall Air Ambulance can benefit your business. cornwallairambulancetrust.org/tourism-business-supporter 01637 889926 fundraising@cornwallairambulancetrust.org
Saving lives is a team effort, are you in? As a charity, the crew can’t continue to save lives without the support of our Tourism Business Partners. Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust, Trevithick Downs, Newquay, Cornwall TR8 4DY | Registered charity 1133295
CONTENTS & CONTACTS
What’s inside this issue... EDITOR Nick Eyriey nick@businesscornwall.co.uk
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PUBLISHER Toni Eyriey toni@businesscornwall.co.uk Tel: 01209 718688
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VISIT CORNWALL Malcolm Bell mal@visitcornwall.com Tel: 01872 276529 VISIT DEVON Sally Everton sally.everton@visitdevon.co.uk Tel: 07976 711785 DESIGN design@businesscornwall.co.uk
WELCOME
Visit Cornwall chief executive Malcolm Bell
TOURISM NEWS
New training academy
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LOOKING AHEAD: DEVON
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LOOKING AHEAD: CORNWALL
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Sally Everton reviews the past year and looks forward to 2022
Reasons to be cheerful?
INTERVIEW
We meet Jon Cummins, chair of the Cornwall Association of Tourist Attractions
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MARKETING
PRINT Printed in Cornwall by St Austell Printing Company
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AWARDS
TALKING TOURISM is published 4 times a year by:
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CONTRIBUTORS Paul Richards Photography
Tonick Business Publishing Pool Innovation Centre Trevenson Road Redruth TR15 3PL
Expert advice from Clockwork Marketing’s Clare Bushby
Tourism awards in a changing world
VISITOR SURVEY RESULTS
Was last summer a staycation success?
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CHARITY
Tel: 01209 718688
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CLIMATE CHANGE
Registered under the Data Protection Act. All rights reserved.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, stored in an electronic retrieval system or transmitted without the written permission of the publisher.
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Cornwall Air Ambulance needs YOU!
Stephens Scown advice for businesses looking to go green
SPECIAL FEATURE
Is your business pet friendly?
JUST AN OPINION
Services for Tourism director Robin Barker
Stringent efforts have been made by Tonick Business Publishing to ensure accuracy. However, due principally to the fact that data cannot always be verified, it is possible that some errors or omissions may occur. Tonick Business Publishing can not accept responsibility for such errors or omissions. Tonick Business Publishing accepts no responsibility for comments made by interviewees that may offend.
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WELCOME
Welcome from Malcolm Bell
The sector lost the whole of the first quarter of the year and almost half of the second quarter.
In many ways it seems a long time ago when we first heard the news about a strange new virus in China.
In total, we lost around four and a half to five and a half months of trading and then I’m glad to say the business did pick up and pick up in spades. The challenges changed to not only coping with the return in volume of guests but also coping with their concerns and wants, along with the additional cleaning procedures and staff shortages and supply difficulties.
But in many other ways, the last two years seem to have flown past, as all of us have been trying to plan and revise plans while reacting to a fast-moving situation, that none of us even thought about, let alone done any preparation for.
It was a summer we will always remember, September and October were strong, although November has probably returned to what would be an average November in pre-pandemic years.
It was just a year ago when the tiers system had brought most of us close to tears and we were looking forward to a partial recovery over Christmas and the New Year only for the Government then to announce new restrictions, that not only massively reduced Christmas trade, but also wiped out most business over the New Year.
Overall, with the help and support of the Government initiatives, 2021 turned out to be a good year despite the circumstances and challenges. But a good year did not mean an easy year, not just because of the lockdowns, but because of staff shortages from not only Covid but also from the “pingdemic” what fun days those were.
So, we started 2021 back where we had been in the late March 2020 with a lockdown, furloughing staff, revising cashflow forecasts and awaiting grants.
We also faced the challenge of accommodating staff, and we need to develop solutions for accommodation for workers, in not only hospitality but also in other sectors especially health and care in 2022 and beyond. So, it has been one “hell of a year” and one that makes me very proud of the sector as you took on the challenges, coped with an almost weekly set of new stresses but most importantly seized the opportunities and survived to fight another day Roll on 2022!
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WINTER 2021/22
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TOURISM NEWS
HOSPITALITY SECTOR COUNCIL
A team of leading hospitality industry experts has been assembled to help England’s pubs, restaurants and cafes to thrive.
Hill, Greene King chief executive Nick MacKenzie, Starbucks UK general manager Alex Rayner and Mowgli’s Nisha Katona.
The Hospitality Sector Council is made up of experts who represent a crosssection of the sector, support the delivery of the Government’s Hospitality Strategy.
Scully said: “The hospitality industry has shown incredible creativity and resourcefulness through the pandemic, pivoting to new ways of doing business like al fresco dining and takeaway pints to stay safe, meet changing consumer demands and protect livelihoods.
The council will identify and oversee actions related to the 22 commitments in the strategy, “create sensible solutions” using their expert knowledge and assess the strength of the sector. The Council is co-chaired by Business Minister Paul Scully and includes among its members UK Hospitality CEO Kate Nicholls, Emma McClarkin of the British Beer and Pub Association, Nando’s UK & Ireland chief executive Colin
MEETGB VIRTUAL 2022
Registration is now open for VisitBritain’s free flagship business event, MeetGB Virtual 2022. Taking place from February 15-17, the online tradeshow for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions/ events (MICE) will showcase the very best of business events in the UK on a virtual stage. MeetGB Virtual will welcome international buyers to connect online in real time with UK destinations, venues and suppliers.
“With the launch of this council, we’re taking the next step in the journey to build back better from the pandemic by unveiling the experts who’ll be driving the reopening, recovery and resilience of the sector. “It’s a real ‘Avengers Assemble’ moment for the industry.”
VisitBritain CEO Sally Balcombe said: “We are delighted to once again offer a virtual platform where international event planners can connect with the UK business events industry. “The new format will offer both buyers and suppliers flexibility that suits their own schedule, helping to create crucial business opportunities and supporting the MICE industry build back demand for live events as it reopens and begins to rebuild.” www.eventsaregreat.com
FRESH AIR FOR FRESH THINKING Meet Devon is a free venue finding service for all business visits and events for Devon and the south west. It is the first point of contact for anyone considering the region for a meeting, conference, incentive group, corporate golf event, team build or a group celebration.
Sally Everton and Nicky Harding
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It saves meeting planners, conference bookers and PCOs valuable time, by working alongside the knowledgeable Meet Devon team for unbiased and professional advice.
WINTER 2021/22
TOURISM NEWS
VisitEngland has announced the latest winners of its Visitor Attraction Accolades for 2020 and 2021 recognising the outstanding visitor experiences on offer across the country.
attractions back in the spotlight with these accolades that recognise the amazing experiences available across the country,” said VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes.
The winners have been awarded Accolades based on the scores they gained in their annual Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme assessment by VisitEngland. With many attractions closed during the pandemic, the usual announcement in February 2021 was postponed until the autumn, with attractions assessed in 2020 and 2021 included.
In total, 76 attractions were recognised for the exceptional experiences they provide visitors from Welcome Accolade, Hidden Gem, Best Told Story, Quality Food and Drink and the Gold Accolade for all-round top-scoring attractions.
“I’m so pleased to see our visitor
Among the winners from the south west were the Bodmin Jail attraction (Best Told Story), Seaton Tramway (welcome), and Plymouth Gin (Food and Drink).
A new training company has been launched to help businesses in the tourism and hospitality sector.
that we understand the front and back house of businesses and the challenges that they occur.”
VISITOR ATTRACTION ACCOLADES
SAFFRON ACADEMY
The team at Saffron Academy boast more than 150 years sector experience between them. The overall aim of Saffron Academy Limited is to increase the skills of those who are working in the sector to help businesses deliver a “world class service locally”. “We are delighted to be able to be up and running and being able to offer training to Cornwall and Isles of Scilly businesses,” said director Claire Hall. “Our years of experience means
FREE VENUE FINDING SERVICE • A completely free service providing a choice of suitable venues and itineraries to fit the brief to make the decision making that little bit easier CORPORATE AND INCENTIVES • From golfing groups to sailing groups, from coasteering to hawking on horseback, from sloe gin making to a Michelin star feast TEAM BUILDING IDEAS
From quirky venues, coastal venues, secret venues, specialist groups, film locations and much more, Devon has it all and can accommodate most briefs however diverse and unusual. Fresh Air for Fresh Thinking is the Meet Devon motto and welcomes all enquiries. For more details contact Sally Everton sally@meetdevon.org or Nicky Harding nicky@meetdevon.org
• From high wires to treasure hunts, from escape rooms to paddle boarding, duck herding to rock climbing, never a shortage of ideas for a team-build in Devon
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LOOKING AHEAD: DEVON
Year of the staycation Visit Devon director Sally Everton reviews the past year and looks at what could be in story for the year ahead.
It was a long and very busy season for the many businesses linked to the visitor economy across Devon, with an estimated 15 to 20% increase on visitor numbers to the county compared with 2019.
Recruitment and staff shortages has been a major issue and still is
And in the main these were ‘Staycationers’ with many people still not confident to take an overseas holiday. We saw a further increase in the millennial visitor with many attracted to the many outdoor activities we have such as paddle boarding, surfing, sailing, kayaking, rock climbing and high wires. 2021 has had in many ways, more challenges than the 2020 season. With the well documented skills shortage and recruitment challenges, we ran a short sharp and very targeted recruitment campaign to help businesses attract the staff they needed to enable them to provide the excellent customer service that our visitors expect from our destination. In the main, businesses coped with the increased numbers of visitors, but some with a reduced offering, with shortened opening hours, reduced menus, and
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less capacity. Alongside Cornwall, Devon was listed as the top destination to visit in England. Attractions have had a vital and muchneeded boost as weather was not all beach weather, some attractions breaking daily records for visitor numbers. Many extended the season and remained open until the end of October and traded well with the twoweek half term. However, the busy summer has not made up for the lost trading time during the lockdowns, and with businesses still having to limit access to certain things such as pools and rides but on a brighter note, it has been a major boost for business confidence. As mentioned, recruitment and staff shortages has been a major issue and still is. Without assistance from the Government to enable some EU staff back in, this shortage of staff is likely to continue (post Brexit and Covid, UK demographics point to this trend continuing). There are not the applicants coming through to fill the vacancies. Brexit is not totally to blame, some staff who were on furlough took other jobs
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LOOKING AHEAD: DEVON
VISIT DEVON KEY PRIORITIES Zero Carbon Deliver clean and inclusive growth to make it easier for visitors to make sustainable choices Accessible and Inclusive To be the most accessible destination in the UK Improving Productivity Addressing seasonality; value per visitor; data and research and collaboration Building Resilience Strengthen business networks; support businesses and protect consumers through a compulsory registration scheme, build community wealth and strengthen the supply chain Skills and Employment Kick start recovery by getting people back into employment; support growth businesses; improve digital skills and provide career paths Marketing and Communications Promote the region to new and growth markets as a place for business events Improve Connectivity Encourage and support digital and transport infrastructure improvements
during that time and left the sector to commence on other career paths that could offer more sociable hours. We are working with Devon County Council to improve skills in the sector and working with schools and colleges to promote hospitality as a choice of career not just a stop gap between jobs. As for the year ahead, forward bookings are looking strong going into 2022 and as it stands, all looks good for another year of the ‘Staycationer’. However, a word of caution, and a sting in the tail from some recent surveys show that 49% of consumers surveyed are planning to go overseas in 2022, with over 40% unsure and only 3% saying there will definitely be holidaying in the UK. The rest are undecided. The potential visitor has ‘blanket booked’ two or more holidays so can decide later which holiday they will take, dependent on the current Covid climate and potential restrictions. That said we need to be mindful and target other markets to fill the potential gap, such as inbound travellers. There is no room for complacency as a destination and we must plan now to ensure we don’t lose out.
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Devon and the wider south west has traditionally been a leader in the development of sustainable tourism with its Sustainability South West programme in 2016 and the Discover Devon Naturally Project in 2006. Historically, it has had a relatively high number of businesses belonging to the Green Tourism Business Scheme but this has recently reduced, which is thought to be due to failings in the scheme rather than lack of interest in sustainability. Understanding this further will be key to how we engage our businesses again. Visit Devon will be looking at working closely with our industry partners such as UKinbound, Visit England and Visit Britain to ensure we have a strong presence in the global market place, so as the pent up demand from overseas markets is recognised and we can be a welcoming destination with our open space, our beautiful coastal and stunning countryside and exceptional food and drink offering produced within the county.
Forward bookings are looking strong going into 2022
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LOOKING AHEAD: CORNWALL
What will 2022 be like? While Malcolm Bell has some reasons to be cheerful, he also sounds a note of caution.
Ian Dury had a hit single “Reasons to be Cheerful” and we have reasons to be cheerful looking ahead to 2022 but there are also reasons to be worried. But let’s concentrate on the reasons to be cheerful first. The visitor research undertaken this year confirmed our beliefs, that Cornwall delivered the visitor experience expected and for some even exceeded expectations, despite the significant increase in the number of visitors and certain sections of the media stirring up anti-tourism sentiment within our communities. Cornwall continued to deliver and most importantly, it is competing very strongly with other UK destinations. The visitors enjoyed their time in Cornwall and gave us very strong referral scores and most pleasingly have a desire to return. Many other destinations would “cut off the right arms” to have that positive level of relationship with the customers. Looking forward to next year, we will see a strong desire for people to get away from home where so many both live and work now.
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And the demand to take breaks and holidays will be very strong, particularly multi-generational holidays for all those grandparents who have missed out on almost two years of connections and memory making with their children and grandchildren. I think we will also have new opportunities created from the change in work patterns post Covid, where many people will now be either spending a lot of time working at home or even just part-time working from home, resulting in so many losing their sanctuary and needing to create that work and life balance. There will be a desire to get away and have time with loved ones, family and friends. And this will not necessarily be in the peak weeks, but can easily be in autumn, in winter and in spring. There is also the “workcation” or “woliday” market where people can still have a good holiday, while doing some work or zooming in for the odd mustmake meeting. From our research, we have seen that people are interested in coming for short breaks and additional
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holidays and that market will hopefully grow as people want to take breaks. Visit Cornwall will be working hard to grow this value out of peak season and target these new markets and drive business to members during the less popular but equally wonderful times of the year to be in Cornwall. I won’t go on about the reasons to be cheerful, because there are also several reasons to be cautious and certainly not complacent. Being complacent will be the greatest weakness. It is great that our customers loved what they had enjoyed during their time in Cornwall and that they want to return, but just because we provided a great holiday, doesn’t mean that they will automatically come back the following year. We may not see some of these people for two or three years, or even five years. Even if you have lots of forward bookings with paid deposits, please don’t take that as business in the bank. The overseas competition will be coming at us and they will want to make up on their losses over the last two years. The TV adverts are starting to
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appear on our screens and wait until just after Christmas, when customers will see wall-to-wall advertising to get on that plane! Another reason to be concerned is that we have seen from our research that many customers are concerned about good value for money and that many see overseas holidays as offering better value. So, we do need to make sure customers that visited over the past two years come back as soon as possible with Being complacent the use of tempting social will be the greatest media and targeted comms, so that hopefully as many as weakness possible return next year to ensure that we do not have a feast and famine situation. Finally, next year will see out customers facing higher taxes, maybe higher mortgages, increased cost of living and a feeling that they are financially being squeezed, so let’s make sure we all work hard this winter to promote your business and Cornwall with a healthy dose of “constructive paranoia” and certainly avoid smug complacency.
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INTERVIEW
The best days out Attractions are a vital part of the tourism mix in the south west. Talking Tourism magazine catches up with Jon Cummins, chair of the Cornwall Association of Tourist Attractions, who explains more.
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WINTER 2021/22
INTERVIEW
WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND AND HOW DID YOU END UP AS CHAIR OF CORNWALL ASSOCIATION OF TOURIST ATTRACTIONS? Firstly, I think it would be useful for me to explain more about Cornwall Association of Tourist Attractions (CATA) for those who aren’t familiar with our network.
me an introduction into the wider Cornish network and I joined the then CATA executive committee in 2017. Encouraged by the then chair, Jonathan Bray at Trebah, I was voted in as vice chair in 2018 and then chair in 2020 - two months before the Covid pandemic struck.
CATA was formed in 1974 to promote top-quality visitor experiences in the region. Today, the association comprises 39 of the best attractions in Cornwall, with a supportive network encouraging knowledge sharing and collective action. Our member attractions range from iconic destinations such as St Michael’s Mount, the Eden Project and the Minack Theatre, to gems like Screech Owl Sanctuary, Geevor Tin Mine and Lappa Valley. We set a standard for industry excellence while also acting as a voice for the Cornish visitor attraction industry. Alongside this, we promote our members through strategic partnerships and public relations. The association employs two part-time members of staff who make our work possible. All the time that our members and directors invest is voluntary. Our public facing brand is Best Days Out Cornwall, under which we produce our promotional material. As I write we are on the cusp of launching a new website. As for me, my journey working in attractions started by fate. Through a chance meeting with a friend that at 16 I secured my first job parking cars at a local National Trust estate. In the 22 years since I stayed with my employer through university and then moved west. Having grown up in a rural area north of Bristol in a largely farming family, working for Europe’s largest conservation charity somehow felt like a natural fit. It still does. Roles within visitor experience and membership took me to south and west Devon and to regional roles. Since 2014 my day job has been at three places as vsitor operations and experience manager: Trelissick, Trerice and Glendurgan. Representing these attractions at meetings gave
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HOW IMPORTANT ARE TOURIST ATTRACTIONS TO DEVON AND CORNWALL’S TOURISM SECTOR AND VISITOR NUMBERS? In a word, vital. Attractions play their part in welcoming visitors to the region, the experiences we provide help make memories and hopefully these together with the service we deliver gives a reason to return, or to visit another attraction. Some of our attractions are internationally renowned and provide reasons to visit Cornwall in themselves. In turn this generates support for the accommodation providers, the food and drink industry amongst others. It’s all very closely linked.
As a group we are a significant player in the tourism industry and a major employer in Cornwall
Cornwall sees around five million staying visitors each year and 14 million day visitors each year, nearly all of whom travel through Devon, which then welcomes over five million visitors in its own right. CATA member attractions welcome in the
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region of six million visitors per year – so as a group we are a significant player in the tourism industry and a major employer in Cornwall. As well as visitors to the Duchy we also welcome a huge number of local residents to our attractions. The support provided by our locals is vital to keeping our sector going yearround, especially through the traditional shoulder months – the development of so many successful Christmas and winter events shows that there is a real demand across the year.
We are fortunate
We work closely with other industry bodies such as Visit Cornwall and the Cornwall Chamber of Commerce to ensure our members are closely linked to important professional bodies who can provide them with the right business expertise and to knowledge to help them grow and thrive.
have a large number of quality attractions in Cornwall
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IS THE DEMAND FOR TOURIST ATTRACTIONS CHANGING? WHAT DO PEOPLE WANT? AND IN
WHAT WAY DO BUSINESSES NEED TO ADAPT, IF AT ALL? Some big questions there. In my experience, visitors’ expectations are constantly rising. As an industry we are competing for people’s spare time and disposable income. It’s rather stating the obvious but different audience groups want different experiences; family visitors to a theme park will probably different expectations to those heading to an art gallery, so as attractions we need to understand our visitors and change and adapt wherever we can. If we do things really well or don’t get it quite right, people will tell us much more readily than perhaps they would ten years ago, whether in person or online. Whatever the offer quality of experience and service are paramount to what we do in order to meet and exceed visitors’ expectations wherever we can. The demand for attractions is changing. Many have developed successful offers around Christmas in December and January, simply by understanding that’s what people want to enjoy. As businesses levelling out the peaks
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INTERVIEW
and troughs of demand is obviously helpful in managing finances and helps provide more permanent year-round employment. People are also prepared to pay more for quality and exclusivity beyond their entry ticket. Experience packages have become more popular, and I suspect that trend will continue. As restrictions were imposed, changed or relaxed during the pandemic we’ve all had to adapt and change our lives to fit with a situation outside of our control and attractions needed to change the way in which we welcomed visitors on re-opening. In CATA we worked closely together to support each other with the introduction of booking systems, timed tickets, one-way systems etc. Out of this incredibly tough time have come some positives. As well as experiencing an incredibly busy period, some attractions have chosen to change their welcome more permanently by continuing to ask people to book in advance to help manage capacity and space. ARE THERE ANY GAPS IN THE MARKET FOR TOURIST ATTRACTIONS DOWN HERE? Not in my view, at least not in peak months. We are fortunate to have a large number of quality attractions in Cornwall and our infrastructure is already stretched to the limit during the key trading periods around school holidays. I think the gap here is again around seasonality. On a high level this is about making Cornwall a more attractive destination during winter, for individual attractions it’s about building on our offer and seasonal events to give both locals and tourists a compelling reason to visit.
provide. Some needed to simplify or close their food and drink or retail offers, shut areas of their attraction or adjust their opening hours as a result. If you can recruit the right individuals the question of affordability and location for housing often follows. This is now an issue for seasonal and permanent roles alike.
Cornwall sees around 5 million staying visitors and 14 million day visitors each year
The increase in house prices and rents in Cornwall has had a major impact on our members ability to recruit. How to overcome that is a challenge as we are dealing with market forces. Coming back to seasonality if we can develop that winter offer and create more permanent roles that will help recruit and retain staff, but there’s no quick solution. Some attractions also feel that Brexit has had a negative impact as it’s reduced the number of seasonal workers coming into the UK. I’m not sure how to solve that one… In the face of these increased costs CATA members have been lobbying to keep the reduced rate of VAT for hospitality and working with our colleagues at Visit Cornwall and the Chamber of Commerce to add our voice to this argument. We fully support the UKHospitality campaign VATsEnough and have urged out members to lobby their local MPs to make the reduced VAT rate a permanent change.
HOW ARE SOUTH WEST TOURIST ATTRACTIONS BEING IMPACTED BY THE CHALLENGE OF STAFF RECRUITMENT? HOW CAN THIS BE OVERCOME? This is a real issue for our members. Some attractions have needed to offer wages far in excess of pre-pandemic levels to both recruit new and retain existing people. A high number of vacancies has at times impacted the service some of our members can
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year, not to mention supply chain issues and inflation. But by addressing some of the issues that have arisen over the last two years during the quieter shoulder months, we can use our shared experience to prepare for the future. SHOULDER MONTHS’ ANALYSIS Now is the time to analyse your year-onyear occupancy percentages, average room rates, length of stay, and revenue per available room to create a robust, individual growth strategy for next year.
Experience in hospitality helps boosts bookings Clare Bushby, managing director of Clockwork Marketing, believes long experience working in hospitality provides a deeper understanding of how to capture new guests. In 30 years of working in the hospitality sector, we can genuinely say the last two years have been the toughest. But like the sailing adage, “a smooth sea never made a good sailor”, experience is what counts.
It’s critical to grow your brand
TALKING TOURISM
The biggest single driver of new guests for a property is through Google, however if your website is old and slow, your content isn’t changing, or your site isn’t engaging, and the booking experience is poor, you will be losing direct bookings. HOW DOES YOUR PROPERTY COMPARE TO OTHERS? In recent years we have created a robust platform of benchmarking insights to help highlight how hospitality websites compare to others to provide insights for business owners. The data we benchmark includes: • How does the number of visitors to your website compare to similar properties? • How many of your visitors who start the booking process go on to complete it, and how does this compare to other properties and indeed other booking engines? • What is the average dwell time on your website? Is it working hard enough for you? What is the bounce rate (visitors to your site who leave straight away).
CHALLENGES AHEAD Working as a specialist hospitality marketing agency has its benefits, not only through our direct work in hospitality operations, but also as a result of working day in, day out with business owners and managers in the industry.
Understanding and then improving your website or booking conversion leads to an increase of direct bookings. Depending on the property size, the impact of this work can be £5,000 to £10,000 a month. The biggest increase we have seen was a staggering £100,000 a month.
It is this experience that enables us to talk the same language and understand the challenges faced.
IDENTIFYING VALUABLE CUSTOMERS Your customers are your greatest asset and challenge combined. How many times have you looked at your best customers and wished there were more?
The opening up of foreign travel may have a major impact on UK tourism next
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But what else? One of the biggest questions on most hospitality owners’ lips is how to increase direct bookings.
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By profiling your customers, starting with your Property Management System (PMS), you can find more potential guests. Analysing the data in conjunction with wider demographic data such as Experian, will also provide powerful customer insights. Then you need to get smart with your marketing and messaging, by creating campaigns specifically for them—attracting new, quality guests. This process will also unearth other lucrative demographic opportunities you may have overlooked. GROW YOUR BRAND, BOOST YOUR BOOKINGS But in our long experience, properties need to market themselves consistently to attract new customers. According to Professor Byron Sharp (author of “How Brands Grow”), all businesses lose customers at a consistent rate. And loyal customers aren’t that loyal. A hotel with a larger market share is impacted less than one with a smaller share when they lose customers. Therefore, it’s critical to grow your brand using the following recommendations: • Constant marketing – continually communicate to your guests and potential guests so you are front of mind • Ensure a simple purchase journey – whether on your website or telephone bookings • Get noticed – create distinctive and memorable brand assets • Be consistent – agree your key guest benefits and communicate them
ACTING RESPONSIBLY MAKES COMMERCIAL SENSE Research from Nielsen found almost two-thirds (66%) of consumers are willing to pay extra for products and services that come from companies who are committed to positive social and environmental impact. There’s a commercial benefit to being ethically responsible, as well as simply doing the right thing. The hospitality sector must take a long hard look at itself after this year’s experience, and not shy away from difficult questions: • Are we being a responsible employer, and if so, how can we demonstrate this to potential staff and customers?
Marketing doesn’t work if your hotel or hospitality venue is promoting empty promises
• Are we paying enough to support people’s lives? • Are we inclusive of all regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or race? • Are we addressing our impact on the local environment and community? • Are we offering a long-term opportunity for career development and training? Only then will we be properly equipped for the future, ready to take on any challenge, and rather than just survive thrive.
• Stay competitive -be flexible to new guest needs and trends to keep your brand fresh and interesting THE STAFFING CRISIS Attracting new customers with these tactics will boost bookings but you also need the staff to deliver on the promise of your marketing – a major and ongoing issue. To attract new customers or staff you need to have a strong brand and marketing. Standing out amongst the crowd is more crucial than ever and will help you serve and recruit the best. Even so, marketing doesn’t work if your hotel or hospitality venue is promoting empty promises.
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AWARDS
HOW TO ENTER? Entry opens early in April 2022 with all details, entry forms and guidance notes included at the five tourism awards websites: • Devon Tourism Awards – www.devontourismawards.org.uk • Cornwall Tourism Awards – www.cornwalltourismawards.co.uk • Dorset Tourism Awards – www.dorsettourismawards.org.uk • Bristol, Bath & Somerset Awards – www.somersettourismawards.org.uk • South West Tourism Excellence Awards – www.southwesttourismawards.org.uk
Tourism Awards in a changing world The region’s tourism awards have continued throughout the pandemic. Should you have a go? Robin Barker, director of awards organiser Services for Tourism, shares his views. Like many in tourism we thought long and hard back in spring 2020 about whether to continue with the tourism awards, or put them on hold. After much thought and consultation we decided to proceed, and are so glad we did. We had to change just about everything, but industry feedback made it all so worthwhile with our favourite being “Your news was like a bright light at the end of a very long tunnel”. As I write this in November, our judges are in the midst of judging the 2021/22 entrants in readiness for awards events in spring 2022 and the launch of the 2022/23 awards in April 2022. We plan quite a few changes, the most critical being an increased emphasis on responsible, ethical and sustainable tourism and on accessibility and inclusivity.
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Surveys of entrants tell us the main reasons for entering are: • To provide a marque of quality assurance to our customers • For PR and media coverage • To get independent feedback/ benchmarking for my business • To help motivate and recruit staff There’s also the chance to progress to even greater recognition, with many county winners going on to win in the south west and some representing the region in the national VisitEngland awards. The tourism awards are themselves award-winners, having been awarded ‘Outstanding’ in the Awards TrustMark scheme. To date these are the only awards of any kind in South West England to achieve this accolade. We believe these are what sets the tourism awards apart, and why we hope you’ll be part of them. As stated by Rachel and Matt from the award-winning Ekopod: “We just wanted to send a quick email to say thank you so much to you, the judges and the sponsors for making the awards happen this year. We’re absolutely over the moon to have received the awards we did and can’t really put into words how much it means especially after this year!”
WINTER 2021/22
Cornwall Payroll Bureau Serving the Hospitality & Tourism Industry in Cornwall & Devon
Serving the Hospitality Serving & Tourism Serving the Hospitality the Industry Hospitality & in Tourism Cornwall &Serving Tourism Industry & Devon the Industry inHospitality Cornwall in Cornwall &&Devon Tourism & Devon Industry in Cornwall Serving&the Devon Hospitality Serving & Tourism Serving the Hospitality Industry the Hospital in&C
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RESEARCH
Visitor survey results Visit Cornwall commissioned the South West Research Company to undertake a one-off survey this summer, to establish whether the staycation boom was not only a success financially, but would give momentum going forward for tourism in Cornwall.
It is great news that our visitors have a strong desire to return
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TALKING TOURISM
You will see from the graphs that in many ways this is a very good result. It proves that Cornwall delivered the experience, and that overall, people are satisfied or very satisfied and intend to return to our wonderful part of the world.
It is also worth noting that many who normally go abroad, do not only go to the sun spots of Europe but quite a diverse range of destinations from the Far East through to America and Australia. The results in many ways were better than we would have expected in terms of the experience, given all the media reporting and ‘stirring’. And it is great news that our visitors have a strong desire to return. However, there are also some serious reasons to worry, firstly there is concern about their perception of value for money and in particular their comparison with value for money abroad. Secondly, it should be noted that although they intend to return that does not mean they will be returning in 2022 or even 2023, as many of our visitors would have had two or maybe three consecutive summer holidays in Cornwall and may be tempted to have a change for 2022. In conclusion, these are great results, but we will need to ensure we market and communicate that we do have quality and value for money.
WINTER 2021/22
RESEARCH
How would you rate your ACCOMMODATION in Cornwall in terms of the following:
Quality of service
6%
Value for money
25%
36%
20% Very poor
2
40%
Poor
10%
Quality of service
Average
60% Good
Very good
80%
100%
Don't know
37%
9%
46%
26%
0%
How would you rate the PLACES TO EAT & DRINK in Cornwall in terms of the following:
49%
40%
Value for money
42%
20% Very poor
40%
Poor
Average
25%
60% Good
Very good
80%
100%
Don't know
How would you rate the PLACES TO VISIT/ATTRACTIONS in Cornwall in terms of the following:
Range
7%
Quality of service
35%
9%
46%
24%
0%
43%
20% Very poor
How would you rate the PLACES TO VISIT/ATTRACTIONS in Cornwall in terms of the following:
56%
40%
Value for money
4
44%
How would you rate the PLACES TO EAT & DRINK in Cornwall in terms of the following:
Range
3
67%
14%
0%
How would you rate your ACCOMMODATION in Cornwall in terms of the following:
40%
Poor
Average
26%
60% Good
Very good
80%
100%
Don't know
How would you rate the following aspects of your OVERALL VISIT to Cornwall: General atmosphere
25%
Feeling of welcome
8%
62%
28%
Overall enjoyment of visit
17%
Overall value for money of visit
18% 0%
Very poor
79%
41% 20%
Poor
How would you rate the following aspects of your OVERALL VISIT to Cornwall:
71%
Average
38%
40% Good
60% Very good
80%
100%
Don't know
5
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TALKING TOURISM
21
RESEARCH
How did / is your visit to Cornwall living up to your expectations? (N = 1,229)
How did / is your visit to Cornwall living up to your expectations?
Much worse than expected
0%
Worse than expected
2%
As expected
55%
Better than expected
26%
Much better than expected Don't know
16% 0% 0%
6
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Thinking about your visit to Cornwall during 2021, do you think visitor numbers to the county have....? (N = 463)
Thinking about your visit to Cornwall during 2021, do you think visitor numbers to the county have....?
Increased
82%
Stayed the same
9%
Decreased
2%
Don't know/unsure
7% 0%
7
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Would you say that the increased visitor numbers to the county in 2021 has had any impact on the enjoyment of your visit? (N = 381)
Would you say that the increased visitor numbers to the county in 2021 has had any impact on the enjoyment of your visit?
Yes, a positive impact
4%
No impact
32%
Yes, a negative impact
59%
Don't know/unsure
6% 0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
8 How much of a negative impact did the increased visitor numbers have on your visit in 2021?
(N = 224)
How much of a negative impact did the increased visitor numbers have on your visit in 2021?
Minortonegative impact Minor negative impact - small inconvenience your visit but nosmall inconvenience to your visit but no change to plans change to plans
30%
Medium negative impact Medium negative impact - caused some changes to your visitcaused plans some changes to your visit plans
54%
Major negative impact - caused severeMajor disruption to your visitnegative impact plansdisruption to your visit plans caused severe
Don’t Don't know/unsure
15%
0% 0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
9
22
TALKING TOURISM
WINTER 2021/22
RESEARCH
Where would you usually take your holiday abroad? TICK ALL THAT APPLY. France
(N = 103)
28%
Spai n
48%
Portugal
23%
Greece
35%
Other Europe
36%
USA/Canada
Where would you usually take your holiday abroad?
25%
Africa
4%
Asia/Far East
11%
Australi a/New Zealand
7%
Other (Please specify)
11% 0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
12
How would you rate the following aspects of your OVERALL VISIT to Cornwall compared to your usual overseas holiday: Accommodation
15%
Shopping
16%
Places to eat & dri nk
Beaches
Feeling of welcome
16%
70% 48%
39%
10% 0%
13
16%
67%
14%
Better than overseas
14% 16%
71%
12%
Overall value for money of visit
10%
59%
24% 10%
Overall enjoyment of visit
7%
19% 18%
53%
18%
General atmosphere
20%
23% 62%
12%
Places to visit/attractions
25%
55% 41%
20% As good as overseas
40%
60%
80%
Not as good as overseas
100%
Don't know/unsure
How likely are you to visit Cornwall again in the future....? (N = 1,229) Very unlikely
2%
Unlikely
1%
Neither unlikely nor likely
5%
Likely
16%
Very likely
How likely are you to visit Cornwall again in the future...?
75%
Don't know/unsure
1% 0%
14
How would you rate the following aspects of your OVERALL VISIT to Cornwall compared to your usual overseas holiday:
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
And for which type(s) of trip(s) will you consider re-visiting Cornwall for? TICK ALL THAT APPLY. (N = 1,123) Main holiday
62%
Secondary /additional holiday
58%
Short break
And for which type(s) of trip(s) will you consider re-visiting Cornwall for?
52%
Don't know/unsure
2% 0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
15
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TALKING TOURISM
23
CHARITY
Lian Locke of Lovat Parks visits Cornwall Air Ambulance
Your charity needs YOU! Cornwall Air Ambulance appeals for support from the tourism industry. As a local lifesaving charity, Cornwall Air Ambulance carries out over 1,000 missions every year, bringing critical care to locals and visitors alike in their hour of need. With the mass influx of seasonal visitors Cornwall receives and the delays this causes on crucial trunk roads, the air ambulance can quite literally be the difference between life and death.
On just one day in August, the crew flew to 11 different incidents
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TALKING TOURISM
2021 has been no different with exceptionally high tourism numbers that caused a sudden increase in the need for Cornwall Air Ambulance. On just one day in August, the crew flew to 11 different incidents, 11 people who needed urgent lifesaving care and 11 families impacted. While around 15-20% of calls are to incidents involving visitors to Cornwall, less than 5% of donations come from the tourism sector.
With the demand for its service set to increase year on year, the charity is calling on tourism businesses across Cornwall to get on board and generate more donations through their visitors, ensuring the crew can continue to save more lives and more time in the years to come. Cornwall Air Ambulance chief executive, Tim Bunting, says: “Illness and injury don’t discriminate, they can affect anyone at any time, visitor or local. Each year we are seeing a rising trend in missions during peak holiday seasons and the pressure on Cornwall Air Ambulance as a small local charity is mounting. Meeting this additional cost is very hard, so that’s why your support is needed now more than ever.” The charity is proud to work with several tourism businesses already who support in a number of different ways and is calling for more to follow their lead.
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CHARITY
LOVAT PARKS “We are delighted to be able to pledge our long-term support to Cornwall Air Ambulance. Our guests throughout our Cornish holiday parks, along with our teams, take pride in recognising the tireless hard work of each and every Cornwall Air Ambulance crew member. We are very grateful that they dedicate themselves to ensuring we can all enjoy safe holidays throughout the county.” Lian Locke, Lovat Parks LYDCOTT GLAMPING “We have always recognised the amazing work that Cornwall Air Ambulance do, but when we heard that over 15% of the charity’s lifesaving missions involved tourists in 2020, and yet less than 5% of donations come from the tourism sector, we really wanted to find a way to help in a more tangible way. We decided to donate 25% of every Cream Tea hamper we sell to our guests during the peak summer months. It’s been so successful and a great way to make it easy for tourists to donate, that we have decided to continue this as a long-term fundraising campaign for Cornwall Air Ambulance. It’s been lovely working with the team, who have been so supportive with anything we need to make it a success.” Emma and Rich, Lydcott Glamping, Looe
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There are a variety of ways that your business can show its support, from an optional booking donation, to holding fundraising events or simply displaying the charity’s promotional material. In return your business can experience some fantastic benefits from working with the local, lifesaving charity. As well as great brand association and depending on the level of support, you can expect PR, social media exposure and a visit to the airbase.
Over 1,000 missions every year, bringing critical care to locals and visitors alike in their hour of need
Email fundraising@cornwallairambulancetrust.org or call 01637 889926 for more information.
Emma and Rich of Lydcott Glamping
TALKING TOURISM
25
CLIMATE CHANGE
The Road to Net Zero Climate change is happening now. How can tourism businesses reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to Net Zero? Peter Cooper, partner and head of the energy team at law firm Stephens Scown LLP, has six tips for tourism businesses to go green.
With average global temperatures soaring to unprecedented levels, extreme weather events and natural disasters are on the rise. The world will soon face food / water insecurity and environmental degradation on a potentially irreversible scale. Climate change is no longer someone else’s problem. URGENT CLIMATE ACTION NEEDED NOW At COP26, for the first time, countries agreed to take action against fossil fuel and meet the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C by the middle of this century. A new global agreement, the Glasgow Climate Pact, was entered into. Whilst this agreement is not legally binding, it has set the foundations for the global climate change agenda moving forward. Leaders pledged for greater cuts to CO2 emissions and devised a plan to phase down the global use of coal, which is responsible for 40% of annual CO2 emissions. Businesses are being urged to join the UN’s Race to Zero Campaign – the world’s largest alliance of businesses, cities, regions, leading universities and investors who have pledged to eliminate their net carbon emissions by 2050. One third of the UK’s FTSE 100 companies have recently signed up. Apple and Microsoft have previously announced plans for carbon neutrality by 2030, whilst a recent survey of 502 UK businesses found half of them have the same aim. However, we all need to take action now to achieve this. This is not a problem for future generations to solve – immediate, unprecedented and sustained reductions in carbon emissions are needed now. So here are six ways your business can ‘go green’ and avoid falling behind the Net Zero curve.
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TALKING TOURISM
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CLIMATE CHANGE
1 Set a Net Zero plan UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak noted at COP26 that UK-listed companies would be required to release net-zero plans by 2023. In order to devise an achievable and effective carbon reduction strategy, businesses must first understand how much carbon they currently emit. There are a wealth of free online calculators to help measure your current carbon emissions, enabling you to implement a targeted, achievable strategy to reduce them. For example, DEFRA have some excellent guidance and emissions fact sheets and The Carbon Trust has a useful calculator and carbon footprint guide. 2 Review your supply chain During COP26, financial organisations agreed to support clean technology, moving financial support towards renewable energy rather than fossil fuels. In line with this, as a business, you should review your entire supply chain, considering everything from your energy supplier, accountant, IT supplies, food suppliers to cleaning company. Where possible, buy only from carbon neutral suppliers. 3 Look at ways to improve efficiency The power sector accounts for a quarter of global greenhouse gas emission. To assist with this, businesses should consider the following: • Switch to green energy tariffs and reduce your energy consumption by not heating premises at the same time as cooling them. • Consider generating your own solar power and selling any surplus back to the grid. • Insulate existing premises or relocate to buildings with strong EPC ratings. • Use electric heating and induction cookers instead of gas. • Check the energy rating of your appliances. • Install low energy LED lighting and temperature controls. • Switch off electrical items and lights when they are not in use. Sign up to initiatives such as EP100. 4 Consider your plastic and paper footprint Bermuda’s deputy leader highlighted
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the impact of plastic pollution borne from developed countries at Businesses are COP26, noting that whilst being urged to join these countries are the biggest plastic polluters the UN’s Race to it is small islands, such as Zero Campaign Bermuda, that are suffering from it. As a result, do not forget to consider your plastic and paper footprints as well as your carbon footprint. Remember that every single purchasing decision should be accompanied by the question “Do we really need this”? Eliminate single use plastic. Go paperless. Reduce what you use. Repurpose and recycle everything you can. Join local Freecycle sites to give your unwanted items a new lease of life. 5 Offset unavoidable emissions COP26 noted that road travel accounted for 10% of global emissions and these are rising faster than those in any other sector. In turn, you should be aiming to consume less and travel less, but certain travel is unavoidable. Aim to offset the carbon emissions of such unavoidable travel and shipping through carbon credits and carbon offsetting schemes (for example, deforestation or renewable energy projects). Additionally, encourage greener travel such as walking or cycling to work, car sharing schemes and home working and install EV charging points where you can. 6 Take professional advice Finally, consider employing external help from specialist Net Zero carbon professionals. Find out what green business grants may be available to assist you. Organisations such as the CBI, Gov.uk, local chambers of commerce and the UK Business Climate Hub have a wealth of useful information. Moving forward from COP26, we should see an increase in climate change initiatives and information available for businesses to help meet their net zero targets. Peter Cooper is a partner and head of the energy team at Stephens Scown LLP. To discuss any of the issues raised in this article, please call 01872 265100, email enquiries@ stephens-scown.co.uk or visit www.stephens-scown.co.uk
TALKING TOURISM
27
PET FRIENDLY
Seizing the op-paw-tunity According to research from hospitality insurer NFU Mutual, the vast majority of dog owners are looking to take their four-legged friends on holiday. Is your business making the most of this growing market sector? Is your venue pet friendly? Against a backdrop of pandemic puppies and a surge in staycations, nearly two thirds (60%) of dog owners say they will always take their pet away with them. 18% will sometimes be taking their dog, while 17% are considering it. Only 5% of dog owners said they would never take their pet on holiday. The trend extends to other hospitality venues, with 84% of dog owners having visited a restaurant, pub or café with their pet, and a further 10% wanting to in the future. Even dog friendly weddings are becoming common, with nearly a quarter (23%) of dog owners saying they have attended or held a wedding where dogs made the guest list. Thirty-four percent of dog owners won’t visit a hospitality venue unless it welcomes dogs, while a further 56% of owners look for dog friendly venues often (35%) or sometimes (21%).
Darren Seward, hospitality sector specialist at NFU Mutual, says: “Dog friendly holidays were popular before the pandemic but the jump in dog ownership and surge in staycations have pushed the trend even further. “From hotels in the Highlands to selfcatering in Cornwall, our research shows there’s high demand for dog friendly accommodation in the UK. “With the PDSA estimating over a quarter (26%) of UK adults now own a dog, it’s important for hospitality businesses to consider whether to extend their welcome to dogs, or risk excluding their owners altogether.” Self-catered accommodation is the most popular option for those looking to take their dog away (considered by 85%), followed by hotels (43%) and B&Bs (34%), with camping (32%) and glamping (18%) becoming emerging trends. The most popular holiday destinations for dogs were Cornwall in top place (30%), followed by the Lake District (25%), the Scottish Highlands (24%), and Devon (20%). Darren continues: “For many dog owners, ‘dog friendly’ doesn’t just mean that their dog is allowed on site. Welcoming staff (86%), a guide to local walking routes (70%), dedicated outdoor areas (67%) and water bowls (63%) are now key requirements. 62% also look for awards, commendations or positive reviews about the business’s canine credentials. “Dog owners are also keen to understand what is expected of them and their pet, with clear communication of rules listed as a top requirement (77%). “Some businesses go past ‘dog friendly’ into ‘dog enthusiastic’, working above and beyond to put the needs of dog owners and their pets at the heart of their business. In recent years, this trend has seen features like dog menus, dog welcome packs, doggy day care and dog grooming becoming part of some hospitality venues’ business offering.” “However, businesses need consider the implications of introducing or extending their dog friendly offering. Inviting pets to stay at your venue could make a big difference to your risk assessment and to licence conditions
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TALKING TOURISM
WINTER 2021/22
PET FRIENDLY
required by your local authority, especially if you are thinking of introducing more complicated services like pet spa treatments, doggy day care, boarding kennels and pet taxi services. “Consider what hazards and risks you and guests might meet interacting with a pet onsite. Mitigation could involve actions like positioning stair gates in key locations, changing cleaning chemicals, designating dog walking areas or displaying additional site rules.”
NFU Mutual Risk Management Services offers the following advice to businesses thinking of allowing guests to bring their dogs: 1 SET OUT CLEAR RULES
• Be very clear about which animals are allowed to stay, and any limits on numbers. • State what provisions are on offer such as food, water, toilet locations and pet bedding.
• Storage of pet medications if requested by the owner. • Waste disposal of animal solids and fluids (will the local authority accept this in general waste or will it require specialist waste contractor to remove). • Other guests’ potential allergies to pets and how guest rooms, bedding and towels will be hygienically cleaned, and pet hair removed. • Animals chewing during their stay. Electrical and IT cabling and plastic water pipes are prone to damage causing potential for electrocution and unexpected release of water. • In the event of an emergency pet owners will no doubt escape with their pet in hand. Consider how this may affect your fire evacuation plans.
• Set expectations for acceptable behaviour (from both the pet and their owner) such as commitments to extra cleaning, areas where the animal isn’t allowed to go, any facilities the animal can’t use (bath, shower, swimming pool etc.)
high demand
• Speak to your insurer to establish if any property damage is covered and consider whether you need to include conditions for damage when agreeing terms of stay with the pet owner.
for dog friendly
2 CONSIDER HOW YOU WILL
Our research shows there’s
accommodation in the UK
CONTROL PET-RELATED RISKS, SUCH AS:
• Trips and falls over pets in and around the business. • Bites, scratches, fighting and aggressive outburst between animals.
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• Food hygiene at meal-times for guests is imperative and pets in cooking and eating areas should be discouraged, with good hand washing procedures encouraged for staff and guests after touching pets. • If pets are allowed into a jacuzzi or swimming pool, extra steps will be required to maintain the filtration system and changes made to chemical dosing between guests. 3 KEEP STAFF TRAINED, IN-
FORMED AND PET FRIENDLY
Though it is important to ensure the pet, owner and other guests are safe, concern should also turn to your staff and keeping them safe. The correct training will make sure staff are aware of their responsibilities and safely follow new procedures and use of any new machinery or chemicals.
TALKING TOURISM
29
JUST AN OPINION...
Good business practice Services for Tourism signed up to the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism at COP26 recently. Director Robin Barker explains why all businesses should take their eco credentials very seriously. Recent research shows that only 1 in 10 tourism operators have any carbon targets in place. Until recently, many in the sector simply turned a blind eye. Was this because they didn’t care? Is the commercial argument too weak? Or did it all frankly feel a little too overwhelming and someone else’s problem? The reality is that it’s probably a combination of all these things. In parallel with carbon reduction, 2021 has brought another issue to a head - the need to reduce costs. Whether you have 4 or 400 guest rooms, or run a café, surf school or pub, there are some simple but effective ways of doing this. So how do we make progress? To paraphrase conservationist Dr Jane Goodall, it’s essential to view the world and climate change as a jigsaw puzzle: trying to solve the whole picture is overwhelming and even terrifying, but viewing and working on it piece by piece makes it much more manageable. You can’t eat an elephant whole; sustainability needs a bite size approach!
You can’t eat an elephant whole; sustainability needs a bite size approach!
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TALKING TOURISM
From an operator’s perspective, there are two major drivers for business change. The first is the operational argument for cost-savings and viability of the business, and the second is the shifting consumer demand that we are seeing for business responsibility. Statistically speaking, the number of searches for
specifically ‘eco’ accommodation remains low, but the appetite for places that have been awarded accreditations such as Quality in Tourism’s REST (Responsible, Ethical and Sustainable Tourism) scheme is growing and many guests now see it as a reason to purchase. For many consumers ethics, responsibility and sustainability are becoming the defining factors. Simply put, if your business doesn’t embrace this, many of your potential customers will go elsewhere. A lot comes down to processes and attitudes, from switching one product with another, removing certain things from the supply chain, changing practices such as waste management and even swapping lightbulbs. They might sound minor, but they will all deliver cost-savings, and even better, help take advantage of the shift in customer demand. Probably the most important aspect is to monitor the impact of any changes you make so that they are quantifiable and demonstrable. Measurement is an essential part of both establishing the effectiveness of your changes, and also communicating these changes to your teams and customers. It is for these reasons that we at Services for Tourism have signed up to the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism and have committed ourselves to deliver climate action plans within the next 12 months, reporting publicly on an annual basis, working in a collaborative spirit, sharing good practices, and disseminating information amongst tourism awards entrants and beyond. Do we have all the answers? No, we don’t believe anyone does as yet, but working with tourism awards sponsors including Quality in Tourism, South West Water and Stephens Scown LLP solicitors, as well as leading destinations and practitioners, we are determined to find better solutions for tourism and share them as widely as possible. Information on the Glasgow Declaration can be found at www.oneplanetnetwork. org/programmes/sustainable-tourism/ glasgow-declaration and the parallel Tourism Declares initiative at www.tourismdeclares.com We encourage everyone in tourism and hospitality to join us in signing up for both.
WINTER 2021/22
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