April 2020 - Tourism e-journal

Page 1

20 APRIL, 2020

ISSUE. 3

The official e-journal of the Tourism Society

Oliver Bennett, TCN, FTS

IN THIS ISSUE

REMEMBERING MEMBERS

By Tom Buncle FTS, TCN

IT IS TRADITIONAL FOR THE TOURISM SOCIETY TO REMEMBER

MEMBERS

WHO

PASSED

OVER

THE

PREVIOUS YEAR AT THE PRESIDENTS DINNER. AS THE EVENT THIS YEAR HAS BEEN POSTPONED DUE TO COVID-19 WE ARE REMEMBERING THEM IN THIS SPECIAL EDITION OF THE E-JOURNAL.

“Such a lovely guy”. This was the universal response from

friends,

and

former

clients,

after

expressing their deep sadness, on hearing that Oliver Bennett

- OLIVER BENNETT, TCN, FTS

colleagues

had

passed

away

at

the

end

of

March.

Unassuming, direct, and immensely wise, Oliver touched

- JENNIFER EVANS, FTS - LESTER BORLEY CBE, FTS - PROFESSOR CHRISTOPHER HOLLOWAY, FTS

many people’s lives across the world throughout his fascinating and varied career. And he impressed those

TOURISM

IN

A

POST

CORONAVIRUS WORLD BY KEN ROBINSON CBE, FTS, TCN

he met with his kindness, his razor-sharp intellect, and his truly global experience of international development, especially in the tourism sector.

IN THE PREVIOUS ISSUE - GLOBAL TOURISM TRENDS WITNESSED IN WHITBY

A

- PROSPECTS 'VISION 2035' WRITE UP

Class

Honours

degree

in

chemistry

from

Cambridge University may not have been the most obvious route into transport planning, from which, ever the

- CHINESE TOURISM BOOM

First

polymath,

development

Oliver

and

soon

tourism,

gravitated which

towards

absorbed

him

professionally for the rest of his life. After many years, starting with Llewellyn Davies, then Touche Ross and subsequently Deloitte,


20 APRIL, 2020

PAGE. 1

I will be forever grateful to Oliver on a personal professional level for giving me an entrée

into

international

tourism

consultancy, when, not long after we met, he asked me to have a look at a project EMG were running in Namibia. That led not just to more projects with Oliver at EMG, but also to us working together on several projects after he retired from EMG. But, more than that, it

Oliver headed up the London office of Emerging

led to many years of friendship.

Markets Group (Europe), to complement the original EMG team in Washington DC. On retirement he joined

Kind,

a

respected,

consortium

of

tourism

consultants,

Salon

knowledgeable, straightforward,

wise,

widely

witty,

direct,

Hospitality, formed by former Deloitte partner Dries

astute, and open-minded, Oliver was a true

de Vaal. Oliver remained in demand as a highly

citizen of the world, which the projects he

respected independent tourism consultant for the rest

worked on helped to make a better place.

of his life. He had worked in more countries than most

Those of us who knew him as a colleague

of us have ever heard of; gained a reputation that

and friend are privileged to have walked

most of us can only dream of; and always seemed to

some of this journey with him. Our thoughts

know the solution to most problems he encountered.

and deepest sympathy are with his widow, Farida, and his brother, Christopher, who

A keen skier and cyclist, Oliver regularly turned up on

survive him. We can only hope they may

his bicycle to meetings of the Tourism Consultants

take some comfort from knowing the esteem

Network committee, on which he served to the end of

in which this unique man was held by so

his life. On being asked why he had bought a splendid

many around the world, which is now a

new, lightweight bike when he already had a very

considerably poorer place without him.

decent one, he replied “so I can improve my time in

next year’s Ride London” (46 miles). Oliver was 75 at the time……and, to his great credit, he did! People he worked with have commented on how encouraging and supportive he was and how his instincts about what would and would not work were invariably correct It is a measure of the respect in which Oliver was held worldwide that so many people,

not

least

in

senior

levels

of

foreign

governments, relied on his counsel over many years,

Oliver Bennett FTS, TCN, was a member of

often long after a project had finished, which was

the Toursim society for nearly 30 years, a

mostly unpaid but willingly given..

former

treasurer

original council.

and

member

of

the


20 APRIL, 2020

PAGE. 2

Jennifer Evans, FTS

Later on her natural flair for public speaking

led

business

her

into

lecturing

and

She

was

development.

diagnosed

with

bowel

cancer

in

September 2015. Jennie had nothing but praise for the superb care she received, from her oncologist, Dr Nick Reed, to the fantastic chemotherapy nursing team. She was also greatly impressed with the work of Penny Brohn UK, a charity whose

tag

line

is

‘living

well

with

cancer’. She said: “I credit the NHS with

By Stroud News & Journal

saving my life and Penny Brohn with

Tributes have been paid to a 'proud mam of a rugby

showing me how to live it”. She quickly

obsessed son', who was 'at the pitch-side come rain or

became their go-to person to represent

shine'. Jennie Evans, 56, passed away peacefully at home

the

in Hartpury on Monday, August 5, in the company of her

speaking engagements on their behalf.

charity,

doing

various

public

beloved son, Jimmy Evans and her husband Simon Smith. She had been diagnosed with Stage IV bowel cancer back

Jennifer was a member of the Tourism

in September 2015.Her son Jimmy (James) went to

Society for 27 years. An English degree

Thomas Keble School and Jennie was a school governor

graduate at Swansea University she

there from October 2012 until her death. Jimmy played for

took a postgraduate degree in Strategic

Minchinhampton, latterly captaining the Colts, and Jennie

Leadership at University of Warwick.

could always be found pitch-side, cheering the team on,

Her

whatever the weather. Earlier this year, Jimmy organised a

Coordinator, at Welcome Host Wales, to

rugby tournament to raise funds for cancer charity, Penny

Senior Quality Manager At ELWA, Head

Brohn UK. The charity gave a lot of support to Jennie and

of Research and Development at the

she ended up becoming an ambassador for them. Jennie

University of Wales, Head of Business

and her family lived in Chalford Hill a little over five years,

Strategy and Development at the QAA

from 2012 to 2017, but she started life on the other side

and

of the world. She and her three siblings (Tony, Gill and

Gloucestershire’s

Alison) were all born in Singapore, the children of then

Partnership.

barrister John and infant teacher Barbara Lloyd. The family returned to the UK in 1965 and she spent her childhood living near Bristol. When she was 13, the family moved to Pembrokeshire,

West

Wales:

her

fierce

sense

of

Welshness grew from that point, and Pembrokeshire always remained “home”. On her Twitter account Jennie described herself as a 'proud Welsh mam of a rugby obsessed son'. She attended the University of Swansea where she studied English.

career

spanned

Project

from

National

Manager Local

at

Enterprise


20 APRIL, 2020

PAGE.3

Lester Borley, CBE, FTS By Dr Roger Carter MBE, FTS, TCN

Dr Lester Borley, who died towards the end of last year, was one of the most influential players in the UK tourism support structure established by the Development of Tourism Act of 1969 – the structure that oversaw the huge growth of tourism in the following decades. After 15 years working for the then British Travel Association, latterly as Director of its office in Germany, he was appointed as Chief Executive of the new Scottish Tourist Board in 1970.

He

proved to be very able and astute in establishing a strong and effective organisation tourism

in

Scotland,

one

that

to develop

has

continued

through to today, now called VisitScotland. I was one of Lester’s early recruits to STB, as Research and Planning Manager. He took great interest in my area of work, allocating a budget of £2m+ p.a. in today’s money, enabling us to undertake research on tourism markets, resources and

impacts;

strategy

and

prepare

a

undertake

preliminary a

national

comprehensive

A few years later I too moved south to become Director of the Heart of England Tourist Board and found myself working with Lester again, though more remotely. It seemed that Lester was never as happy in London as he had been in Edinburgh; and after nearly 30 years working for tourism organisations, he had the opportunity to change direction and make his mark in the field of heritage conservation, one of his many passions. So it was that in 1983 he returned to Edinburgh as The Director (CEO) of the National Trust for Scotland, bringing new perspectives,

new

approaches

and

new

programme of regional planning studies – mostly

ways of working to the organisation. While

undertaken in partnership with other national

there, Lester became involved actively with

agencies. Lester had a very sharp mind and an

Europa Nostra, and became its part-time

encyclopaedic memory. It was often the case that

Secretary General for three years, after

he could recall more of the detail of reports that

retirement from NTS in 1993 – the year he

my department produced than I could!

received his CBE for his dedication to

In 1975, Lester departed STB, moving to London

tourism and cultural heritage in

to become Chief Executive of the English Tourist

Britain.

Board, a job that he undertook with equal energy and ability.


20 APRIL, 2020

PAGE. 4

In ‘retirement’, Lester continued to be active and energetic. In addition to his work for Europe Nostra, he organised and spoke at many national and international

conferences

on

conservation

and

cultural heritage; contributed to many publications on heritage

management

cultural

traditions;

and

the

undertook

development

of

Professor Christopher Holloway, FTS

post-graduate

teaching; and worked in many European countries, particularly in the east, undertaking missions or projects, mainly on a pro bono basis. I went into consultancy in 1997 and found myself working with Lester yet again, when he was kind enough to invite me on two of his missions to Russia – the first to Yaroslavl, the second to Archangel. Both were highly memorable for many reasons, from the amount of vodka consumed by our hosts over

By David Bruce, MTS

dinner to Lester’s extraordinary knowledge about each of the places we visited – often a source of

Very soon after Chris appointed me to a

amazement for our hosts.

lectureship in tourism at Bristol Polytechnic

I came to regard Lester not only as my mentor but

in 1983, he revealed himself as not the

also as a friend, with a great sense of humour and an

typical business studies teacher

engaging way of sharing his vast knowledge in

saved up to buy an early desktop computer-

stimulating conversation.

And I always enjoyed

an Amstrad, I think, he told me, with little

meeting him and Mary around our home city of

trace of an apology that he'd bought a

Edinburgh, often at Usher Hall concerts. The final

Michael Ayrton sculpture instead!

occasion was at the STB 50th Birthday Party in June

Yet

last year, at which Lester spoke with all his usual

dedicated teacher and mentor of students

erudition.

that I have ever came across. His business

It is sad indeed that this remarkable leader in tourism

was transforming lives and any number of

and heritage conservation is no longer with us.

his HND & in time degree students and the

he

was

the

most

-

having

meticulous

and

Polytechnic and UWE would vouch for that. Although he retired as a Professor in 1997, some are still in touch and even here today. He transformed my life too - ever tolerant of my initial total lack of teaching experience or training, he guided me firmly towards a survivable competence. Lester Borley CBE, FTS, (left) member of the Tourism Society for 42 years


20 APRIL, 2020

PAGE. 5

Chaos really isn't the best model for a lecture

Not only through his undergraduates would he

structure and students, with suitable tutoring,

provide the backbone for so many tourism

really do learn more from each other and from the

businesses in the UK, but those already in a

reflective experience of placement in industry (we

junior role would come to Bristol for an

always visited them wherever there were posted at

academic interlude which would then lead to

home or abroad) and well thought out field study

promotion on their return. I myself employed

trips than they ever will in just formal lectures. And

several of his graduates, and am delighted that

of course, his textbooks provided the factual and

I did so. They would arrive with no illusions

frequently updated underpinning to such practice-

about the travel industry, toughened by their

based

were

summer placements to deal with day to day

independently rated as equivalent of First Class

crises, but equally capable of looking at the

Honours

business in a long-term, analytical framework.

learning.

The

best

dissertations

HND

when

we

projects upgraded

the

course to a Degree in Business studies with

Twenty,

Tourism at UWE

grounding

thirty

and

which

forty

Chris

years

gave

later

them

is

the as

valuable as when they joined. Contribution from April Marjoram

Chris was able to complete his contribution to Not only did Christopher make sure that we all

the latest edition of The Business of Tourism

acquired a thorough understanding of the academic

shortly before he died. It is typical that his

disciplines

also

professionalism never left him, even then. A

constantly insisted that academic knowledge was

commitment was just that, no matter that by

related to the live tourism industry. His active

then he was totally bed-ridden.

underpinning

tourism,

but

he

interest in the progress of each of his students during the course and in their subsequent careers was an invaluable support to individuals and, thus, to the tourism world. Before Chris died I had the opportunity of expressing my heartfelt thanks to him for the impact he had on my career in tourism. Contribution from Neil Taylor I was fortunate to be on the interview panel for Chris when he came to Bristol. It was clear within minutes that he was the ideal candidate for ensuring

that

tourism

studies

at

the

then

Polytechnic would become a serious field in its own right, and no longer a minor adjunct to business

Professor Christopher Holloway, FTS member of

studies.

the Tourism Society for 42 years


20 APRIL, 2020

PAGE. 6

Tourism in a post Coronavirus world By Ken Robinson CBE , FTS, TCN

Coronavirus is devastating for the tourism and leisure sectors globally. For now, the focus

is

on

business

‘discontinuity’,

the

impact of the pandemic on our employees and their

families,

companies will

whether survive

and

and when

how viable

resumption of activity will be possible. In my view, we have every reason to be hopeful and confident

for

the

future,

because

Preconditions for recovery

the

inexorable growth of travel and tourism has

For us in the UK here is light at the end of the

shown that travel and tourism is aspirational

tunnel, but worldwide evidence shows that

– when people can travel they will. Optimistic,

although lockdowns are effective in slowing

braver and more farsighted individuals and

infection rates, they don’t lead to immunity

organisations are already summoning up their

beyond the minority who’ve been infected and

bulldog spirit and looking to the future. The

recover.

media and politicians vie to predict how soon

vulnerable, but only as long as it lasts. The rules

the

is

will be relaxed, a little and for a while, but have

seeking to define our ‘exit strategy’. But I

to be reintroduced if, as seems certain, infection

sense that few appreciate how massively

rates climb again. The determination to rebuild

devastating the pandemic is likely to be, or

must be tempered by reality so what can be

how long it will be before recovery to post-

foreseen? Although international tourism will

lockdown

will

end

and

pandemic levels is practical.

everyone

The

lockdown

shields

the

most

be decimated post-pandemic, there will be great economic and pressures to resume and for consumers who can afford to, there will be strong pent-up demand for holidays at home and abroad. But, the aspiration to travel has pre-requirements, the most relevant of which is that tourists only go to safe and healthy places. Until this can be assured – both en route and at the

destination

tourism

volumes

will

be

minimal. A return to previously normal volumes and patterns of activity is not yet even on the horizon.


20 APRIL, 2020

PAGE. 7

Restarting tourism The

key

to

the

recovery

of

tourism

will

be

immunity. If this is a reliable consequence of postinfection-recovery, and immunisation is available for all those who escape infection, I anticipate a requirement on individuals to prove their immunity before

being

internationally.

allowed

to

travel

Such

proof

will

at

also

least be

a

requirement for everyone working in the travel and accommodation service chain– in other words at all stages of travel, and at all places and facilities visited.

the

pandemic

communities

work

like

a

visa,

1950s an 1960s immunisation had to be recorded in

passports,

and

was

required

at

many

destinations. Fraudulent and forged certification will be a hazard, especially in less regulated devastating

developed countries and causing tragic loss to

officially permissible to travel, the most lucrative

so many families, these impacts are as nothing

tourists – mature adults and seniors who have the

compared

the

most available time and can afford to travel – will

populations and economies of countries in the

be those at highest risk of infection and death and

developing world that in recent years have

so will be slow to do so. Limited ‘essential’ travel

become some of the fastest growing tourism

will

destinations. Tourism revenues have become

regulation, for an indeterminate period. However,

essential to the functioning and growth of their

freely-chosen leisure travel by the general public

economies

and

will be impeded for a very long time. Airlines will

destinations,

with

and

its

towns

likely

life

effects

social

in

economies.What will be the position until an effective vaccine is available to all? Even once it’s

to

economic

could

most

cities

and

is

‘proof’

international driving license, or work permit. In the

The developing world While

This

on

systems.These

be

permitted,

with

social

distancing

and

their

densely

populated

be slow to resume frequent schedules, so there

and

sparsely

populated

will be limited capacity.

Levels of demand at

rural areas, have very limited medical services

resort-style destinations will be sparse, and grow

– few doctors and resource-starved healthcare

slowly,

systems. Coronavirus when it takes hold is

destinations will only be able to re-open when

likely to kill an unimaginable number of people

levels of demand reach their operational viability

and remain infectious in the population for

thresholds.

years.

so

businesses

at

formerly

popular


20 APRIL, 2020

PAGE. 8

Domestic before international Domestic

tourism

will

recover

first,

but

slowly, with limitations and controls and at different rates for different types of activity. Conditions and rules may vary by location. The earliest resumption is likely where social distancing and family isolation is practical, such

as

self-catering

accommodation.

Governments will more keenly appreciate the the

For much of the industry it will almost be like

tourism sector in supporting well-being and

starting again and this will make communication

quality of life, and will value and support

and marketing, in a chaotically fragmented world,

the industry more. Internationally, where

absolutely key. Online dealings will have become

adjacent countries have comparable rules and

more

trust each other, limited land border travel

materials and content will be much less in use

will be possible.

than in the past. However, tourism has always

economic benefits

and

necessity

of

Travel industry infrastructure

embedded,

and

physical

transactions,

been a person to person business, and it will be in

the

future. Trusted,

interaction

is

essential

safe, and

close will

personal

be

greatly

appreciated by people who have been isolated by the

pandemic.

Tourism

is

an

interconnected

Recovery will take time and depend on the

sector

assured health of tourists and destinations.

evolved to be mutually competitive, links exist for

Meanwhile much will have changed and it

communication and cooperation and there is

will be necessary to repair and rebuild travel

great potential to make them more effective. In

industry networks and contractual linkages.

the UK, we no longer have the structure of

and

although

many

businesses

have

national and regional tourist boards and publicprivate partnerships between local authorities and industry. Prior to 2000 these two were contractually

linked

and

organised

around

national policies and strategies. There’s no such functioning network now, just an underfunded VisitBritain and it's residual Visit England with loose

communication

links

to

the

disparate

plethora of so-called ‘Destination Management Organisations’.


20 APRIL, 2020

PAGE. 9

We need a much more effective, mutuallycooperative network for recovery and to optimise the future economic, social and cultural

benefits

weakness

of

of

the

tourism.

present

Given

the

arrangements

between our national boards and industry there’s surely the opportunity to speedily strengthen the links and create a trusted central

hub

for

information,

foresight,

liaison, inspiration and in all ways position ourselves

to

be

in

the

best

possible

condition to develop in the new world. Until then, the biggest opportunities for tourist boards and destination organisations are around

maintaining

their

networks

of

members and partners and preparing the most

enjoyable,

evocative,

experiential

materials possible for use online and via ‘push’ distribution.

Evolving with our contacts consumers

Tourism businesses in collaborative partnerships should take a leadership role to inform and inspire this work – both as a service and to keep those relationships alive. Keeping up public awareness of destinations can also help strengthen and build national, regional and local pride and morale – not least within hard-hit tourism and travel businesses and among the professionals who work within them. Future marketing will be very different, although how is currently unclear. Consumers are likely to have a different, more cautious approach to

belief

in

the

accuracy

of

information,

the

trustworthiness of travel providers, the safety of their payments, and provisions for reimbursement and

compensation.

In

summary,

we

need

to

During this period of enforced closure there

regularly remind ourselves that travel and tourism

is much the industry can do. We need to

is aspirational and that when people can travel they

keep our relationships and brands alive

will. They need the available time, money and

among audiences who have been starved of

permission to travel, but even then most will only

the joy and life-enhancing experiences that

choose safe and healthy places. There will be

tourism brought to their lives. We must also

recovery – when, and at what pace, nobody

be inventive and use our assets and our

knows. Meanwhile we need to be realistic and

networks

with

existing

and

accept unchangeable realities. The whole world is

to

evolve

new

in the same situation – our challenge is to be ready

experiences with creative ideas such as

when the new opportunities emerge, to be ahead of

quizzes, virtual treasure hunts, discovery

the game, and be an inspiration to others. We must

series or compiling online photo books from

all work for a future where the economic, social and

contributions by visitors and tourists. The list

cultural benefits of tourism are available to all.

potential

of

contacts

customers

of possibilities is endless. PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR VIEWS ON OUR LINKEDIN PAGE The e-journal is published bi-monthly by The Tourism Society—to provide information of interest to its members, their customers and/or employees. This replaces the quarterly Journal and is delivered electronically via email as e-newsletters have gained rapid acceptance for the same reasons email in general has gained popularity over printed correspondence. of you would like to contribute an article, opinion piece or Tourism Society event report please contact the secretariat on membership@tourismsociety.org For future events see www.tourismsociety.org


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