The Journal for the Tourism Industry
TOURISM Quarter 1 Issue 135 Spring 2008 UK £19.50 Overseas £22.00
THE BRITISH CONFERENCE PRODUCT • MICE MARKET OPPORTUNITIES & CHALLENGES • HOW TO GET AHEAD IN BUSINESS TOURISM • ANALYSING BUSINESS TOURISM EXHIBITIONS, ASSOCIATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS • INTERNATIONAL & DOMESTIC CASE STUDIES
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Study business tourism at the University of Westminster in central London
Our Masters in Conference and Events Management prepares you for career opportunities in these expanding employment sectors: s #ONFERENCE AND %VENTS $ESTINATION -ARKETING s #ONFERENCE AND %VENTS 0LANNING s #ONFERENCE AND %VENTS 6ENUE -ANAGEMENT It is also possible to study Business Tourism as an element of our Masters in Tourism Management. Both Masters courses ARE TAUGHT IN OUR #ENTRE FOR 4OURISM 2ESEARCH ON A ONE YEAR FULL TIME OR A TWO YEAR PART TIME BASIS WHICH MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO EARN A QUALIlCATION WHILE WORKING For further information please contact the Course Enquiries Office Tel +44 (0)20 7911 5000 Email course-enquiries@westminster.ac.uk www.westminster.ac.uk/sabe
People in all the right places The Tourism Society Trinity Court, 34 West Street, Sutton, Surrey SM1 1SH T: 020 8661 4636 F: 020 8661 4637 Email: journal@tourismsociety.org Web: www.tourismsociety.org Registered in England No.01366846. ISSN: 02613700 Designed and produced by Sycamore. Contact Paul Wells MTS
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IT Centre, Science Park, Heslington, York YO10 5DG T: 01904 567670 Web: www.sycamore-uk.com E: paul@sycamore-uk.com Š Copyright 2007 The Tourism Society Tourism is the journal of the Tourism Society. The views expressed in Tourism are those of individual authors and not necessarily those of the Tourism Society. Whilst unsolicited material is welcomed, neither transparencies nor unpublished. articles can be returned. The Tourism Society cannot be held responsible for any services offered by advertisers in Tourism. All correspondence must be addressed to the Editor. Tourism is only available to members of the Tourism Society and on subscription, it is
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Contents
Editorial
The British Conference Product – Competitiveness and International Promotion
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2
Tony Rogers, Chief Executive, British Association of Conference Destinations
Monkey Business by the sea: Business visits and events in the resurgence of Britain’s seaside resorts
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4
Stuart Barrow MTS, Public Affairs Manager at VisitBritain
Opportunities and Challenges in the MICE market
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5
Giselle Ripken, Managing Director, Delegate Management Systems (DMS)
Business Tourism: An Academic Viewpoint
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6
Paul Williams MTS, Principal Lecturer, Staffordshire University
Careers in Business Tourism
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9
Caroline Strachan, Chairman, Institute of Travel Management
The Importance of the Business Returners Market . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Martin Evans FTS, Principal, The Tourism Business
Trade Show Trends for the MICE Business
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11
Business Tourism is estimated to generate over a quarter of all tourism business in the UK. Yet in its embryonic stage in emerging destinations such as South Africa it only represents 5% of tourism arrivals. While the sector generates a higher spend per visitor competition is fierce. With carbon footprint, global warming and CSC how will business tourism fare in the face of opposition from telephone, video or web conferencing and online communications? In the world of increasing leisure tourism mobility will the incentive of a glamorous short break or a more dramatic adventure be enough to motivate or reward better performance? More importantly how do you get your share of this lucrative market that is said to provide 30% to 40% return business, which associations should you join and which media should you read? The Journal does not provide all of the answers but the opinions, research and case studies of our contributors aim to generate feedback and debate online and at The Annual Conference "Making Emerging Markets Pay" on 20th June. The Tourism Society's contribution to the Business Travel industry includes a session on "Winning the Battle for Business Tourism". I hope to see a record number of members attending in St. Helens.
Alison Cryer FTS | Editor
Tony Carey CMP CMM
Case Study: South Korea invests in Business Tourism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Kapsoo Kim, Director, Korea Tourism Organisation
Case Study: St. Helens invests in Business Tourism
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13
John Whaling MTS, Economic Development Manager, St Helens Council
Can Islam and modern leisure co-exist?
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14
From the President’s Desk
Roger Goodacre FTS, Consultant, Roger Goodacre Associates
Book Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Lloyds TSB Cardnet – First Corporate Sponsors of The Tourism Society
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17
Kevin Coles, Head of Business Enterprise, Cardnet Merchant Services
Magazine Reviews
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Business Tourism and MICE Associations
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18 19
Millennium & Copthorne Hotels Plc
The Pit and the Pendulum? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Ken Robinson CBE FTS, Chairman, Tourism Society Think Tank
Visitor Economy: Public Realm: Destination Management
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21
Victor T.C. Middleton OBE FTS
Membership News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Events Calendar
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Two not entirely unrelated thoughts spring to mind. First, to coin the first President Bush – “It’s the economy stupid!” In this regard I have a rather nasty sense of déjà vu. Back in the early 1990/91 we all tried to kid ourselves that there was not going to be a recession, wrote budgets on the basis of business as usual, and kept our fingers crossed. Today I hear the same sentiments with people talking of soft landings and sound economic fundamentals. The lesson of history is clear – assume, and budget for, the worst. If it turns out all right nothing is lost but if the worst happens then, as they say, fortune favours the prepared. Second thought. The treasury has gone from revered institution to not fit for purpose in six months. The truth is that they were not that good a year ago and they are not that bad now. My experience on the Treasury Select Committee, quizzing them, is that they are obsessed with cost but have little concept of value. The result is often short term cuts without real regard to long term impact. The problem for tourism is that it is a soft option for cuts and never seems to get a real terms increase. Put these two thoughts together and it looks like a tough year ahead – disposable income down and reduced marketing investment. There is no short term fix but is it not time the industry looks long and hard at its relations with governments?
24
Lord Thurso FTS | President | Tourism Society
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Quarter 1 ISSUE 135 Spring 2008
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The British Conference Product Competitiveness and International Promotion The British Isles offer a rich diversity of venues and support services for
• A buoyant market: two-thirds of reporting venues stated that
those tasked with organising a meeting, conference, or similar business
conference business in 2006 was higher than in 2005. A similar
event. For example, there are around 3500 venues from which to choose:
percentage of venues were optimistic about business to be
city centre or airport hotels, country house hotels, purpose-built
achieved in 2007, 63% anticipating that it would be up on 2006.
conference centres, management training centres, college and university
• Fewer corporate conferences: the report reveals a decline in the
venues, and the myriad of unusual venues which range from tourist
number of corporate meetings and conferences which formed 48%
attractions to stately homes to sports stadia, steam trains, and even a
of all events held. This compares with a figure of 62% in 2005 and
lighthouse or two! While over half of all venues are hotels, a significant
66% in 2004. Government and public sector conferences
and growing proportion are comprised of other types of venue, as
accounted for 37% of all events in 2006, with associations and
indicated in the chart.
other not-for-profit bodies representing 15%. • The importance of the regional conference market: the report underlines the importance of the local and regional conference market to venues, with venues confirming that up to 69% of conference business comes from the region in which the venue itself is situated. Other important findings were: • There were an estimated 1.37 million conferences in the Source: British Association of Conference Destinations
UK in 2006 - an average of 392 conferences per venue. • Hotels and conference/training venues typically hosted more
In addition to its array of venues, the UK has a number of other strengths
conferences than other venues (hotels an average of 464
in terms of its conference offering. For example, the creativity and
conferences; conference/training centres an average of
professionalism of its event management agencies and event production
649 respectively).
companies, probably the best in the world; its wonderful heritage and
• The average conference duration was 1.7 days, although most
culture; the beauty and variety of its natural environment, all within a
conferences (62%) lasted a day or less. This varied from 1.4 days
small geographical area; the English language, now the lingua franca for many conferences worldwide; and the rapidly growing output of
for non-residential conferences to 2.2 days for residential conferences. This was similar to the previous two years.
graduates in conference and event management and business tourism • Peak periods for conferences in 2006 were autumn (September,
from over 50 UK universities.
October and November), and, to a lesser extent, spring. The
Market Research
quietest months were July and August, followed by December
So, what is the current state of this multi-billion pound industry?
and January
Measurements of the volume and value and key trends for the domestic conference market are collected through the annual ‘UK Conference
• Approximately a quarter of conferences (27%) were residential at the conference venue. A further 8% were overnight conferences,
Market Survey’ and the ‘British Conference Venues Survey’. The latter
with delegates staying in the wider destination but not at the
examines the market from a supply-side perspective, and main findings
conference venue itself. The remainder (65%) were non-overnight
from the 2007 survey revealed:
conferences.
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• About a third of conferences (29%) were booked by a professional conference organiser or venue finding agency. • The average conference size was 53 delegates – this was slightly higher than in 2005 (49 delegates) and on a par with 2004 (the average was 54). Data is now being captured for the 2008 BCVS report, due for publication in June. A useful quarterly summary of trends published by venue finding agency, Conference Care, noted that in the final quarter of 2007 ’24-hour delegate rates in the provinces were struggling as corporates tighten their belts and replace their residential conferences with day events’.
Product Weaknesses Despite this variety and abundance of venue product, there are still some significant gaps: the lack of a major, purpose-built convention centre in London; a shortage of high capacity hotels (ie. able to accommodate 1000+ for an awards dinner) in London and certain other cities; the need for medium-sized convention centres in a number of key destinations; inadequate investment in facilities, accommodation stock and overall infrastructure in some of the seaside resort destinations, which have consequently been losing market share to the cities and, in certain cases, have pulled out of the conference market. He went on to underline a decline in the numbers of delegates attending
Competitive International Environment With over 200 countries now competing aggressively for their share of
international association meetings in the UK, according to ICCA statistics. In 1997 the UK was ranked second in the world for numbers of
the lucrative conference and conventions cake, the global competitive
delegates – by 2006 the UK had slipped to ninth position, and was the
environment is now more fierce than ever. What used to be advantages
only country in the top 10 to have fewer delegates in 2006 than a
are now entry level requirements, namely:
decade earlier.
• Excellent access
If we are to reverse such a decline, we must ensure that we maintain the
• Top quality convention facilities
kind of focus outlined by Martin Sirk. There are many excellent initiatives
• Adequate international standard hotel rooms nearby
in the UK, but the Government’s announcement of reduced funding for
• Experienced multi-lingual staff
VisitBritain is not one of them – this must be reversed. The Government is assuming that business visits and events can be marketed in the same
• Professional marketing • Excellent destination management companies (DMCs) and professional conference organisers (PCOs)
way as leisure travel (ie. via websites and brochures). They cannot. They require an inordinate amount of pre-planning, face-to-face selling and representation in overseas locations, all requiring intensive resources.
• Modern IT infrastructure I’m sure the industry will welcome the pledge made by Margaret Hodge, • Value for money!
Tourism Minister, to encourage support across Whitehall departments for
Martin Sirk, Chief Executive of the International Congress and Convention
bids designed to attract major international events to the UK. This is long
Association (and a former conference officer for Brighton), speaking in
overdue and something for which we have been lobbying for years. But
October 2007, maintained that what makes the difference in the new
this does need to include other practical assistance from Government
competitive landscape are:
departments and agencies, both in the UK and overseas, involving proactive and coordinated support by senior Ministers, Ambassadors,
• A commitment to long-term infrastructure re-investment
Trade Consuls and Commercial Attachés. This is one very tangible way in
• Self and competitor awareness
which ‘joined-up Government’ could move beyond being a catchphrase
• Individual client focus: excellent CRM • Coherent destination marketing and branding • Destination teamwork • Education and training beyond the basics
into a reality that would provide genuine assistance in delivering more major business events for the UK.
Tony Rogers | Chief Executive | British Association of Conference Destinations / Association of British Professional Conference Organisers
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Quarter 1 ISSUE 135 Spring 2008
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Monkey Business by the sea Business visits and events in the resurgence of Britain’s seaside resorts “You go to Brighton? I would not let you so near it as Eastbourne – for fifty pounds!” - Mr Bennett, Pride and Prejudice. Seaside towns are literally on the edge. They have long attracted visitors
ideally placed to attract high value “stockbroker surfers” to this relatively
for what we might call “the 3 Hs”: Health, Happiness and Horseplay.
deprived part of the town. If someone arrives as a business visitor,
Indeed, when the term “monkey business” was coined a hundred or so
Bournemouth has what it takes to persuade them to stay another night
years ago, it was about the goings-on at the “monkey house”
– the weekend – as a leisure visitor too.
conservatory of the Folkestone Grand Hotel! Of course, today’s business is more likely to be seminars and conventions than any Edwardian excess.
When it was first built in 1984, the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) was something of a bold step in the diversification of Bournemouth’s
Which makes good business sense. Across the UK as a whole, Business
tourism offer. BIC’s subsequent multi-million pound redevelopment in
Visits and Events deliver the highest per diem spends of the tourism
2005 has responded to evolving market conditions – such as the need for
market sectors: £122 per night compared to, for example, just £68 per night for leisure; £527 per visit compared to £470 for leisure. Specifically for those attending conferences or large meetings the figures are £691
conference-linked exhibition space – and maintained or restored Bournemouth’s attraction as a BVE destination. It has also had an unexpectedly large effect on entertainment and leisure visits – in
per visit or spend per day of £161. (IPS 2006)
2006/07, 331,153 such visitors were attracted to the BIC, 23% above target! An attractive and vibrant resort – Brighton, Southport, increasingly Southend (if you haven’t been to Southend in the last ten years you won’t believe the transformation!) – can attract business visitors and capture them as future leisure visitors, with or without the family. Such resorts display a “sense of destination” for visitors as well as a “sense of place” for local residents making them 12 months a year sustainable towns and cities: they are both “liveable” and “visitable”. Business tourism is year round, peaking in the seaside’s ‘off-season’ of
With the growth in Incentive Travel – corporate team-building, functions
Spring and Autumn but still with high levels of activity in the Summer
and events – our seaside resorts are ideally placed to build on this
and Winter months. Averaged monthly hotel occupancy in Bournemouth,
market and improve their offer to leisure and entertainment visitors too.
for example, was a remarkably consistent 65-70% between 2000-2005 –
In June, for example, the magnificent Art Deco Midland Hotel will reopen
well above the UK average and despite regional trends.
in Morecambe. And guess what? It’s already taken bookings for business
Business visitors come throughout the year. As of course do the hen and
visits and events. Up-to-the-minute conference facilities, spa-treatments and a sleek bar: an ideal retreat for the business visitor, saving a hotel it
stag parties that helped Bournemouth’s revival as the nightclub party town “Bourno” or “Bomo”. As the resort develops further it may be that it can reduce reliance on stags and hens and focus more on business events or ‘business to leisure’ visitors. Notably the old hen/stag night disco of Boscombe Opera House has recently been restored as an entertainments venue following a stylish refit. And this year Boscombe (east
would have been a national tragedy to lose.
Stuart Barrow MTS is Public Affairs Manager at VisitBritain and represents VisitBritain on the British Resorts and Destinations Association.
Bournemouth) will see the opening of Europe’s first artificial surfing reef,
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Opportunities and Challenges In the MICE market Giselle Ripken, long-term Director, Project Management with
analysis surrounding events of all types will be required, potentially
performance improvement company Maritz, with responsibility
increasing man-hours and eating into profits.
for incentives, learning, communications and meetings & events, recently appointed Managing Director at sister company DMS (Delegate Management Systems).
Agencies and venues that can demonstrate clear added value, whether in terms of additional services or suggesting innovative ways to save money and maximise impact while meeting the client’s primary objectives will
Giselle looks at the likely opportunities and challenges 2008
stand out as helping make a difference.
may bring this sector. With amendments to the Corporate Manslaughter Bill going live in April, With the sheer numbers of communications the average working person is bombarded with each and everyday, it becomes harder and harder to ensure your message is heard. Having your target audience together in one room therefore becomes increasingly valuable. The only truly personal way to communicate company news, discuss important issues and share ideas, it is also the clearest method of motivating a team or as
focus on risk assessment and security is already increasing. The result is the need to spend more time on assessing risk before all kinds of events and to ensure all personnel are appropriately trained. An associated negative may be that the range of activities suggested for delegates will become more limited, with adventure sports and adrenalin-fuelled experiences being deemed too risky.
a thank you for a job well done. CSR will continue to be front of mind and incorporating activities into I think that over the year we will see more evidence of how changes in consumer leisure choices influence how events are run. People are used to attending events as experiences and encountering a number of brand experiences as a customer, thereby increasing the appetite for engaging interactive events.
events where delegates can give something back to the local community or environment – such as helping paint or build a school or monitoring wildlife - can have fantastic team-building benefits as well as offering genuine assistance. Most companies have CSR policies to adhere to and making it clear how your event can help meet these, as a result of well
However, with budgets being watched over ever more carefully in a
researched venue and transport choices, will make it an easy choice.
turbulent economy, luxury and optional extras for events and travel may
Think logically, for pan-European or global events it is crucial to
well be slashed, tightening profit margins for all concerned. Proposals will
recommend destinations that offer the least flying time for the majority
also be interrogated closer so costs will need to be transparent and value
of attendees and choosing a hotel within a short distance of the airport
proved. If suggesting an out of the ordinary experience, for instance a
or train station for a meeting will limit unnecessary travel.
private Bedouin dinner or an exclusive audience with a big-name band, be very clear of the return in terms of memorability and brand alignment.
Although a reduced appetite for frequent and long-haul trips will generate challenges, an increased focus on the environmental as well as
As clients and delegates become better travelled and more sophisticated
the social impact of how we work and where we do business, can only
so do their expectations of an event. The ability to think a little
have a positive impact on all our lives in the long-term.
differently and suggest a programme a little out of the ordinary brings
www.maritz.co.uk
dividends. This can be delivered through the agenda and programme
www.dms.co.uk
structure, using interactive or theatre-based elements, choosing an unexpected venue or destination selection.
Giselle Ripken | former Director of Project Management | Maritz
Clear measurable outcomes in terms of returns on investment and objectives will also be demanded, meaning greater preparation and
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5
Business Tourism An Academic Viewpoint Business tourism is often defined as a distinct sub-component of the
accounts for over 27.5% of all inbound tourism trips to the UK.
broader tourism phenomenon that is largely distinguished in terms of
Moreover, this represents an encouraging 10.4% growth over the
visit purpose. The use of the term ‘business tourism’ is preferred in this
previous year and a percentage increase in visits of around 33% in
instance to the acronymic MICE label because it elevates business
five years.
tourism from its Cinderella-like status and earns the sector the Overseas Residents’ Visits and Spending in 2006
recognition and respect it deserves. Over the past five years business tourism has consistently been the
Visits
Spend
fastest expanding sector of the travel and tourism industry and generally
Business Trips
9 million
£4.75 billion
represents between a quarter and one third of all travel-related spending
All Trips
32.7 million
£16 billion
in many destinations. This trend seems set to continue apace as
UK Residents’ Visits and Spending in 2006
destinations around the world invest in infrastructure and marketing to complement their leisure visitor markets and compete for discretionary
Visits
Spending
business visitors and the associated lucrative economic benefits their
Business Trips
9.1 million
£5 billion
high-yield presence brings.
All Trips
69.5 million
£34.4 billion
Business tourism encompasses a myriad of activities and demand-driven
Table 1 (Source: International Passenger Survey: Travel Trends 2006)
commodities produced by a host of suppliers for specific purposes. The Although the level of demand for business tourism is clearly determined
Business Tourism Partnership suggest that these include:
by the prevailing national and global economic conditions, it should be • conferences and meetings
emphasised that demand is relatively income-inelastic and therefore
• exhibitions and trade fairs
should remain stable even though most analysts suggest a downturn in
• incentive travel
economic prosperity. Business tourism is also viewed as being at the high-quality, high-yield end of the tourism spectrum which means those
• corporate and hospitality events
travelling for business purposes account for almost 30% of all inbound • outdoor events
tourism spending with an average visitor spend of £577.
• business (or individual corporate) travel From an outbound perspective, there was a 6.3% increase in the number It remains somewhat difficult to estimate the value of the business
of UK residents travelling overseas for business purposes over the
tourism market with any reliable degree of certainty due to a scarcity of
previous year. Aside from the USA, the remaining top 10 most visited
statistical data and the differing methodologies employed in collecting
countries for outbound business trips are all European.
this data. For example, the two principal sources of tourism statistics, namely the International Passenger Survey (IPS) and the UK Tourism
Domestic Business Tourism
Survey (UKTS) survey only those visitors taking tourism trips involving at
Table 2 reveals that in 2006 UK residents undertook 19.2 million business
least one overnight stay.
and work trips which resulted in £4.6 billion of direct spend. As previously stated, this survey only relates to those trips of at least one night’s stay
Inbound and Outbound Business Tourism
where respondents indicated that their trip was ‘to do paid work/on
Table 1 shows that the number of overseas residents travelling to the UK
business’, ‘to attend a conference’ or ‘to attend an exhibition, trade show
specifically for the ‘purpose of business’ now exceeds 9 million and
or agricultural show’ as detailed below:
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• New technologies and the influence of virtual and
Domestic Business Tourism 2006
videoconferences Purpose of Trip
Visits
Spend
Attend conferences
1.94 million
£446 million
Attend exhibition/trade show
0.69 million
£131 million
Conduct paid work/on business
16.6 million
£4,065 million
• Partners’ and social programmes used to augment the business trip • Demand for high impact experiences • Regeneration and image building opportunities • Ever-rising tide of legislation, regulation and ‘political interference’ Table 2 (Source: UK Tourism Survey: The UK Tourist – Statistics 2006)
• Importance of corporate social responsibility and climate change criteria
Most business tourism is unevenly distributed in the main to urban destinations with the overwhelming majority of trips being made by only around 5% of the general population. The sector is more resilient and less
• Security, safety and risk management • Concessionary VAT rates for business tourists
influenced by fashion than other forms of tourism. It is also clear that in addition to the direct spend business tourism yields considerable induce impacts estimated to be approximately 2 times the direct turnover. Moreover, as business travel occurs mainly mid-week it complements the demand for the short-break and day trip leisure markets, which are increasingly weekend concentrated. It is further estimated that between 30% – 40% of business tourists may well return with their families as leisure visitors to destinations visited on business. It should be emphasised that none of the above figures relate to business ‘daytrips’ as there is no single official research available that accurately measures the diverse range of business travel-related activities. Consequently the value and volume of business tourism is often considerably underestimated. It is abundantly clear that the inclusion of daytrips would significantly increase the overall value of business tourism. On the basis of aggregating various data findings collected at different time periods the Business Tourism Partnership has previously suggested that the total sector in the UK employed over 530,000 people and was worth in excess of £22 billion in 2005. This provides further evidence that business tourism remains one of UK tourism’s most consistent success stories.
Future Trends Despite a downturn in the global economy the outlook for the business tourism industry remains upbeat. As emerging destinations around the world increasingly target high-spending business travellers by investing in new facilities and infrastructure this will inevitably lead to more intense competition. Although perceived as an expensive destination, the UK possesses a number of key strengths that make it attractive as a business tourism destination. As well as capitalising on its accessibility, the uniqueness and quality of its venues, cultural heritage and standards of service delivery, it is of paramount importance that in an increasingly
© Dot2Dot
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discerning buyers market, the UK government and the entire tourism industry recognises the economic importance of business tourism. Other
This review of inbound, outbound and domestic tourism indicates that
key factors likely to influence business tourism in the UK include:
the UK’s proven record of success at attracting business visitors remains
• A trend towards shorter, more business-focused meetings
healthy. Looking to the future, a properly recognised business tourism sector should continue to prosper to the ultimate benefit of the UK
• Continued proliferation in low-cost flights leading towards more short haul travel
economy and the wider creative and lifestyle industries but this will undoubtedly require collaborative and cohesive marketing.
• Renewed focus on company profits and hence return on business tourism investment • Disintermediation leading to more direct bookings
Paul Williams MTS | Principal Lecturer | Staffordshire University
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Quarter 1 ISSUE 135 Spring 2008
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Business Tourism Careers in Business Tourism I struggle with the title Business Tourism, to me that’s a parody. Every day I learn that people struggle with what “Travel for Business” really is. So writing this article has brought me full circle as to why I’ve recently been appointed as the Chairman of the Institute of Travel Management (www.itm.org.uk). It’s my opportunity to help advance the industry and help define the world of Corporate Travel within “Business Tourism”. Our ITM members alone represent £7bn spend in the Corporate Travel sector (or 25% of the UK market) and this is the tip of the iceberg, not taking into account corporate meetings, events etc. At school, my teachers were frustrated with my career choices; they believed a path to University studying Modern Languages was my best bet. However, I just wanted to leave school and be a Travel Agent! I had no idea during my career advisor sessions that the broad world of “travel” was so vast, with such a plethora of opportunity. From my first day stamping brochures at Lunn Poly, to today in the Corporate Travel Sector, I’ve developed greatly as an individual and had so much fun along the way. I’ve worked in all of the following sectors, Leisure Travel Agency, Tour Operations, Hotels/Hospitality, Event Management, Meetings Venue Placement, Group Travel and now the Corporate Travel Sector. This, I believe, is the beauty of our industry and why my career passions will
education providers to ensure there’s a productive and planned route
always be travel related. I look at the Travel related industries as a forest
into corporate travel. My key advice to anyone considering the travel
(yes, bear with me!) Imagine a tree with branches; let’s call it the Leisure
related industries is to research the “travel forest” and try many “trees”
Travel Tree. You can enter the industry and work your way up the tree
before settling down. My energy and passion for this industry is still as
and branch out into shop management, product, sales etc. Next door is
fresh as it was when I first started out and I believe that’s because I’ve
the corporate travel tree; you can enter as a travel consultant and branch
had so many different experiences. From producing palatial events in
out into a supervisor, Account Manager, product specialist, sales person
France, to building a new product line in Tour Operations, to leading the
etc. Then add all of the other sectors, airlines, hotels, meetings, events,
logistics for 15,000 corporate travellers attending an event in Las Vegas.
technology etc and soon you have the “travel forest” full of “tree
I’ve finally found my niche in the Corporate Travel Sector, imagine a
opportunities” that you can jump between. The trees grow so closely
unique role in any organisation whereby you touch every single
together in this travel forest, there’s little fear of boredom, there’s always
department. You must have the ability to operate strategically at board
another tree to climb.
level, yet also deal with day to day traveller operational issues and everything in-between. I learn something new every day whether that’s
So how to find the correct path into the forest? It never ceases to amaze me the backgrounds my peers have in the corporate travel world, it’s as
from my industry peers, our CFO, a college intern or from reading a journal like this and long may that continue.
though we all ended up together by mistake! We’d like to take that challenge head on at the Institute of Travel Management; we are looking very closely at how we can work with universities, colleges and further
Caroline Strachan | Chairman | Institute of Travel Management
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“It’s BRM, not CRM” The importance of the Business Returners market back? Are they missing a trick? Or is it just too difficult, or too costly, to market leisure breaks to your business or conference delegates? Well, it’s simply not enough to say that “if the product’s right, they will come back”. The plain fact is that people have hundreds of other destinations to choose from, and you have to stay in their minds through consistently effective marketing. My contention is that Business Returner Marketing is the poor relation of “Business Add-ons” – yet it’s actually potentially more valuable than “Business Extenders” or “Spouse Marketing”, two other ways of generating valuable extra business from the already lucrative business tourism market. Many people like to separate their business from their According to the Business Tourism Partnership, 39% of conference
leisure pursuits – and with the Business Returners market, you can get
delegates claim that they would be likely to return to the destination of
the visitors back on their terms, when it suits them, and when they can
the conference for a holiday or short break. Yet just how many do? The
travel with their spouse or family “in relaxed leisure mode”.
attraction of enticing business travellers or conference visitors back in the future may be “a given” – but it is surprising just how many destinations
Research undertaken by The Tourism Business and QA Research has
are missing a trick by not paying enough attention to their captive
shown that few UK destinations undertake any long-term proactive BRM campaigns. One reason put forward is that, unlike hotels, destinations
markets.
just don’t have the personal data on the business travellers which could What are the key rules of marketing? Perhaps the 4 P’s….or the 80/20
be used in a successful direct marketing campaign. A second reason is
rule….or Lord Leverhulme’s maxim that “I know half of my advertising is
that the cost of marketing to hundreds of thousands of business visitors
working but I don’t know which half”…? My view is that these are
a year is just too much. And we would contend that a third reason for
dwarfed in importance by the need to get more business from your
little BRM in town halls up and down the country is that we all work to
existing customers.
targets, and with so many destinations running their business or
That’s precisely the premise behind BRM (not CRM!) – Business Returner
conference marketing from a separate department (or bureau) to their leisure marketing, they just don’t have joined-up objectives.
Marketing. In the private sector, this is practised almost full-time, with “repeats and referrals” nearly always top of the list of sources of business
Yet with some creative thinking and modern marketing methods, all the
for hotels, for instance. And on the high street, the importance of repeat
barriers can be overcome. Good Business Returner Marketing has the
business is also evidenced, by the growth of the discipline of CRM
potential to increase a destination’s leisure business significantly, but to
(customer relationship management), loyalty cards and the rapid increase
succeed, destination officers need to work in cross-business-and-leisure
in the use of email marketing for everything from audio equipment and
marketing teams, they need to work more closely with their
TV’s to white goods and cars.
accommodation operators and day-conference facilities to capture guest and delegate details, and they need to build vast email databases of their
If this is the case, then why do so many UK and overseas destinations
visitors. That’s the vision – that’s “BRM”!
still spend hundreds of thousands on generating new leisure business through media advertising, web marketing, pr and costly holiday guides, but in many cases pay lip service to getting their existing customers
Martin Evans FTS | Principal | The Tourism Business
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Trade Show Trends For the MICE business Around the turn of the century, I wrote an article for a business travel
creating a backlash. People increasingly
publication in which I forecast the demise of trade shows in the MICE
have a need to meet each other. We
(Meetings Incentives, Conference and Exhibitions) industry. Having spent
seek opportunities to interact, to
many hundreds of hours over 25 years exhibiting at, or visiting, these
socialise, to network.
events, either as a DMC or as a PCO, my frustration had reached boiling Today, we live in an experiential society;
point. Many of my colleagues and I were just plain angry at sloppy
we are no longer content to be
administration, exploitative charges, the total absence of customer
spectators – we crave to be involved.
service and lack of ROI. It seemed that organisers and facility owners
And savvy trade show organisers are
smirked all the way to the bank as they offered empty promises to
trying to fulfill that basic human need. It
exhibitors and treated visitors like a plague of cockroaches. Although
has always been ridiculous that
members of the MICE Industry Freeloaders Society (MIFS) continued to be treated as honoured guests.
conferences and exhibitions should be regarded as distinct sectors. They are both means of communication – and are frequently inter-related. But
Unfortunately we, the clients and customers, had become conditioned to
the producers of trade shows have some way to go if they are to give
believe that to be absent from the regular shows was tantamount to
both exhibitors and visitors a better ROI.
professional suicide. Importantly, they must realise that visitors do not, nowadays, primarily “Unless you have a presence at our show, you cannot be a serious player
attend shows to be informed. They come for human relationships and
in this industry” ran the subliminal message. Until the internet changed
connections. (In our business, we buy people, not places or products.)
everything. Alternatives suddenly became available. As business travel
Therefore operations personnel (such as hotel concierges) should
buyers, we could access the facts (and pictures) about any destination,
augment sales staff on stands.
venue and product on the globe. We could carry out virtual site inspections and talk in real time to the ‘Conference Services Manager’ or product rep. We could almost smell the coffee and taste the food, – without moving from our desks. Why take a precious day out the office, to battle the traffic, be jostled by crowds, queue for over-priced institutional catering and probably pick up the prevalent ‘flu’ bug, in order to look at two dimensional pictures while listening to a sales pitch from someone whom we will never meet on site?
Years of conditioning, have led exhibitors into promotional habits that have no place in today’s commercial market. Only Las Vegas can get away with displaying leggy blondes in fishnet tights. Few of us will book a conference because the destination employs a ten foot teddy bear to patrol the aisles. No-one has time to watch fifteen minute videos, and alcohol is rarely necessary as a promotional tool. Stand staff must be trained for this specialist sales role, and creativity in stand design and promotion should be rewarded.
Show attendances began to tail off, (except for the members of the MFIS). Even generous hosted buyer programmes couldn’t halt the haemorrhage. Many national and regional exhibitions put up the shutters and vanished from the calendar. Disillusioned exhibitors bravely saved their money. And the exhibition industry ceased to believe that they had found the secret of alchemy. And then something strange happened. The very thing that knee-capped the trade show business came to its rescue: the internet. The exponential growth of remote communication is
When exhibition producers understand that they are competing against networking events and virtual reality sites (such as Second Life), so offer visitors safe, well-managed, holistic, inter-personal experiences, then trade shows will regain their rightful place in the marketing spectrum. Thankfully, the industry’s two major international shows in Europe: IMEX and EIBTM, give me cause for optimism.
Tony Carey | CMP | CMM
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Case Study South Korea invests in Business Tourism such as Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC), will also show dividends in attracting business tourism. The IIAC’s aspirations to become a Global Top 5 Air Hub seems a very realistic proposition, along with the airport’s long-term construction plans or phases that are set to expand the yearly capacity to 100 million passengers and 7 million tons of cargo by 2020. New exciting initiatives that break the mould of conventional airport dynamics will create a multipurpose transportation hub. This will have major implications to help confirm Korea as one of the world’s top MICE destinations. Economic zones and logistic hubs are the key to Korea’s future to
Do you remember the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea & Japan? The tournament was just one of the super-sized events that have justified
maintain its’ move towards becoming the 7th biggest economy in the
Korea’s huge investment in ‘convention cities’ and MICE facilities
world. Something the new president elect has set as a future national
throughout the country to attract and meet the demands of business
long-term goal. The airport is situated in Korea’s first ‘Free Economic
tourism. The MICE market has rapidly progressed in Korea over the past
Zone’. Incheon City was granted this status in August 2003 with the goal
decade, according to the Union of International Associations, Korea held
of transforming certain city districts into an international business,
185 international conventions, moving up three places from 17th to 14th
leisure and tourism hubs of the Northeast Asia region. In the new Songdo
in 2005 (Newsworld Dec 2006). According to the Ministry of Commerce,
area of Incheon dubbed the ‘new Dubai’, an International Convention
Industry, and Energy, Korea was expected to become the world’s 11th
Centre is currently under construction and is set for completion this year.
largest trading nation by the end of 2007, (Republic of Korea Economic Bulletin).
Korea is ideally placed both geographically and strategically to continue growth in this sector and the government is playing its’ part through
South Korea has always lacked awareness as a destination especially with
investment in logistics hubs, FEZ’s and tax breaks for inward investment.
China and Japan as close neighbours. But national governmental
The launch of the strategic brand will not provide an immediate boost in
strategies of deregulation, tax incentives for inward investment to foreign
tourism numbers. However, if the principals and strategic vision for
companies, the creation of Free Economic Zones (FEZ) and logistics hubs
‘Korea, Sparkling’ is consistently and effectively applied over the long
are creating the right climate for the country to become an Asian
term, it will increase Korea’s competitive edge in the MICE sector and
Economic hub. The Korea Tourism Organization is playing its part to
elsewhere. It seems that the private sector is cautiously positive that the
capture the business tourism market having announced the launch of
strategic brand message will allow them to compete more effectively for
Korea’s first official strategic tourism brand ‘Korea Sparkling’. The brand is
a bigger slice of the global MICE market. The brand is in its infancy and
intended to be a springboard to propel, not only the MICE market but
success will be measured through year-on-year arrivals and ultimately in
also tourism in general, to help fulfil the government’s goals of achieving
2010 when the government hopes forecasts will be met.
10 million tourist visitors by 2010.
Kapsoo Kim MTS | Director | Korea Tourism Organization (KTO)
The Korea Convention Bureau (KCB) has been quick to take advantage of the ‘Korea, Sparkling’ brand by developing a specific MICE slogan, ‘Korea, Your Sparkling Convention Destination’, that will be applied to a wide range of KCB’s MICE marketing activities. Working with industry partners,
Ramy Salameh, PR Manager, KTO www.tour2korea.com
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Case Study St. Helens Attracts Business Tourism One-time cradle of the Industrial Revolution, St. Helens has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years. Five years ago the Borough had no dedicated tourism resources, track record or reputation, however today’s St. Helens is a regional visitor destination of growing prominence and held up by the Northwest Development Agency as a tourism development exemplar. All the founding organisations remain involved, and new members This “rags to riches” story is exemplified by St. Helens’ recent successes
continue to join – the mutual trust built up over time is not only vitally
with regard to attracting business tourism. Already secured for 2008 are
important in its own right, but also enables us to act quickly to take
the National Coalfields Conference – one of the UK’s biggest
advantage of new opportunities as they arise.”
regeneration conferences – plus the Tourism Society’s own annual conference, with a major national arts conference in the offing, all during
John Whaling, St. Helens Council’s Economic Development Manager adds:
the year that neighbouring Liverpool is European Capital of Culture.
“Founding the TLBN when we had no public funding whatsoever for tourism means we have benefited from private sector investment plus
Located midway between Liverpool and Manchester at the heart of the Northwest region’s motorway network, St. Helens had always enjoyed excellent connectivity. It equally had a number of significant existing assets over and above its world-famous rugby league club – first rate hotels with full leisure and conference facilities (Hilton, Thistle Haydock,
the need to think “smarter” and play to our strengths from the outset, which has stood us in good stead ever since. Hence our business tourism approach – rather than use a scatter-gun, we target things that St. Helens has a history of, or expertise or close involvement in, which is clearly paying dividends.
Holiday Inn), and one of the UK’s most visited racecourse – Haydock Park - a highly successful business tourism venue in its own right. In 2001
We also try and see things from a customer perspective, which means
these were joined by The World of Glass, a new purpose-built attraction
working beyond artificial administrative boundaries, e.g. we work very
that won the Enjoy England award as the country’s best small visitor
closely with the fabulous stately home and Safari Park at Knowsley Hall,
attraction in 2003, and has also since hosted events such as the
our newest TLBN member, despite it not being in the Borough!
Northern BAFTA Awards in its state-of-the-art conferencing facilities. If we have an “X-factor” it is our attitude – we are ambitious but The real turning point for St. Helens came with the formation of a
realistic, care about what we do, and remain hungry to grasp new
Tourism and Leisure Business Network (TLBN) in 2002, bringing together
opportunities and constantly strive to innovate and improve.
key local industry players, the Council, and external bodies such as The Mersey Partnership and Merseytravel. Intended to identify and maximise
Indeed “Brand New St. Helens” – a major, integrated destination
commercial opportunities by combining information and resources, the
marketing campaign to promote and raise the profile of St. Helens and
TBN rapidly achieved just that.
its assets, has just been unveiled, while pipeline developments include a state of the art new rugby stadium and a landmark new artwork set to
Dickon White, the Managing Director of Haydock Park Racecourse and Chair of the TLBN Network explains: “the TLBN is in essence the Board of
rival the Angel of the North are scheduled to be unveiled later this year as part of Channel 4’s Big Art Project. Watch this space…
St. Helens Tourism plc. The clear sense of common purpose shared by all
also helping the Council and others realise their wider economic
John Whaling MTS | Economic Development Manager | St. Helens Council
development objectives.
www.visitsthelens.com
parties yields tangible bottom line results for tourism businesses, while
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Case Study Can Islam and modern leisure co-exist? At a time when newspapers report an American professional woman
Petra, the atmospheric Old Town of Jeddah, to state-of-the-art museums,
being arrested by the religious police in a Starbucks café in Riyadh for
conference and medical facilities, and some of the most lavish shopping
taking coffee with male office colleagues, the idea of promoting Saudi
malls that woman could desire. High-value market segments such as
Arabia as a tourist destination might appear just a little eccentric. The
business/MICE travel, health treatment, special-interest tourism (diving,
story is certainly a stark illustration of a problem common to every
cruises, heritage) and Umrah pilgrimage-extension visits have excellent
destination management organisation, the impossibility of controlling
growth potential.
its public image. But turning potential into a viable industry is a Sisyphean task. The constraints are formidable. Life turns around religion and the family,
Despite its oil wealth, Saudi Arabia has complex domestic problems, which it hopes tourism can alleviate. Unemployment is dangerously high
and everything (work, shops, restaurants) stops five times a day for
among a rapidly growing young population, the economy is over-reliant
prayers. The sexes are rigidly separated: religious police patrol the streets
on imported labour, and the success of spectacular tourism
to ensure observation of the law. Women cannot drive or go anywhere
developments in the Gulf States and elsewhere is having a direct impact
unaccompanied. Tourist attractions must offer separate male-only/
on traditional Saudi holiday resorts (Jeddah, Abha, Al Baha) by luring
female-only days. Cinemas, theatre, public music are forbidden, as is
away wealthier segments of the market. Tourism is seen as a catalyst for
alcohol. Lack of a central land register, seasonality and trained staff
regeneration in areas where traditional industries have declined.
shortages are additional obstacles.
But can a country whose identity is so closely tied to its position at the
The most popular leisure activities are shopping (women), picnicking
heart of Islam, and which is governed by strict Sharia law, reconcile its
(families) and ‘Mad Max’ driving (young men). Not surprisingly, the trend,
culture with modern-day leisure demands? The overriding priority is to
for families who can afford it, is to take holidays in more liberal Muslim
consolidate the domestic market and expand the volume of visits from
destinations, such as Egypt or Malaysia.
Muslim markets, which already provide over 5M Hajj pilgrims a year. (The prospect of opening the gates to western backpackers is still far distant).
Consultants’ standard tourism development templates can’t be applied! And outcomes are not predictable: one consultant’s recommendation for
But more and more Saudis holiday abroad, and have raised their
an eco-friendly tourism development on the Red Sea has metamorphosed
expectations.
into a $24 billion Eco-nomic City, complete with smoke-puffing factories! Over the past eight years, the government-funded ‘Supreme Commission
Ultimately, the development of tourism will be determined by the level
for Tourism’ has commissioned many forests’ worth of studies into the
of government support, and the pace of social change.
establishment of a planned and sustainable tourist industry, building on a voluminous master plan by Ernst & Young. It has brought into being a network of Provincial Tourism Organisations to foster development -
Roger Goodacre FTS | Consultant | Roger Goodacre Associates
along the lines of the Regional Tourist Board network that the present UK government has dismantled - and commissioned 20-year Tourism
NEWSFLASH
Development Strategies for each province, most of them from UK
The Tourism Society Consultants Group has recently been rebranded as the
consultants.
Tourism Consultants Network. A new website www.tourismsociety.co.uk/consultants was launched in early
The tourism product itself has obvious potential, based on natural and
February, offering easy access to details of individual consultants' expertise,
man-made attractions, from stunning desert and mountain landscapes,
and is being promoted through press/industry communications and a specially-
the biggest unexploited coral reef in the world, Nabataean tombs to rival
printed business card (stocks available on request).
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Book Reviews Conferences and Conventions; A global industry second edition
Codes of Ethics in Tourism: Practice, Theory, Synthesis
Tony Rogers Elsevier 2008 ISBN: 978-0-7506-8544-3 400 pages
David A. Fennell and David C. Malloy Channel View Publications, 2007 ISBN: 978-1-84541-060-5 186 pages
This book is aimed at both practitioners in the conference and convention industry and those wishing to study the industry. It is written by one of the leading exponents of the industry, Tony Rogers, who shares his wealth of knowledge with his readers. Each of the nine chapters is given a short introduction and ends with a summary, review and discussion. The chapters are generously interspersed with statistics and tables on the industry. Examples and case studies are drawn from worldwide, given the findings an international perspective. This opens up the book to be of use to those working or studying in the conference and convention industry outside of the U.K. The case studies will provide much thought and discussion amongst those already working in the industry and it will be an excellent source of reference for those who wish to update their knowledge with the latest developments. There is a chapter on the latest developments in technology and a thought provoking case study on technology and virtual meetings This book is an excellent source of information to those seeking more knowledge of the industry or for those studying with the hope of entering the industry. The pen portraits of those holding leading positions within the conference and convention industry will be of interest to practitioners and well as prospective employees. Students will find the details of the leading organisations in the conference and convention industry an invaluable tool for their research. The findings are written in sufficient depth to be of value to students in Higher Education, but in such a clear way that could also be followed by students on BTEC Nationals or similar level courses. Mike Dods MTS | Programme Manager | Leeds Park Lane College
Fennell’s and Malloy’s book makes a significant effort to put codes of ethics into the mainstream Tourism arena. Authors apply calculative and meditative thinking in their analysis of the development of such codes. The book addresses many difficult questions in relation to the national and global codes of ethics for tourism while adding fresh and new thinking that reflects the tourism industry of today. Our Society’s values are changing together with the consumer, who is starting to make decisions on the basis of the ethical credentials of an organisation. This text reviews what has been done to date in tourism, and looks at the ethics from other industries, such as business and medicine. Authors argue that, ‘having a code does not make an organisation ethical, but living through the code does make it an ethical organisation’. Ethics need to be part of all the organisational activity and regularly exercised as opposed to just a mere public relations cliché. Certification schemes, such as Green Globe will become a minimum requirement in the future. Codes emerge as a result of pressure from the consumer and competitors, who are increasingly driving the new wave with their expectations that tourism products should be not only safe but of the highest standard. A wide range of concepts have been discussed, many of which are relevant to tourism subjects studied at University; concepts include: hedonism, socio-cultural impacts, globalisation, consumer behaviour, corporate social responsibility, and consumerism. This text will make a valuable addition to the reference section of many university libraries as well as for those working in the industry. One of the main conclusions drawn from this book is that there are simply too few readily available sources related to codes of ethics in tourism at this present time. An effort must be made to stimulate further discussions and research in this field.
Tourism and Transport: Modes, Networks and Flows David Timothy Duval Channel View Publications, 2007 ISBN: 978-1-84541-063-6 327 pages I liked this book and I have little doubt that it will feature in the reading lists for a variety of undergraduate courses. Very simply, the book aims “to map the key elements that comprise the complex relationship between transport and tourism”. The reader is guided through an examination of topics such as: • The various modes and types of transport available; • The form and extent of transport networks; • The regulatory environments that dictate transport flows on an international scale; • Future trends in Tourism and Transport. I particularly liked Chapter 3’s treatment of transport networks and it was interesting to see traditional connectivity and accessibility measures being applied to contemporary routes. Case studies such as the comparison of Nok Air and jetstar Asia’s route networks show quite clearly the types of investigation that could be attempted as a research assignment. Inventive tutors will be able to design a variety of teaching and learning exercises based on this Chapter. I was immediately reminded of dissertations evaluating the use of the Gravity Model in predicting levels of spatial interaction and the use of the Shimbel Index to explain why networks with the same level of connectivity can have different levels of accessibility. The book will be of use to any student interested in the ways that destinations (and the transport networks which serve them) develop over time. Furthermore, it provides the reader with a perspective to view current transport developments such as the £16bn Crossrail scheme to build a railway link through the centre of London. At present plans for the link extend from Essex in the east, through central London, to Maidenhead in Berkshire. Why, and with what consequences, might it be extended to Reading? John D. Smith MA (Cantab.), FRGS, MTS
Maris Kuklis | Student | Bournemouth University
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Lloyds TSB Cardnet Tourism Society’s first Corporate Sponsor Lloyds TSB Cardnet is delighted to be supporting The Tourism Society and
pivotal role throughout 2008 and beyond and look forward to meeting
all their events during 2008.
with many of you during the coming 12 months and exploring ways we can support you and your businesses.
We clearly see the team as a great advocate of the tourism industry who work hard to promote good values, ethics and practices to ensure the industry continues to flourish and prosper. Tourism is a vital part of the UK economy and employs millions of
Kevin Coles | Head of Business Enterprise | Cardnet Merchant Services Kevin.Coles@Lloydstsb.co.uk www.lloydstsbcardnet.com
people in various sectors including hospitality, hotels, transport, theme parks, visitor centres and associated businesses. Payment is a key component of success and card payments are now the consumers, both UK and international, preferred method of payment. On this basis it seemed logical and the right thing to do to as Cardnet to support and promote UK tourism through this alliance. As many of you will know Lloyds TSB is the Banking and Insurance partner for the 2012 Olympics and we clearly recognise the importance of business in making the event not only a global success but also a local success for individual visitors as well as organised groups. People now take more responsibility for their own travel arrangements and therefore many businesses will be touched not only in 2012 but in the years leading up to it. Many visitors including planners, workers, pre event organisers, competitor's journalists, politicians etc will need to visit sites all over the UK. These visitors will be from the UK and abroad and will have very different needs. The tourism industry clearly recognises this but will need to start planning now by understanding what this varied group of visitors want and their preferred method of payment including the acceptance of prepaid cards and multicurrency cards as well as booking
Accepting Payments by card? Cardnet want to help you make the most of every opportunity to grow your business by making it easy for your customers to make a payment. We accept and process all major credit and debit cards. So whoever your customers are they know they can pay with the card of their choice.
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with partners to deliver fast and unsecured funds to help businesses grow. We want to be an integral part and synonymous with the tourism industry and our sponsorship shows our commitment to supporting and developing the knowledge and people in the sector. I am personally committed to ensuring that Lloyds TSB Cardnet plays a
Lines are open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday. Your standard mobile network charge will apply to any text messages sent or calls made to us. We may monitor or record phone calls with you in case we need to check we have carried out your instructions correctly and to help improve our quality of service. Cardnet is a registered trademark of Lloyds TSB Bank plc. Lloyds TSB Bank plc Registered office: 25 Gresham Street, London EC2V 7HN. Registered in England and Wales no. 2065. Lloyds TSB Scotland plc Registered office: Henry Duncan House, 120 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 4LH. Registered in Scotland no. 95237. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority and signatories to the Banking Codes. We are members of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme and the Financial Ombudsman.
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Magazine Reviews A member’s look at the Business Travel Media Business Travel World, is a very grown up read which I would really look
Business Traveller, had some good content but was let down by its old
forward to receiving every month. Its content list says it all – an
fashioned layout and typography. Each article was a lump of text
intelligent mix of news, analysis, debate, features and data. High level
accompanied by a library shot, with very few colours, graphics or original
features on strategic topics played against light-hearted reviews and the
photographs to break up the page and help communicate the content.
last five pages were devoted to up to the minute statistical data on
This magazine would not win a slot in my reading schedule without a
subjects such as share prices, hotel occupancy, airport traffic and
complete revamp of its design and editorial.
corporate trends. The design is straightforward and business-like, with ITCM, said it all on the content page by giving as much prominence to
enough graphics and photographs to keep the eye interested but not overwhelmed. Bylines included the names of some well-known business
its list of advertisers as to its list of editorial features, which was much the smaller! Lots of copy on destinations, venues and hotels and very
journalists and there was no hint of an advertorial anywhere. Reading
little real news, with no coverage at all on the hot topics which some of
this magazine every month would certainly keep you informed on key
the other magazines covered so well. The design had an amateurish look
industry issues and provide you with plenty of factual nuggets to
to it, with column after column of justified type – not the easiest articles
impress your colleagues.
to read and overall not at all reflective of the pace and excitement of the Buying Business Travel, is another good read with more pages of news
industry it serves.
than any other magazine surveyed. At 114 pages it is a chunky, glossy So Business Travel World
publication with heaps of advertisements and just one destination
gets my vote, just 52
profile. The topics covered are broad, ranging from crisis management and airport congestion to hotel loyalty schemes and car rental contracts.
pages but a completely absorbing read which not
This magazine is designed for company travel buyers, arrangers and agents – not top management – and it fits its market perfectly. An hour or so with this every month and readers would be well informed about
only keeps the reader on top of what’s happening, but also provokes thought
what was happening in the business travel world.
on the big issues impacting on our industry.
Business Destinations, is a 194-page coffee table book – the thickest and most expensively produced of them all, which given its sponsorship by American Express is to be expected. It contains lots of short, punchy articles and a massive 24 destination reports, all flanked by bright advertisements. It all makes for a bright, noisy read that doesn’t call for a long attention span and ultimately this magazine didn’t strike me as a ‘must read’ during working hours, but rather as something to put on the reception coffee table for guests to flick through while waiting. Travel Trade Gazette Business, is ‘for people in business travel’ and in
Vanessa Cotton FTS | Managing Director, Conference & Events Division | Excel Centre
many ways it looked and felt like Business Travel World – same weight, same clear layout, similarly good copy. But it fell down on the quality of the topics chosen – again, more tactical stuff and very little really thought provoking strategic material.
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Business Tourism & MICE Associations A who’s who Who’s who in the world of business tourism
EIA - Events Industry Alliance
MIA - Meetings industry association
and the meetings, incentives, conferences and
The EIA is focussed on promoting the events industry and to driving industry wide issues to its 5 target audiences of Press, Clients, Agencies /Media Planners, Government and Academia.
Founded in 1990 the MIA is the UK and Ireland’s leading trade association all organisations involved in the meetings industry and has become the forum for all professional organisations committed to improving the standards of the UK meetings industry. Members include airlines, car hire companies, venues, hotels, suppliers, convention bureaux and destination management companies.
exhibitions sector? Our round-up of the various associations involved will hopefully give you some useful directions to follow.
www.eventsindustryalliance.com
ACE - Association for Conferences and Events Established in 1971, the Association is the UK’s largest membership organisation in the meetings industry and acts as a unique and independent information centre and forum for members involved in the creating, marketing, organising, accommodating and servicing of events. Members include corporate companies, traders, institutions, associations and charities. www.aceinternational.org
Eventia - The Events Industry Association Created in 2006 as a merger between the Corporate Events Association (CEA) and the Incentive Travel & Meetings Association (ITMA). Members are companies that design, promote, host and manage events and Partner Members are companies and organisations that provide support services to the Events Industry. www.eventia.org.uk
ACTE - Association Corporate Travel Executives
Hotel Booking Agents Association
ACTE is a not-for-profit association established to provide executive-level global education and peer-to-peer networking opportunities. Membership spans business travel, from corporate buyers to agencies to suppliers. ACTE serves more than 6,000 executives in 50 countries.
The HBAA represents a collective industry voice for both agents and hotels and venues for the best practice in the procurement and booking of accommodation, conferences, events and training sessions. Over 60 of the UK's leading booking agents make up the association; their consolidated buying power exceeds £750m per annum.
www.acte.org
www.hbaa.org.uk
British Association of Conference Destinations BACD is a trade association operating within the meetings, incentive travel, conference and exhibitions industry helping British destinations generate conference business through a range of marketing activities, information sharing, collaboration and education. BACD also acts as a cohesive force and clear ‘voice’ within business tourism, forging strategic alliances with like-minded organisations nationally and internationally. www.bacd.biz
Institute of Travel Management The Institute of Travel Management is the leading professional body for buyers, managers and suppliers of business travel in the UK and Ireland. Founded in 1956, members now account for £6 billion in business travel expenditure every year, over 25% of the total market. The 1000 members represent a diverse range of interests in the UK business travel sector, the corporate spend of which is currently estimated to be approximately £25 billion pa. ITM membership is also open to suppliers of services to the business travel industry.
www.mia-uk.org
MPI - Meetings Professional International Founded in 1972, the Dallas-based MPI delivers “global human connections” through its 68 chapters and clubs around the world. MPI is committed to delivering success for some 23,000 worldwide members by providing innovative knowledge and learning experiences, connecting people and ideas, and creating rich marketplace opportunities. www.mpiweb.org
SITE - Society of incentive travel executives Founded in 1973, SITE is the only international, not-for-profit, professional association devoted to the pursuit of excellence in the multi-billion dollar incentives industry. They provide educational seminars and information services to those who design, develop, promote, sell, administer, and operate motivational programs as an incentive to increase productivity in business. Over 2,100 members in 87 countries, with 35 local and regional chapters. www.site-intl.org
Research by Dean Jones Edited by David Curtis-Brignell FTS Millennium & Copthorne Hotels Plc
www.itm.org.uk
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Quarter 1 ISSUE 135 Spring 2008
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Think Tank The Pit and the Pendulum? Committee”, Vice Chairs Councillor Chris White and Ken Robinson, plus Peter Hampson of BRADA and Councillor Chris Saint. This swing of the pendulum is the good news, but most readers will recall that “The Pit and the Pendulum” is one of Edgar Allan Poe’s most haunting horror stories. The “victim” was unaware of his crime, yet he faced the pit. What has VisitBritain, or indeed Britain’s tourism industry done wrong, to deserve its position of jeopardy? The Pit it faces is opened up by a range of factors; first, Government’s announced major cuts to VisitBritain’s funding, which compound the cuts in funds of the RDSs and Local Authorities. The introduction of biometric visas is making the applications process impossible for many would-be visitors, and the visa costs coupled with the higher Air Passenger Duty, are making Britain an unaffordable destination for many Europe-bound visitors. Government has not yet committed any funds for VisitBritain to join with VisitLondon P4E (as it is snappily known), was launched on 13th February when about 50 delegate members from the key players in England’s Tourism industry,
and others to earn the tourism legacy benefit from the 2012 Olympic Games.
from public and private sectors, met formally for the first time at the ICC
2007 began well with a year on year improvement of 10% on inbound
in Birmingham. The newly formed Partners for England Forum, was the
numbers and 15% on revenue, but it has dived swiftly to leave the full
culmination of two years work led by SWERDA, who carry the Tourism
year level, with no gains. As we enter 2008, our tourism industry
lead functions for the English RDAs, with Tom Wright of VisitBritain and
revenues may well be heading towards the pit.
Hugh Taylor of the England Marketing Advisory Board, which has recently been relaunched as VisitEngland. P4E is formally supported by the Local
A weary industry did not welcome DCMS’s announced Review of
Government Association and the Tourism Alliance. P4E had evolved
VisitBritain. The familiar ring of “Review” has too often chimed from
through consultation and preparatory meetings and has already begun
Whitehall and now tends to induce headaches, not hope. We must make
collaborative work, issuing (with LGA) the Placemaking Charter for Local
this process constructive. Whilst the brief was for it to be largely internal,
Authorities, and creating the English Tourism Intelligence Partnership, that
in liaison with key partners, the industry lobbied for it to be as wide and
will work towards the improvement of Tourism research and statistics.
open as possible, not just determining how VB’s reduced budget should be spent, but re-examining redefining the need for the investment of
At long last, we see the pendulum of change swinging back from the
public funds, in terms that the Government and Treasury cannot ignore.
destruction of cohesion and collaboration that resulted from the
VB Chair Christopher Rodrigues has now opened up the process, inviting
Government’s abolition of England’s national Tourism Board, and the
views from all interested parties. We must seize the opportunity. It is our
collapse of the Regional Board infrastructure, brought about by the RDAs
collective responsibility to rewrite this potential horror story, keep the
new arrangements with DMOs. The aspiration is for P4E to work towards
pendulum swinging in the right direction and ensure we avoid the pit.
the evolution of a tourism strategy and policies, encourage the sharing of best practise and achieve economies of scale. DCMS is a fairly passive observer of this process, but it fits with their own reducing capabilities.
Ken Robinson CBE, FTS | Chairman | Tourism Society Think Tank
Steve Brown (of EMDA) was appointed Chair of P4E’s “Organising
The Tourism Society Journal
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Quarter 1 ISSUE 135 Spring 2008
Email journal@tourismsociety.org Email: journal@tourismsociety.org
Visitor Economy Public Realm: Destination Management Three terms have emerged recently to become central to the national
have responded to the collapse of their traditional economies through
tourism debate. Together they are the fundamental components of any
economic renewal/refurbishment initiatives mainly funded by
realistic discussion about visions and strategy, marketing, planning and
Government and European money. They have been pioneering and
development and sustainable tourism – core dimensions of tourism
implementing public realm developments for the new visitor economy
decision-making. The terms feature strongly in the national Charter for
ever since. If you want to see what the terms mean in practice, don’t go
Destination Management just produced for Partners for England after
to Blackpool or Brighton; go to Liverpool or Leeds.
extensive consultation. Based on evidence and extensive consultations for a public realm and • Visitor Economy
visitor economy evaluation for NWDA I am convinced that England’s
• Public Realm
tourism has no viable future unless the three key terms outlined above
• Destination Management
are defined and adopted for urgent action at local level. The public realm nettle in particular has to be grasped and managed. Outside well-known
Not one of these terms has been defined in ways that make cost effective destination management decisions possible? Visitor economy comprises the spending of people staying overnight
refurbished centres (mainly cities) public realm in England is increasingly tired, patched-up, ‘samey,’ cluttered with signs, closed lavatories and shop fronts that look much the same wherever you go. Yet public realm is the
and leisure day visitors to destinations. But vitally it also includes
stage or place-setting within which commercial partners offer their
spending by local residents on leisure and recreation activities outside
products of accommodation, attractions, food and beverage, attractions
their homes; plus day visits for non-routine business purposes. It is the
and leisure/recreation activities. If public realm is not the primary pre-
residential element that drives much of the visitor economy of the
occupation for local authorities and private sector partners, they have
21st century. But it is not effectively measured in 2008.
surely missed the elephant in the room.
Public realm is commonly treated as ‘public space between buildings’
Tourism is still a non-statutory responsibility. The lifeblood of the new
and used to embrace squares and gardens, public toilets, litter collection
visitor economy at any destination is the quality of life of its local
and visitor information. But these things are the products of decision-
residents and the intrinsic value of their built and natural environment.
making, not independent externalities such as the weather and
These are the qualities that attract visitors and underpin local economies.
geographical features. A definition that excludes the decision making
They are core statutory functions as the Lyons Report on place shaping
process that produces and funds public realm for targeted groups of users
stated last year.
has neither sense nor meaning in practice.
Visitor economy is not yet recognised in the Government’s annual
Destination Management, since 2003, has tended to focus on the
funding of local authorities. But for all involved in place shaping, public
mainly marketing initiatives of sub regional Destination Management
realm, visitor economy and destination management are surely the what,
Organizations and larger development projects funded by RDAs. For the
why and how of the next decade.
most part, local authorities – the original DMOs – are now expected (but not funded) to deliver regional ‘visions’ with minimal influence over destination management. Historically, municipal authorities pioneered destination development and management for holiday tourism in the
Victor Middleton (F002) was a Founder member of the Society, active on the Council for over 20 years and a former Chairman. He is known around the world by his publications and consultancy work over several decades.
first half of the 20th century but effectively lost the plot after local government reorganisation of the 1970s. In the last 30 years most cities
Victor T.C. Middleton OBE, FTS
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Quarter 1 ISSUE 135 Spring 2008
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Membership News
Membership News We have been promising a great start to 2008 and I am pleased to announce that we are on track; Lloyds TSB Cardnet has signed up as our first corporate sponsor, the Tourism Consultants Network has launched a new online database, our events calendar is going from strength to strength and our membership is growing. In addition, Lloyds TSB Cardnet and International Currency Exchange will be extending special offers to all members of the Tourism Society. Our Annual Conference takes place in St. Helens this year, as you will note from the enclosed brochure. The theme is 'Making Emerging Markets Pay' and will take place at the World of Glass with a programme of expert speakers, interesting study tours and dinner at the prestigious Knowsley Hall. I look forward to seeing many of you there. Flo Powell MTS Executive Director flo@tourismsociety.org
MARCH
2008 Events Calendar
th
4 MIND THE GAP: PRACTICAL WAYS TO FILL THE HOSPITALITY RECRUITMENT & SKILLS GAP IN LONDON The Gymnasium at St Pancras, London 5th ANNUAL CAREERS EVENT University of Westminster, London
Letter to the Editor 6th February 2008 The success of the Travel & Tourism Diplomas for 14 – 19 year olds will very much depend on the range and quality of relevant resources made available to both teachers and Diploma students. I would therefore like to commend and congratulate the Society for the excellent format of the ‘Tourism’ journal. By focusing on a specific topic in each edition, I would suggest that ‘Tourism’ has become a valuable and up-to-date resource for a range of travel and tourism related qualifications from Diploma to Degree level.
Society membership and events also offer opportunities to engage with employers and industry specialists, many of whom have already contributed to the first stage of the development of the Travel & Tourism Diploma. John Humphreys MTS Travel & Tourism Diploma Development Manager, People1st
It should also stimulate further research, and can also be a rich source of potential ideas for Extended Projects for those level 3 Diploma students with an interest in the sector and its future.
MAY
OCTOBER th
7 TOURISM MARKETING DYNAMICS Bournemouth University, Bournemouth JUNE
23rd ANNUAL DINNER House of Commons, London FUTURE EVENTS
19th & 20th ANNUAL CONFERENCE The World of Glass, St. Helens
Future event topics: •
The Role of Consultants in Lottery Funding Bids, London
•
The Female Role in Travel & Tourism, London
•
Allergies & Tourism, London
•
Lifeskills Training Workshops, London
•
Getting Ahead on the Web, English Riviera
th
11 TOURISM QUESTION TIME British Travel Trade Fair Birmingham NEC, Birmingham 12th TOURISM SOCIETY CUMBRIA QUESTION TIME The Roundthorn Hotel, Penrith 17th TOURISM ACADEMICS & EMPLOYERS CONFERENCE In conjunction with ABTA & ITT De Vere West One, London
27th TOURISM SOCIETY WALES SUMMER LUNCH & AWARDS PRESENTATION Fonmon Castle, Roose, Vale of Glamorgan 30th TOURISM ACADEMICS & EMPLOYERS CONFERENCE In conjunction with ABTA & ITT Copthorne Birmingham, Birmingham
The Tourism Society Journal
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Quarter 1 ISSUE 135 Spring 2008
Email journal@tourismsociety.org Email: journal@tourismsociety.org
Membership News Mohammed Razip Hasan MTS Tourism Malaysia T: 020 7930 7932 E: razip@tourism-malaysia.co.uk W: www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my
Paul Stanyer MTS Holiday Taxis.com T: 01444 253911 E: pauls@holidaytaxis.com W: www.holidaytaxis.com
John Donnelly FTS The Tuxedo Group E: johnxdonnelly@btinternet.com
Susan Huchinson MTS Trimedia T: 020 7025 7514 E: susan.hutchinson@trimediauk.com W: www.trimediauk.com
Lucy Wearne MTS Sedgefield Borough Council T: 01388816166 E: lwearne@sedgefield.gov.uk
Richard Porter FTS STA Travel T: 0207 4408181 E: dp@statravelgroup.com W: www.statravel.co.uk
Sue Kavanagh MTS Carlson Wagonlit Travel T: 01707 667619 E: skavanagh@carlsonwagonlit.com W: www.carlsonwagonlit.com
Welcome New Members
Kapsoo Kim MTS Korea Tourism Organisation T: 020 7321 2535 E: london@mail.knto.org.kr W: www.tour2korea.com
Upgrade to Fellow Congratulations to: Gillian Cruddas FTS Visit York
Welcome New Fellows
Andrew Alltimes MTS Progessive Training Ltd T: 01582 831888 E: andrew@progressive-training.com W: www.progressive-training.com Jenny Butler MTS Salisbury District Council T: 01722 434359 E: jbutler@salisbury.gov.uk W: www.visitsalisbury.com Viscountess Penelope Cobham MTS VisitBritain T: 0121 633 4149 E: canalhse@aol.com W: www.visitbritain.org Chris Cooper MTS University of Nottingham T: 0115 9515093 E: chris.cooper@nottingham.ac.uk W: www.nottingham.ac.uk/ttri Gill Craig MTS Gill Craig Consultants T: 01932 829044 E: pgcraig@tiscali.co.uk Kim Hallett MTS Waddesdon Manor T: 01296 653240 E: kim.hallett@nationaltrust.org.uk W: www.waddesdon.org.uk Sally Edwards Hart MTS City and County of Cardiff T: 029 2087 3360 E: sallyhart@cardiff.gov.uk
Jacqui Livesey MTS Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council T: 01254 585620 E: jacqui.livesey@blackburn.gov.uk Sharron Livingston MTS The Travel Magazine T: 0208 9054851 E: sharron@thetravelmagazine.co.uk W: www.thetravelmagazine.net Kirsten Magasdi MTS BBC News & BBC World T: 0208 6249252 E: kirstenmagasdi@bbc.co.uk W: www.bbcworld.com Helen Oliver MTS Training & Consultancy Services T: 01638 742484 E: helenoliver01@btinternet.com Donald Pelekamoyo MTS Zambia National Tourist Board T: 0171 589 6343 E: zntb@aol.com Andrew Richardson MTS MIC Hotel & Conference Centre T: 0207 6911435 E: ceo@micentre.com W: www.micentre.com Becky Smith MTS Hills Balfour Synergy T: 0207 367 0922 E: beckysmith@hillsbalfoursynergy.com W: www.hillsbalfoursynergy.com
Andrew Woodward MTS Farm Stay UK T: 02476 696909 E: andy@farmstayuk.co.uk W: www.farmstay.co.uk
Students Sarah Edwards Bournemouth University E: shestudentbedford@yahoo.co.uk Christine Hessler Bournemouth University E: christinehessler@hotmail.com Eleanor King Bournemouth University E: ellieking3@hotmail.com Eeva Manninen Bournemouth University E: eeva_manninen@hotmail.com Genevieve Perron Bournemouth University E: perronne80@hotmail.com Oksana Rjabceva Bournemouth University E: iksanka@yahoo.com Aleksandra Seifetdinova Bournemouth University E: a.seifetdinova@hotmail.co.uk Shelly Sood Bournemouth University E: shelly_s_86@hotmail.com Penny Wither Perth College (University of the Highlands & Islands) E: pennywither@madasafish.com
NOTICE TO ALL MEMBERS: Please remember to inform the Society of any changes to your details so that our database is kept up-to-date.
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Quarter 1 ISSUE 135 Spring 2008
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explore
THE ENGLISH RIVIERA
Indulge in the secrets of Agatha Christie Country, the English Riviera, where you can enjoy breathtaking scenery and sumptuous food. Visit www.englishriviera.co.uk or call our holiday information line on 01803 211 211. Relax and get away from it all.