OCTOBER 2020, ISSUE 5
E-NEWSLETTER MAKING SOUND COVID-19 RECOVERY PLANS BUSINESS SENTIMENT AND ECONOMIC IMPACT MODELLING GOING DOWN THE PANDEMIC AN OPPORTUNITY TO 'DELIGHT’ SMALLER GROUPS TO STAYCATION OR TO VACATION WOMEN FARMING FOR TOURISM MARKETS TOURISM POST-COVID-19: BRAVE NEW WORLD OR APOCALYPSE NOW? BIDS AND BED TAXES A FRESH APPROACH TO MANAGING TOURISM UNDER COVID CONSULTANTS …
WELCOME TO YOUR E-NEWSLETTER BY THE CHAIRMAN On 17 September, The Tourism Society held its first Virtual AGM, chaired by our president, Lord Thurso. It was a better than ever attended AGM with an enthusiastic and informative discussion surrounding the Society's activities and plans leading into 2021. While this year has been tough for all, Lord Thurso optimistically concluded that the combination of our new-found virtual networking events with our relationship-building practices before COVID will encourage the Tourism Society membership to continue to grow in the future. We welcomed John Speers and Shaon Talukder to the board, joining our existing and re-elected board members: myself as Chairman, Michael Jones as Honorary Treasurer, Roger Goodacre as Chairman of TCN, Brandon Crimes, Philippa Harris, Dr Julian Zarb, Dr Richard Denman, Deirdre Wells OBE and Katrina Kerr. Most importantly of all, I would like to thank our members and corporate supporters again for their unwavering support throughout this turbulent year. We hope to welcome you to our upcoming events. The next event is the Tourism Society' Annual Media Master Class. This year's topic is "The pivoting and shifting world of the media during and post COVID". I am sure you will find the contents of this newsletter interesting. I would like to thank Richard Denman for his time as editor of this edition, Roger Goodacre for his input on behalf of TCN and Julian Zarb as our overall publications editor. kevin.kaley@tourismukltd.com
Kevin Kaley, FTS, TCN, Chairman Tourism Society
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INTRODUCTION
INSIDE THE NEWSLETTER: EXPERIENCES IN A COVID WORLD I was pleased to be asked to edit this joint newsletter of the Tourism Society and the Tourism Consultants Network. Two words come to my mind in writing this introduction – uncertainty and sharing. Right now, the level of confusion about the future of our sector, and more generally about how we live our lives, is arguably even stronger than it was earlier in the year. To help us think this through, we can at least share our views and experiences. This is what we are seeking to do here, with a newsletter that is very much a collection of our members’ activities and outlooks. We start with some insights from Kevin Millington on how destinations are seeking and receiving more frequent and additional data to clarify the picture, and from Sergi Jarques on research into business sentiment and economic impact in the East of England. Next, we learn of some personal experiences and thoughts from members who are engaged in advising and supporting different aspects of tourism – Mike Jones in the field of hospitality, Stuart Render considering coach travel and Alison Cryer on confusion surrounding outbound tourism. Our horizons are then broadened by Angela Kalisch, who writes about the challenges now being faced by
Richard Denman, FTS, TCN Member TS Board and TCN Committee
women in the tourism supply chain in Tanzania. Looking to the future, Tom Buncle draws attention to his work on factors that may affect visitor behaviour and how we will travel. Philip Cooke considers the future funding of destination management, and Richard Dickinson reflects on sustainability challenges as a focus for consultancy. Finally, many of us in the Tourism Consultants Network may have wondered how on earth we could carry out consultancy in a world where we could not travel or even meet our clients. Indeed, it has been very different, but it has proved still to be possible – as shown by a few examples of Under Covid Consultancy, provided by our chairman Roger Goodacre and others. Richard Denman The Tourism Company www.thetourismcompany.com/
OCTOBER 2020, ISSUE 5
MAKING SOUND COVID-19 RECOVERY PLANS By Kevin Millington, FTS, TCN Although our economy has been showing some signs of recovery, uncertainty over its speed and shape means that planning, development and marketing of destinations, typically assessed every few years, now needs to be updated with the ever-changing climate every few months. This has led to a scramble for good data, and many of our partners that use the Acorn T-Stats tracking system are reporting increased demand for figures to guide necessary and timely adjustments and changes.
core
A greater level of mutual support and co-dependency is
destination indicators such as accommodation occupancy
more evident than in pre-COVID times. Businesses are
and
of
more readily submitting data, and collectively this is
pedestrians, traffic counts, the number of businesses
generating larger and more useful bases of statistics for
opened or closed, and COVID-19 cases. These are giving
planning, marketing, attracting investors, and making
Focus
has visits
also to
broadened attractions,
from to
measuring
footfall,
density
a wider and more encompassing picture of what is
destinations better places for residents and visitors.
happening in a place than has previously been the case. T-Stats has shifted from simply measuring the visitor
Online locally-sourced and centralised data is critical, so
economy to being central to decision making by a wide
that all stakeholders can contribute to it, access it and
range of public sector departments such as planning,
share it. Flexible systems should allow new data streams
business support and funding.
to be added, because places change continually (now more than ever) and therefore so must the methods for
The other significant trend in the last three months is
tracking them.
increased private sector engagement with public sector bodies. This is in part due to the distribution of financial
Kevin Millington
support funds from local government, and the subsequent
Acorn Tourism Consulting Limited
willingness of businesses to provide data in return, to
www.t-stats.co.uk
enable better decision making at the local public sector level.
OCTOBER 2020, ISSUE 5
COVID-19 RESEARCH: BUSINESS SENTIMENT AND ECONOMIC IMPACT MODELLING By Sergi Jarques, MTS, TCN Visit East of England commissioned Destination Research to undertake a Tourism Business Covid-19 Survey. The study, supported by the region’s local DMOs and local authorities, received 776 responses.
The results were based on an online survey to businesses
Government’s ‘Enjoy Summer Safely’ initiative to extend
in the region, with responses from businesses based
the holiday season safely in Norfolk and Suffolk.
primarily in Norfolk and Suffolk but also in Essex, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire.
The campaign is the biggest ever in support of Norfolk and Suffolk’s visitor economy.
The survey highlighted the need for better communication within the sector – a greater sense of ‘we’re in this
Assessing COVID-19 and the loss to the local visitor
together’. And the need to develop a year-round visitor
economy, we modelled the likely monthly impact on day
economy
and overnight tourism to the Great Yarmouth area and to
to
mitigate
current
reliance
on
Easter-
September.
East Suffolk as a result of the pandemic. The results are based on local estimates and Visit Britain’s projected
Since the research was published, and for the first time
scenario with a lifting of lockdown for pubs, restaurants
ever, every destination marketing organisation (DMO) in
and cafes, leisure facilities and hotels from 4 July, 2020.
Norfolk and Suffolk has been working together on a
Initial results show a loss of between 40% and 60% in
£500,000 promotional campaign, part of the UK
business turnover and thousands of jobs. Sergi Jarques Director of Destination Research Ltd. www.destinationresearch.co.uk
OCTOBER 2020, ISSUE 5
GOING DOWN THE PAN-DEMIC: THE DIARY OF A SMALL HOSPITALITY COMPANY By Mike Jones, FTS, TCN Once upon a time in pre-lockdown land we were an SME; we’re a lot smaller now. Back then we were a team of seven, well paid, with a back-up of associates. We were quite profitable. Our business was, and is, providing hotels and serviced apartments with hosted property management and related systems. When the scale of the crisis became clear to us in early March we reacted firmly and very quickly. We offered all our 45 hotel clients a deferred payment scheme for their hosting charges, a 50% reduction in fees during closure periods and complimentary remote support services to help compensate for furloughed staff. The latter included running night audits and check-in/check-out where relevant – a great example of the benefits of cloud-based software products.
In return we received: No financial or other support from our principal software supplier No support from government
And we lost our largest customer to what we suspect was predatory pricing from a larger company. Some of our clients used our “covid concessions” to apply pressure for longer term price reductions. So some lessons learned or confirmed: No matter how loyal you are to your customers and clients they will not be loyal to you (there are honourable exceptions). Almost everyone used, and is using, the pandemic as
Easier said than done I know but we entered the crisis that
an excuse for bad behaviour.
way and its pretty much the only reason why we are still around.
There is only a limited amount you can do about the above
It remains to be seen if the industry recovers quickly
but internally there are some things that you either should
enough to restore our financial health but when and if we
have done or should do now:
exit the crisis we will do so, in our very much slimmeddown form, sadder but a little bit wiser.
Ensure all your people, or as many as possible, are shareholders. Then you really are “all in it together”.
Mike Jones
Share all management information with the team –
Managing Director of Hospitality Impact Limited
they are part of the solution not the problem.
www.hospitality-impact.com
Prepare for crises by being debt free.
OCTOBER 2020, ISSUE 5
AN OPPORTUNITY TO ‘DELIGHT’ SMALLER GROUPS By Stuart Render, FTS It’s really good to see a growing number of coach and tour operators restarting their day trip and short break programmes. I was fortunate to be invited to experience a short break by coach to Torquay in July operated by West Midlands-based Dunwood Travel to test COVID-secure travel and hospitality processes. Those processes gave me, and my 10 fellow passengers, the necessary reassurances about personal safety. Even Torquay
waterfront
on
a
summer
Saturday
was
manageable, although staying alert to avoid those who felt the guidelines weren’t for them was definitely the order of the day. Social distancing means that coach operators are, of course, having to limit the number of passengers they can carry on a coach. The number of couples, families or single travellers will affect this figure. Some coach operators, including Johnsons Coaches of Henley-in-Arden, are levying a COVID supplement on day trips. Johnsons is open and transparent with this, saying the
charge
covers
the
additional
cost
of
cleaning
materials and paying the driver more because of the time taken to sanitise the coach.
But while smaller group sizes has an obvious effect on revenue,
there’s
an
advantage
that
some
visitor
attractions and suppliers are already recognising. A smaller group provides the opportunity for the attraction or supplier to provide an exclusive experience, perhaps to meet the owner, most certainly to ‘delight’ the visitor. In the bid to stand out, an experience that ‘delights’ WILL be remembered. It’s an opportunity that must be grasped with both hands.
Stuart Render Coach and Group Tourism Consultant, Transport and Travel writer www.stuartrendertourism.co.uk
OCTOBER 2020, ISSUE 4
TO STAYCATION OR TO VACATION? THAT WAS THE COVID SUMMER QUESTION By Alison Cryer, FTS, TCN By mid-August I needed a change of scenery and time off from virtual meetings. Rentals and B&Bs in the UK were fully booked plus the weather forecast was not looking good.
Researching FCO travel advice and worldometer.com I
good wine, and lovely weather. The Greeks are rigidly
opted for France, more comfortable with driving and
observing the covid rules of masks, sanitisation and
staying with friends. These plans were scuppered when
distancing. Sunbeds are placed 2 metres apart and most
suddenly the government announced that France was
people stay 4 metres apart and on smaller beaches you
being taken off the air corridor.
are on your own. Attractions were similarly empty even the vineyards for wine tasting. Sad to see the emptiness
With one week to go, I booked flights with BA to
yet reassuring by the feeling of safety. My only stress
Cephalonia, a small Airbnb villa with pool and rental car.
was waiting to see if Greece would be taken off the air
Corfu's flights were full and TUI had their own covid
corridor.
incident enhancing rumours that Greece was to be taken off the air corridor too. However, when I left, Greece was
No wonder anyone outside of the industry is unsure
still exempt.
about travelling abroad when those of us in it find it so hard to comprehend government decisions.
I had a fantastic trouble and tourist free holiday: well managed airports and flights, outdoor restaurants running
Alison Cryer
at 20% capacity serving deliciously fresh local food and
Managing Director of Representation Plus / First PR www.representationplus.co.uk
tive as chair and trustee of
OCTOBER 2020, ISSUE 5
WAMBOMA – WOMEN FARMING FOR TOURISM MARKETS, BATTLING CLIMATE CHANGE AND COVID-19 By Dr Angela Kalisch, MTS, TCN Since 2016, Equality in Tourism International, (EiT), a non-profit organisation working on gender equality in tourism and hospitality, together with a partner NGO in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania, KWIECO, have developed a project for the empowerment of women through farming produce for hospitality markets.
In addition to running my own ethical
tourism consultancy, Ananta, I have been involved with this initiative as chair and trustee of Equality in Tourism.
Over the past three years, EiT and KWIECO have trained
Then disaster struck: drought and floods due to climate
and supported 120 women in two locations around
change have ravaged their crops three times, followed by
Kilimanjaro, to establish the ‘Women Farming for their
COVID-19 and a complete halt to tourism.
Future’ pilot project. They linked up with 30 hotels and lodges in the region to supply them with produce,
Now, with generous crowdfunding from supporters in the
increasing not only the women’s earning potential, but
UK, they have tackled climate change by installing
also their autonomy, knowledge, skills, self-confidence
greenhouses and drip irrigation, and their crops are
and self-esteem, securing a sustainable food supply, both
flourishing.
for themselves and the hospitality industry. Through
hotels are closed, they have no market, except the one
training
workshops
on
global
tourism,
However, as there are no tourists and the
business
they were escaping from: dealers buying at prices that
management and ownership, farming methods, and legal
don’t cover their costs and lead them back into poverty.
rights, the initiative achieved its goal by establishing the
However, far from giving up, with further generous
WAMBOMA women’s farming co-operative in 2019. They
donations from supporters, they can open up a whole
were ready to sell their produce to hotels and restaurants
new market, on the one hand by drying their produce, and
and even open up a shop.
on the other by creating 'Farm to Table’ farm boxes – the first in Tanzania. Angela Kalisch Director of Ananta – Ethical Tourism Consultants www.anantaconsultants.co.uk
OCTOBER 2020, ISSUE 5
TOURISM POST-COVID-19: BRAVE NEW WORLD OR APOCALYPSE NOW? By Tom Buncle, FTS, TCN THE CUSP OF A GLOBAL REVOLUTION? The invention of the printing press, the industrial revolution, the end of two World Wars, and the internet. The COVID-19 pandemic is being tipped by some commentators to precipitate worldwide economic and social change as momentous as these world-altering events. A ‘new normal’ is about to be unleashed.
Is this mere media hype? Or, in talking about a ‘new
implications from behavioural changes at home to the
normal’, are we kidding ourselves about the very concept
prospect of civil unrest in countries over-dependent on
of normality, which, elusive at best, defies description and
tourism, Tom concludes: “The question is not whether we
is more commonly understood as a setting on the
will travel widely again, but where and how soon. And
washing machine rather than any discernible pattern of
that
human behaviour? Can we salvage any nuggets of
personal confidence, business credibility, and astute
wisdom or hope from the noise, confusion, fear, and
destination management.”
will
be
determined
by
medical
developments,
business devastation caused by COVID-19, which might help us plot a way forward? Tom Buncle attempts to sort
“But, if tourism is to recover its full potential, both as a
hope from hype and lay down some plausible parameters
driver of economic development and as a contributor to
for speculation about a possible road to recovery for the
sustainable communities, national and local government
global tourism industry in Yellow Railroad’s latest blog
will need to grasp the nettle of strategic leadership and
found here.
develop robust, transformational plans, not piecemeal, ‘finger-in-the-dyke’
THE WAY FORWARD
tactics
masquerading as strategies.”
After exploring the future landscape for different sectors of the visitor economy and assessing a range of
Tom Buncle Director of Yellowrailroad www.yellowrailroad.com
and
challenge
funds
OCTOBER 2020, ISSUE 5
BIDS AND BED TAXES WILL KEEP US IN BUSINESS By Philip Cooke, FTS, TCN “As our long haul work is being badly hit by Coronavirus, so our UK work is currently being boosted by several Business Improvement District (BID) and ‘Bed Tax’ projects,” says Gloucester-based TCN Member, Philip Cooke.
“I first became interested in BIDs back in 2005, so I took
Meanwhile, back in the UK in 2020, there just isn’t
myself off to New York to learn more about how they
enough Council Tax to go round these days so these
worked and I then followed this up in 2019 when I
new visitor economy funding systems are going to
returned to the States to find out how the ‘Bed Tax’
become even more important, especially the Bed Tax
system worked in Miami, Virginia and Albany. I’ll never
because it is funded by the visitor, not local residents or
forget the Manager of the Times Square BID telling me,
businesses.
as we walked down throbbing Broadway in 2005 that, ‘Ten years ago, this place was a hell hole; now, you
By the way – the correct term for the Bed Tax, as used
couldn’t get mugged out there if you tried!”, which sort of
in the USA, is the ‘Transient Visitor Tax’, which makes
wraps up what BIDs are all about!
sense.
Upon return to the UK I then wrote an article entitled,
Philip Cooke
‘How BIDs Saved Times Square.”
The Destination Marketing Group www.thedmg.co.uk
OCTOBER 2020, ISSUE 5
A FRESH APPROACH TO MANAGING TOURISM By Richard Dickinson, FTS, TCN Growth over the last seventy years has transformed the world economy. The average person is 4.4 times richer and lives 25 years longer than in 1950. International tourism has increased 55-fold over the same period with 2019 seeing peak tourism of 1.4 billion international arrivals - joined of course by up to 3 times as many domestic tourists. Many of these people are collectively enjoying, or perhaps that should be enduring, a relatively small number of globally iconic destinations.
While almost everyone is healthier and wealthier this has
There are however solutions emerging across many
come at a huge cost to the planet. Climate change has
industries and tourism is no different. The picture shown
stimulated debate, policy responses and action. However
here is of Vernazza, a picturesque UNESCO Cinque Terre
environmental
loss,
town in Italy, which has a range of problems relating to
pollution, waste, poverty and a whole manner of other
its popularity, particularly huge overcrowding during the
impacts.
peak. A fresh approach to managing tourism, in this case
issues
encompass
biodiversity
to actively reduce numbers, is agreed but what is perhaps The latest World Economic Forum report on the New
often missing is converting such plans to practical action.
Nature Economy presents a dispiriting picture, with some
Helping destinations to deliver beneficial change that is
1 million species at extinction risk with many natural
good for the environment and communities is the purpose
areas, such as coral reefs and the rainforest, approaching
of Tomorrow’s Tourism. We’d love to hear your thoughts
a tipping point where there will be no way back.
on this challenge. Do get in touch.
Everyone is part of the problem but also part of the
Richard Dickinson
solution.
Tomorrows Tourism
It
will
be
challenging
to
re-orientate
governments away from the growth we are wedded to.
www.tomorrowstourism.com
OCTOBER 2020, ISSUE 5
UNDER COVID CONSULTANTS … Is successful tourism consultancy really possible in a pandemic? Here are a few experiences from the TCN Chairman and other members:
“Thank the Lord for WhatsApp! (not to mention Skype, Zoom, Teams etc). Modern technology has undoubtedly saved the day for those of us whose business is mostly conducted in faraway places. In Botswana I’m working on a master plan for UNWTO for a tourism destination in the far north-east of the country that none of the team has visited, interviewing local stakeholders and government officials on WhatsApp or Skype for the initial situation assessment. In Saudi I’m a member of a dauntingly high-powered committee that now meets on Zoom, overseeing the drafting of a master plan designed to increase the number of international Umrah pilgrims from 10 to 30M per annum by 2030. So life goes on more or less smoothly - although the end of travel restrictions can’t come soon enough!” Roger Goodacre
“Lockdown saw local authorities put projects on hold, attraction clients go into survival mode and building projects stall as architects could not get access to sites. Trying to catch up over the last 2 months has to some extent been made easier with online meetings reducing travel time, but at the same time useful thinking time has been squeezed out by back to back meetings.” Kevin Kaley
"As COVID hit, most of our PR contracts and events were put on hold. The cost of the existing virtual events platforms we researched, mostly designed for very large events, was prohibitive for our clients and we have therefore developed a virtual platform launched in September for SMEs www.ezyvirtualevents.com“ Alison Cryer
"Working since January for OECD and the G20 (hosted by Saudi Arabia) on policies for seamless travel, we suddenly had to embrace the realities of COVID-19 and safety issues. Deciding how far to go in adjusting a future vision to account for current uncertainties was not easy. However, completing the work presented fewer problems. All meetings became virtual, making the process if anything more straightforward, if less engaging (in all senses).” Richard Denman
“Videoconferencing technology has transformed but not replicated the quality of the consultant-client experience during the pandemic. In my case, a commitment to facilitate a 3-day face-to-face business planning session for the Malta Tourism Authority turned into a 5-day online session. It worked remarkably well. Zoom’s ability to accommodate 6 online breakout groups each day, followed by plenary debate, happily dispensed with the otherwise obligatory flipcharts and yellow stickies, not to mention the physical logistics of herding people in and out of coffee breaks. The verdict? We achieved the objectives, but without the nuanced insights that come from observing body language, off-piste comments, and sheer enjoyment of human interaction.” Tom Buncle
OCTOBER 2020, ISSUE 5
TS AND TCN NEWS TCN AGM HELD ON 29 SEPTEMBER
TOURISM SOCIETY VIRTUAL THINK TANKS
The AGM of the Tourism Consultants Network, which
We are currently holding monthly Think Tanks based on topical content. The next one will be on 14 October, topic: "The pivoting and shifting world of the media during and post COVID". We hope that you have enjoyed our COVID virtual meetings. Please do not hesitate to invite or recommend future meetings to your colleagues and friends. The society in the past has greatly relied on event revenue to survive. We are therefore asking for small donations from members and non-members participating in our Think Tanks to help fund this not-for-profit organisation. Do remember, donations are tax-deductible.
took place on September 29th, was held online for the first time. The annual report for the calendar year 2019 highlighted: Three successful events, including a well-attended tribute to Victor Middleton Stable membership (minus 1 member) in 2019 Stable finances, with revenue covering costs Some
amendments
to
the
constitution
previously circulated to members.
had
been
The main elements
were the opening of a separate bank account for TCN, to facilitate financial management, and the introduction of an Associate Member category aimed at people at the start of their careers and with limited consultancy experience.
The amendments were discussed and
TOURISM SOCIETY WEBSITE UPDATE The
tourismsociety.org
website
will
be
completely
approved.
revamped over the next few months, thanks to the
Suggestions for future activities of interest to consultants
COVID loans. In the interim, a temporary website has
Tourism
were discussed, as a result of which the committee plans
Society
benefitting
from
the
government’s
been designed and tested by the secretariat. Please note,
to organise a number of online events over the next year.
the functionality is therefore very basic.
The
TOURISM SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP
current
TCN
committee
was
re-elected.
Our
chairman, Roger Goodacre invited proposals for new members – let us know if you are interested!
As we are coming up to our annual renewals, please remember, you can pay by direct debit or monthly instalments. Do contact the secretariat for more information.
TCN AT WTM The World Travel Market is virtual this year and will be taking place from November 9 - 11, comprising online
Please remember to add yourself to our virtual LinkedIn directory.
discussions of myriad topics. TCN has again been offered Associate Partner status and will have 10 complimentary tickets to distribute to members. If
interested,
please
let
Roger
Goodacre
know
at
rgamarketing1@gmail.com. Depending on the level of interest, tickets will be distributed as equitably as possible, probably by ballot.
YOUR SOCIETY NEEDS YOU! We hope that you value your Tourism Society membership enough to encourage your colleagues and friends to join. A recommendation from a member is the society’s best recruitment tool. Please recommend membership to your colleagues and friends and ask them to contact membership@tourismsociety.org
OCTOBER 2020, ISSUE 5