FRONT
28/4/10
09:17
Page 1
28/4/10
10:15
Page 1
Corporate Member
Corporate Sponsor
Corporate Sponsor
inside front cover
The Tourism Society Trinity Court, 34 West Street, Sutton, Surrey SM1 1SH T 020 8661 4636 F 020 8661 4637 E journal@tourismsociety.org W www.tourismsociety.org Registered in England No. 01366846. ISSN: 02613700 Designed and produced by Wharncliffe Publishing Contact Tony Barry 47 Church Street Barnsley S70 2AS T 01226 734333 E tb@whpl.net W www. whpl.net Š Copyright 2010 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 Whilst unsolicited material is welcomed, neither transparencies nor unpublished articles can be returned.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 distributed quarterly to 1800 professionals working in national and regional tourist boards, local government, travel agencies, and tour operators, visitor attractions, accommodation and catering, entertainment, information services, guiding, consultancies and education and training.
01 contents
28/4/10
09:25
Page 1
Contents
Editorial Ideal time to attract new talent to industry
Towards a Critical Approach: Destination Managers, Research and Knowledge Exchange Phil Long MTS MTMI, Principal Research Fellow, Centre for Tourism and Cultural Change, Leeds Metropolitan University
As the world prepares to come out of the recession, the UK stands on the brink of what promises to be an exciting future for tourism. A ‘golden decade’ of sporting events is approaching – including the 2010 Ryder Cup in Newport, the London 2012 Olympics, the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the 2015 Rugby World Cup – and the world’s attention will fall on the UK’s tourism offering. We have to put a skills infrastructure in place that does the great tourist attractions in Britain justice, and leaves visitors wanting to return. This is an ideal time to further diversify the workforce and attract new pools of talent to the industry.The London Borough of Newham is a great example of this, with residents training as tourist guides for the Olympic park – you can read more about this in Ian Kirby’s article. People 1st’s recently refreshed National Skills Strategy for hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism shows just how much has been achieved in improving the sector’s skills offering since its launch in 2007, but also how much is still to be done. The strategy puts much emphasis on retention and diversity, and it is imperative that we recognise the value of every employee. Older workers are often overlooked, as Gareth Edwards highlights, and we ignore their invaluable skills and experience to our detriment. Additionally, support and guidance is something that everyone can benefit from – as Gaby Marcon points out in her article on coaching and mentoring. People 1st has embraced this approach through its Women 1st initiative, which has received excellent feedback so far. In this issue, Jasmijn Muller and Phil Long also describe the need to improve the links between education and industry, and organisations like the Tourism Society and People 1st are dedicated to bringing them closer together. We are on the starting line of a new and exciting decade. As an industry we need to stand together if we are to unlock the potential of tourism – let’s not forget the importance of putting people first. Brian Wisdom MTS | Chief Executive, People 1st
2-3
Age in the Workplace: 60+ and Still Working in Tourism? Gareth Edwards, Education Director,The Springboard Charity
4
Case Study – London Borough of Newham: First Steps to Becoming a Tourist Guide 5 Ian Kirby MTS, Managing Director,Talk-Tourism Ltd Online Training: The Origin of the Species Sally Oakey, Associate Director,Travel Uni
6-7
Coaching and Mentoring: A New Approach to Professional Development Gaby Marcon, Director, Shine People & Places
8
From Theory to Practice: Consultants as Brokers of Tourism Knowledge Jasmijn Muller, Analyst, Locum Consulting
9
Growing the Workforce: Tourism’s Employment Prospects John Humphreys MTS,Travel and Tourism Diploma Manager, People 1st Tourism Higher Education: Maintaining Interest in Turbulent Times Dr Andreas Walmsley, International Centre for Responsible Tourism, Leeds Metropolitan University, and Brandon Crimes MTS,Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management, University of Hertfordshire
10-11
12
Membership News
16
New Members
17
From the President’s Desk Tourism and hospitality more than just about any other industry relies on people for success.The human resource is both our biggest cost and our best route to maximising profit. Getting the best out of people cuts costs, satisfies customers, and delivers profit. Most of this issue is about doing that but I want to dwell for a moment on another part of the equation – character.Twenty three years ago when I helped open Cliveden I had a simple maxim for the team. Hire character and train skills.This was based on the notion that warm, obliging, friendly people could be trained in any skill but that however skilled someone is it is very difficult to train them to smile and welcome
www.tourismsociety.org
guests with warmth if it is not part of their character. I had not given this seemingly obvious concept much thought until reading recently a letter in the papers from someone who broke down on a main road near Oxford. He records that he tried to flag someone down for help but 92 cars ignored him and contrasts it with a similar incident in Zimbabwe where 11 out of 11 passing motorists all stopped to help. What, he asked, had happened to the character of society to make so many people unwilling to help a fellow motorist in distress? This got me thinking. Have we changed so much that a desire to help and natural warmth are dis-
appearing from our nature and if so do we have to learn how to train not just skill but also character? On reflection I remain convinced that we humans are basically quite nice people most of whom like looking after others. But modern life is pretty aggressive and hectic and it is easy to get stuck in a silo. One lesson many major companies are taking from the recent crisis is the importance of long term value over short term return. Perhaps we need to apply the same lesson to human resource and look a bit harder for the character in us all and train it. Lord Thurso FTS | President, Tourism Society
Issue 143 Summer 2010
1
2&3
28/4/10
09:27
Page 2
Towards a Critical Approach Destination Managers, Research and Knowledge Exchange “THE nature of professional and everyday life increasingly demands critical thinking. Indeed, the cost of generating a growing mass of uncritical thinkers as workers and citizens is staggering… Intellectually undisciplined, narrow-minded thinking will not solve increasingly complex, multidimensional problems, let alone provide the basis for democratic decision-making.” (Richard Paul, founder of the Centre for Critical Thinking, cited by Linda Elder,Times Higher, 6-12 August, 36)
As an emerging field of professional practice, destination management is a good example of an increasingly complex, multidimensional domain of policy and practice that importantly also relates to communities and the quality of life and place. In the past the destination manager (more usually labelled ‘tourism officer’) focused primarily on tourism strategy, development, marketing, the provision of visitor information and liaison with the private sector and, to varying degrees, with local communities. To a large extent this remains the case. However, increasingly destination managers have assumed or been allocated responsibilities in fields relating to the fashionable (if not new) place-making agenda, such as promoting sustainable development, regeneration, heritage, culture and the arts, with these being seen as key contributors to the distinctiveness and attractiveness of places for visitors, inward investors and residents alike. All of these fields are the subject of critical research that relates, or may be applied, to professional practice and development. The academic field of tourism and des-
tination studies has expanded in recent years, with a growing body of research extending within and beyond the traditional focus on management and geographical studies applied to tourism. Much, if not all, of this work has the potential to contribute valuable insights and understanding for the ongoing professional development of destination managers as reflexive practitioners. It could also enhance the status of the sector as a genuine profession, with an associated body of knowledge and research that is subject to critical review and development. Put simply, research can offer new ideas and ways of thinking about tourism and the destination. It can, or should, contribute to enhancing professional practice in and across the sector, informed by theoretical and international perspectives. Research relevant to the professional
‘The academic field of tourism and destination studies has expanded in recent years, with a growing body of research extending within and beyond the traditional focus on management and geographical studies applied to tourism’
2
Issue 143 Summer 2010
interests of destination managers is published in the form of books, monographs and more than 80 international research journals spanning tourism, hospitality, leisure and recreation studies - two-thirds of them founded since 1990. Articles relating to destination management are also published in the more established social sciences and humanities research domains, including geography, planning, environmental studies, and architecture. Unfortunately, much of this research does not come to the attention of the destination management practitioner. Reasons behind this include the inability to access papers published in journals without being registered for study at a university with decent library and research collections. Academic journals and many text books are aimed mainly towards the interests of other researchers and students in their field. Practitioners may level accusations at academic writing, sometimes justified, sometimes not, of apparent obscurity and density, and a lack of immediately obvious application to professional experience and practice.The long time lag between
journal@tourismsociety.org
2&3
28/4/10
09:28
Page 3
the submission and publication of articles in peer-reviewed journals is a mystery to practitioners. On the other hand, academics may justifiably level criticisms at the imprecise, generic and uncritical language of some policy and practice research, with its emphasis at times on finding simplistic ‘solutions’ to complex problems, and basis on spurious ‘evidence’ that does not always stand up to critical scrutiny. This suggests a need for the translation of selected academic research, through structured education and training programmes at postgraduate level, and the genuine exchange of knowledge between researchers, policy makers and practitioners based on mutual respect and a desire to learn from each other. This is illustrated by the recent introduction of the Tourism Management Institute (TMI) postgraduate-level professional programme in destination management, led by Leeds Metropolitan University with Bournemouth and Lancaster Universities. Here, research and theoretical knowledge are packaged in ways that allow participants to reflect on their professional experience and work commitments in a learning environment and to identify new ways of thinking through the complexities of work commitments. The postgraduate level is important here. It acknowledges both the existing qualifications typically held by destination managers and the need to go beyond a narrow skills agenda that seeks to ‘meet the needs of the industry’ to a position where we interrogate and at times challenge those ‘needs’ in suggesting new directions for professional policy and practice. Opportunities also exist for developing original contributions to knowledge concerning destination management through a major research project leading to the award of PhD. Such a project recently began at Leeds Metropolitan University, and focuses on academic and professional
‘The PhD project at Leeds Metropolitan University thus aims to explore the responsiveness of the academy to the needs and practices of the destination management sector and related agencies, while recognising the importance of challenging declared needs and existing professional practices’
www.tourismsociety.org
knowledge in developing destination management policy and practice in the UK. This research will examine the apparent dichotomy that may exist between research producers (usually academics) and users (practitioners and policy makers). This dichotomy has been recognised to an extent and, encouraged by research funding councils, universities have introduced a range of measures to translate academic research into practitioner knowledge, for example through knowledge transfer partnerships, work placements for students and CPD schemes for professionals. Similarly, some practitioners seek to engage with the academic community through partnership schemes and including academics on destination management organisation (DMO) boards.. A number of research issues flow from these observations, including: The sources of research, information and evidence used by destination managers Policy makers and practitioners’ awareness and perceptions of academic research The relevance of the ‘critical turn’ in academic research for policy makers and practitioners Barriers to the use of academic research The extent to which academics emphasise the application of their
Issue 143 Summer 2010
research in the policy context The relationships between consultancy and academic research Research production and use in comparable sectors and other countries The PhD project at Leeds Metropolitan University thus aims to explore the responsiveness of the academy to the needs and practices of the destination management sector and related agencies, while recognising the importance of challenging declared needs and existing professional practices. It is also important for practitioners to have opportunities to question and challenge academic, theoretical thinking. We recognise that there is a tendency for academics and practitioners to inhabit different worlds with contrasting professional demands, imperatives, cultures, perspectives and priorities. However, there is a need to challenge stereotypical views, whether of researchers being in ‘ivory towers,’ detached from the real world, or of practitioners neither valuing nor welcoming critical perspectives on policies and practices and judging research solely or primarily on its perceived ‘usefulness’. We therefore need to explore the nature of knowledge in destination management and consider how new thinking and critical ideas emerge through publication, dissemination, rejoinders, commentary and debate. Phil Long MTS MTMI| Principal Research Fellow, Centre for Tourism & Cultural Change, Leeds Metropolitan University
3
04
28/4/10
09:30
Page 2
Age in the Workplace
60+ and still going strong in tourism? Throughout the UK, tourism has taken legislation on the issue of age in the workplace seriously. This legislation, which came into force in 2006, affected businesses of all sizes from the public and private sector. It covered both employment and vocational training and, of course, catered for young and old alike throughout their working lives. In essence, it meant that employers had to adopt age-positive practices and could no longer recruit, train, promote or retire people on the basis of age.Trendy bars and gentleman’s clubs had to adapt quickly and most did so - those that didn’t are no longer around.The legislation made it very clear that skills, experience and the ability to do the job are important - not someone’s age. The sector should be aware that the older worker is a constantly growing demographic. By 2033, 23% of the UK’s population will be 65 and over, up 16% from 2008.The Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) found, in a recent survey into older workers’ aspirations, that a quarter of men and two thirds of women over 50 want to carry on working past the state pension age – yet hospitality and tourism has increasingly relied on a shrinking young workforce. The hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sector has one of the largest workforces in the country – employing almost two million people – and it’s true to say it is a very diverse workforce. However, there are currently only 38,000 people aged over 60 working in the sector.
‘The findings suggest that older workers value an approach to training and development which recognises their experience and, in turn, acknowledges their diverse and individual learning needs and ambitions’
The facts today are: Tourism has traditionally relied on a younger workforce 37% of the workforce is aged between 16 and 24. Only 23% of the workforce is over 45. Labour shortages and frustration among employers mean that the ageing population, visa changes for those outside the European Community and the strength of the Euro all present opportunities to employ a more indigenous mature workforce The findings suggest that older workers value an approach to training and development which recognises their experience and, in turn, acknowledges their diverse and individual learning needs and ambitions. Wise employers are already aware of the benefit of employing people of all ages, tapping into the many different experiences and skills they bring to their jobs, and acknowledging that everyone has something to contribute. Having a combination of talents will benefit the business and make the most of what all employees bring to the table. It’s a fact that most age-related stereotypes are a myth. Ask Thomas Cook, where 32% of their top sellers are aged over 50, or LA Fitness, which employs club administrators aged 50 and over.
Gareth Edwards | Education Director, The Springboard Charity
4
Issue 143 Summer 2010
Research from the University of Stirling, in partnership with People 1st, has also shown that the traditionally perceived disadvantages in hospitality and tourism, such as low wages, unsocial hours, repetitive work and seasonal employment were not necessarily negative issues for older workers. Whereas younger workers may be put off by these factors and move on, older workers find compensation for them in being needed, valued and maintaining a good work life balance.The demographics don’t lie.The older workforce is going to become more dominant as the years go by. Both older and younger will need to integrate into a variety of roles and the likelihood is that we will get better service because of it. Our industry is tailormade to accommodate all ages – after all, our customers are going to be all ages, aren’t they? In an industry where all ages can make a difference to the bottom line, and variety of work is a key motivator, we have the chance to enrich the working environment no matter what the calendar year. British tourism prides itself on a warm welcome and caring, sharing staff. We need to prove it doesn’t matter whether you are 16 or 66, customer or employer – age won’t be a barrier.
journal@tourismsociety.org
05
28/4/10
09:32
Page 1
Case Study: London Borough of Newham First steps to becoming a tourist guide According to the London 2012 website, more than 7.7 million people are expected to visit the Olympic Games, with a further 1.5 million for the Paralympics. To satisfy the need this will create for locally knowledgeable guides, and to help promote the local area at a time when it is being transformed by massive investment, an innovative course has been developed by Talk-Tourism Ltd working alongside the London Borough of Newham (Newham London), one of the host boroughs for the London 2012 Olympic Games.This foundation course is designed to train local residents in the skills of presentation and information gathering – the basic skills required to become a tourist guide. In October 2008, when the first course ran, the only nationally-recognised tour guiding qualification covering Newham London was the Institute of Tourist Guiding’s Blue Badge London Scheme. Apart from not requiring an in-depth knowledge of the borough, this higher education level 4 qualification takes 18 months to complete and costs several thousand pounds to acquire, putting it out of reach of many local residents. With funding made available through ‘Workplace’, the borough’s work placement and training initiative, and their London Development Agency funding, a maximum of 20 Newham residents of all ages and from diverse backgrounds were given the opportunity, through the new course, to take their first steps in a new career in the tourism industry. The two-week course included tips on presentation skills given by members of the Institute of Tour Guiding (ITG) and the Theatre Royal Stratford East. Participants were asked to gather information on local venues, both historic and new, including the Olympic park site.They took walks with local experienced guides and attended talks given by experts on the history, infrastructure and regeneration plans for the borough. At the end of the first course, twelve participants created a presentation to an audience of Newham London observers
Successful new Olympic Park Tour guides Des Blake, Barbara King and Pearl Saunders. and the involved lecturers.They worked Talk-Tourism is now working with eduas a team and individually to create their cational establishments to create a recogown visitor information presentations. nised foundation course, allowing the resThree of the participants went on to idents of London boroughs to take the show how capable and knowledgeable first steps to become local guides with they were when they successfully comthe opportunity to progress with employpleted the Olympic Delivery Authority ment and further education. (ODA)’s guiding course run by the Following the success of the Newham Institute of Tourist Guides. All three London initiative, several other East passed the course, are now affiliate memLondon boroughs have expressed an bers of the Institute, and are great ambasinterest in the scheme and hope to sadors for Newham London when showextend it to other areas in time to take ing the many visitors who use the ODA advantage of increased visitor numbers tour bus within the Olympic park. leading up to London 2012. These very proud residents, who 18 Funding for further foundation courses months ago had just started out on a is being sought from local businesses and career in guiding, are now on an amazing local authorities that will benefit directly journey which has included meeting Lord from the skills obtained by participants. Coe,Tessa Jowell and Boris Johnson. One The plan is to set up a Community has had the honour of being introduced Interest Company (CIC) in each interestto the Queen when Her Majesty visited ed local authority, creating a social enterthe Olympic park. prise organisation with stakeholders Talk-Tourism provides the best guides recruited from the local authority, trained for each opportunity that arises within guides, businesses and other interested my organisation. We use Blue Badge parties. Guides, City of London, Greenwich, Most importantly, it will provide the Westminster or Newham Ambassadors. chance for entry into employment and Except for the Newham Ambassadors, all further education in the tourism and hosthe others have achieved a recognised pitality sectors for those excluded educational standard as defined by ITG. because of financial requirements. Ian Kirby MTS | Managing director, Talk-Tourism Ltd
www.tourismsociety.org
Issue 143 Summer 2010
5
6&7
28/4/10
09:33
Page 2
Online Training
The origin of the species Travel Uni was the first to begin the evolution of online training for the UK’s travel and tourism industry almost seven years ago.This evolution had become essential as agents and suppliers identified the need to specialise to survive. In October 1999, there was a total of 7,770 travel retail outlets in the UK, yet, by October 2009, this number had reduced to fewer than 5,000. Over the last 12 months alone, there has been a reduction of around 350 locations.There is little question that this section of the market is shrinking. A number of major events over the last decade have contributed to this decline the consolidation of the Top 4 becoming the Top 2; 9/11; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS); and the global recession. On a more positive note however, during that same decade we have also seen the growth of the homeworking sector, low cost airlines, cruising and, of course, the unstoppable rise of the Internet. As never before, it really is now survival of the fittest. Being fit for business is crucial, and giving travel agents the right tools to be able to sell more is where elearning comes in. Gone are the days of agents thumbing through a brochure with their clients to look for that perfect package holiday. Today’s travellers are looking for the experience - they want to discover evolving destinations, while agents need to be more specialised and knowledgeable on a host of different destinations and products and able to inform their customers in a truly advisory capacity. It’s only then that you have a well-informed agent that the customer trusts and spends their money with, time and time again. The way we, as an industry, inform and educate agents has changed dramatically during the past decade too. Only eight years ago, agents were delivered product information via face-to-face visits or through printed training manuals.The more forward-thinking agencies even learnt via CD-ROMs! How technology has moved on.
6
Things have also changed for Travel Uni’s parent company, BMI Publications, over the last decade. Eight years ago, the company was purely a business-to-business travel and hospitality publisher whereas, today, innovation is key. Not only does BMI publish printed magazines, it now produces online training programmes, online marketing campaigns, plus loads of social networking opportunities. Travel Uni, BMI Publications’ online training division, evolved as travel industry principals wanted more.They wanted to see a return on their investment, they wanted to know that agents were actually learning something about their product and, more than anything, they wanted interactivity. Going online and developing an online training division was the obvious choice. Today, there are a number of online training providers in the market but, to really succeed, it’s essential to specialise in the market and at the same time diversify, just as agents do. BMI Publications was in
Issue 143 Summer 2010
a fortunate position. Before going online the company published training binders, which meant that lessons were learnt lessons. One of the biggest problems of printed training material is that almost as soon as it goes to press it is out of date. Another issue is that there can never be certainty about who is reading the information, so it’s impossible to track any progress. A large and significant change that has affected travel and many other industries is consolidation.There is simply not enough capacity within companies anymore to spare staff for face-to-face visits - even if the number of outlets has declined to fewer than 5,000. Travel Uni’s customers - mainly tourist boards - have seen the benefits of putting their training programmes online.The number of agents who used to work through the printed training manuals was in the hundreds, whereas with online training programmes the numbers are in the thousands. More importantly, for our customers, it is now possible to identify those agents who are doing their training
journal@tourismsociety.org
6&7
28/4/10
09:34
Page 3
programmes and to communicate with them. Going online also gives emerging markets and products the opportunity to be represented on the same platform as a mainstream product, bringing more of the world to agents’ fingertips. There were a number of ‘off the shelf ’ products we could have purchased to create Travel Uni but, as innovators, we decided to invest in and build a purposebuilt system that would be able to evolve with the latest trends and technology while still focusing on our customers’ needs. More to the point, the product can also be used across other markets, industries and countries, ensuring continual growth of our business. We could have gone the easy route and just developed a template which allowed our customers to add their own content, but this does not assure the quality of the programme content.Travel Uni took a business decision that utilised the large team of specialist travel writers at our disposal.Training programmes were largely written in-house, by experts, to make sure they contained informative and educational content. Quality assured! These same writers also produce the
monthly Selling Long Haul, Short Breaks & Holidays and The Business Travel Magazine, encouraging a close synergy between all the products and ensuring maximum publicity for the Travel Uni training programmes. One very good thing that has come from the growth of training in the travel industry is the opportunity for agents to be rewarded for their effort. In recent years ABTA, ITT and People 1st have been working together to develop the Accredited Travel Professional scheme. This is a scheme in which agents can be recognised and rewarded for continual professional development.The ATP is mapped to the National Standards grid and all of our training programmes are accredited to this scheme. In a development benchmark survey, conducted in 2008 by ABTA and People 1st, more than two-thirds of travel businesses provided e-learning for their staff. The survey suggests that e-learning was most popular in leisure travel agencies, reflecting the wide usage of the Internet for product knowledge training. We estimate that there are more than 150 quality travel industry online training pro-
‘We need to be fit for our own evolution – we have to understand what the technological capabilities are, what we need to deliver and how we do that effectively. We want agents to be learning the right product, at the right time, for the right reason and on a platform that is future-proof. Agents need to be more specialised and knowledgeable, allowing them to service their customers’ changing attitudes and trends professionally’
www.tourismsociety.org
Issue 143 Summer 2010
grammes presently available in the UK alone.The majority of these programmes are destination based, so much of the industry remains untapped regarding elearning. E-learning still has a long way to go in the UK, where it is still in its infancy.The UK travel industry in general lags behind in technology although we are slowly catching up and people are becoming far more Internet savvy than they ever were. However, head offices still dictate what software can be used and what can and cannot be downloaded.Therefore, we have to be mindful of this when creating e-learning programmes. We need to be fit for our own evolution – we have to understand what the technological capabilities are, what we need to deliver and how we do that effectively. We want agents to be learning the right product, at the right time, for the right reason and on a platform that is future-proof. Agents need to be more specialised and knowledgeable, allowing them to service their customers’ changing attitudes and trends professionally. And what of future generations in travel and tourism? We are already in talks with academia regarding using our content as a learning resource in colleges and schools – the possibilities are endless. Travel Uni’s foresight, innovative thinking and bespoke training programme has had sufficient appeal to attract more than 50 high quality training programmes with some 29,000 registered users. Both of these already impressive statistics will increase as Travel Uni continues to evolve.
Sally Oakey| Associate Director, Travel Uni
7
08
28/4/10
09:35
Page 2
Coaching and Mentoring
A New Approach to Professional Development The idea that people make a difference is often present in mission and strategic statements but very often is not followed through. Many more companies are waking up to the fact that people can't always 'do it' alone and that they need support, guidance and nurturing. Most markets in the current business world are under pressure, with sales tough to win and profits under the scrutiny of shareholders. Competitive edge is difficult to gain and quickly copied whilst people are asked to produce more and better. How then to respond to all these challenges to improve performance while keeping a healthy work life balance? There is growing evidence that coaching and mentoring may well be the answer, meeting the needs of staff because there are two things that stimulate people more than anything else in a working environment: being challenged in a new role, and having a key individual who provides help and support. Coaching and mentoring have become increasingly popular in the UK, and are fast developing in other Western European countries.This new emphasis on people development has been driven by several powerful forces. Firstly, there has been a trend towards flattening of the hierarchies within organisations and in the reduction of the number of management levels. Secondly, the labour market has changed – people are more mobile, and prefer to work for companies where a coaching and mentoring culture exists because it is more fun and rewarding working for them. Thirdly, business conditions, markets and technologies are changing very quickly and companies can no longer afford to send staff away on week-long training. Training needs to be continuous and more ‘on the job’. All of this points to the need for continuous professional development of individuals, on a one-to-one basis, and a more collaborative approach to working. Coaching and mentoring could certainly help the process.
But what are coaching and mentoring? Both terms have been redefined over time to accommodate socio-economic changes, so there are almost as many definitions of coaching and mentoring as there are practitioners. Originally from Greek mythology, the word ‘mentor’ has now become synonymous with ‘trusted friend’, teacher, wiser person, and mentoring as the art of facilitating the performance, learning and development of another.The accent here is more on the development of the individual’s capabilities and is more of a longterm process. Coaching, on the other hand, is primarily about performance and the development of specific skills. It works more on the short-term, and is also used in sport, business-to-business, the academic world and so forth, helping people to learn rather than teaching them. There are large overlaps between coaching and mentoring. Essentially though, both are powerful processes which allow an individual, team or organisation to unlock potential through self awareness. How effective are coaching and mentoring? The travel and hospitality sector is constantly changing both as a result of economic pressures, technology develop-
Gaby Marcon | Director, Shine People & Places
8
Issue 143 Summer 2010
ment, government intervention or organisational changes. People are required to learn all the time: learn on the job, through work experience, through group and team activities, and workshops and courses. Coaching and mentoring allow people to enhance their knowledge, skills and competence throughout their career. This involves a variety of activities including reflecting on the way one works, being more focused and taking on new challenges. Coaching and mentoring can be highly effective to: Improve performance and productivity Improve staff retention by motivating staff and fostering a culture of learning and development Increase effectiveness of formal training Improve networking and communication Tackle underperformance Quickly induct new people The advantage of coaching and mentoring over other forms of learning and development activities is that, when it works well, everyone benefits - the mentee, the mentor and the organisation. If you think you would benefit from having a mentor or if you wish to test your mentoring skills and be listed in our mentors’ database, please contact the author on gmarcon@shinepeopleandplaces.co.uk
journal@tourismsociety.org
09
28/4/10
09:39
Page 1
From Theory to Practice
Consultants as brokers of tourism knowledge Knowledge plays a key role in creating value and building competitive advantage for tourism organisations and destinations. Consultants can be regarded as important agents in the dissemination of tourism knowledge through their relative expertise, continuous movement between clients and destinations, and contacts with a wide array of stakeholders. In principle, consultants are well positioned to transfer knowledge from within the tourism industry to higher education institutions through guest lectures and other forms of liaison.Through these links, consultants might also bring some of the latest academic knowledge back to the tourism industry. In practice, the flow of knowledge between tourism consultants and academia is still under-exploited.Time restrictions obviously play a part, and, as I have become more aware since my recent move from tourism research to consultancy, the aims, approaches and expectations of consultants and academics are not necessarily concurrent. Nonetheless, I believe that, as quintessential knowledge brokers, consultants could make a valuable contribution to education and training programmes, informing the future generation of tourism professionals.The rest of this article serves as one example of how such a liaison could be achieved. Many of the UK’s leading tourism consultants have achieved their positions by first building an impressive career within the tourism industry. Whilst it is true that, in general, in order to ‘talk the talk’ one should have ‘walked the walk’, some tourism education programmes do build in a strong focus on consultancy skills, thus preparing graduates for management as well as advisory positions within the tourism sector. Although I am sure that there are also great examples in the UK, the NHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences in The Netherlands, where I obtained my own degree, is a prime example of an institution which manages to provide its
www.tourismsociety.org
students with a distinctive edge by bringing in consultancy aspects into the Bachelor in International Tourism Management and Consultancy, as well as its unique Masters in Tourism Destination Management. After an introduction year and a preparatory semester, undergraduates carry out a destination analysis during a three-week field work project abroad, paying special attention to cross cultural understanding, the development of tourism, the impact of tourism and the tourism markets. Upon return, this analysis is followed by a pre-feasibility study, involving the exploration of realistic projects to help solve local issues, and a feasibility study - including a market and revenue analysis for the proposed investments. Masters students work on practical research and consultancy assignments at three different destinations in the AsiaPacific region for a period of three months.Through the NHTV’s international network the students work closely with various stakeholders, including consultants.They get to interpret the wider context in which tourism development takes place, understand the complexities at each specific destination, and report on improvements, as well as potential and strategic future directions. Lecturers, who often work as part-time
Issue 143 Summer 2010
tourism consultants or have a background as professional consultants, supervise and support the students during the preparation and presentation of their assignments to clients at the destinations. The programme set-up, and the interaction between theory and practice, enables students to apply and increase their knowledge, sharpen their research techniques, and gain valuable international experience and cross-cultural understanding. Although they are by no means at the same expertise level as professional consultants with a solid tourism industry background, these students not only strengthen their problem-solving and analytical skills, but also gain an immediate practical advantage over those who have never worked on consultancy projects. This is just one example of how a greater flow of knowledge can be achieved, as well as harnessing consultancy skills in future tourism professionals. Perhaps similar initiatives will increasingly be incorporated in tourism education and training programmes in the UK. It could strengthen the links between the theory and practice of tourism, make greater use of knowledge carried by consultants, and better prepare students for both managerial and advisory positions in the tourism industry. Jasmijn Muller | Analyst, Locum Consulting formerly PhD Researcher at University of Surrey
9
10&11
28/4/10
09:40
Page 2
Growing the Workforce
Tourism’s employment prospects The hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sector is the fourth largest employer in the UK, and has a crucial role to play in boosting the economy over the next decade. In 2007, travel and tourism was worth an estimated £114 billion to the UK, and is about four times the size of agriculture in terms of the revenue it generates. Despite the recession, the UK tourism industry has fared comparatively well in relation to its European counterparts. A report from research company Deloitte showed that revenue per available room in the Euro zone was down 19.8 percent on 2008, while London boasts the highest occupancy in Europe at 79.8 percent. Glasgow and Edinburgh were also the only cities to show growth. With the country now preparing for recovery, and a ‘golden decade of sporting events’ approaching – including the 2010 Ryder Cup in Newport, the 2012 Olympics in London, the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, and the 2015 Rugby World Cup – it is an exciting time for anyone considering a career in travel and tourism. The opportunities are certainly there – People 1st’s State of the Nation 2009 report found that, with replacement demand, over a million additional individuals will be required to work in the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sector between 2007 and 2017. In recent times, tourism has been responsible for one in four new jobs created in Britain. September 2010 will see another route open for young people to pursue a career in travel and tourism as the Diploma in Travel and Tourism is deliv-
ered in schools and colleges across England for the first time. The qualification is one of 17 new ‘Diplomas’ for 14-19 year-olds, which combine theory and practice to equip students with the skills, knowledge and experience that employers require from the future workforce.The Diploma in Travel and Tourism was officially launched at the Best of Britain and Ireland exhibition at Olympia, London, on 19 March. The Diploma has been developed by People 1st, the sector skills council for hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism, and GoSkills, the sector skills council for passenger transport, with input from leading employers and trade bodies.These include Advantage Travel Centres, Merlin Entertainments,TUI UK,The Co-operative Travel, Shearings Holidays, Servisair, Thomas Cook, ABTA,The Travel Association and the Institute of Travel and
‘With the country now preparing for recovery, and a ‘golden decade of sporting events’ approaching – including the 2010 Ryder Cup in Newport, the 2012 Olympics in London, the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, and the 2015 Rugby World Cup – it is an exciting time for anyone considering a career in travel and tourism’
10
Issue 143 Summer 2010
Tourism.The qualification covers travel and tourism services, passenger transport, visitor attractions, conferences and events and accommodation services. Students will also be able to pick additional specialised learning modules.These could include subjects like sustainable tourism development, customer service, business travel, flight operations, transport planning and the cruise market. More information on the Diploma in Travel and Tourism, including monthly email updates, is available at www.tandtdiploma.co.uk. People 1st also showcases the diverse range of opportunities available in travel and tourism via www.uksp.co.uk.This unique website brings together information on careers, job opportunities, qualifications, good employers, colleges and funding for the sector. It currently has over 50,000 registered individual users, who can use it to plan their future through an innovative career map and search for job vacancies with registered Good Employers. Companies who sign up as Good Employers can rate themselves against standards laid out by employers them-
journal@tourismsociety.org
10&11
28/4/10
09:40
Page 3
selves, and their employees can do the same. Good Employers can also post job vacancies on the site – New Frontiers and Audley Travel are amongst the companies regularly doing this. UKSP also contains a Good Provider Guide – which highlights registered learning providers offering qualifications and courses in travel and tourism – and a Good Qualification Guide, which simplifies the complicated qualifications landscape for both employers and individuals and works as a course directory for the sector. The information held on www.uksp.co.uk has been obtained through People 1st’s qualification reform work. Over the past three years it has been working to streamline the qualifications on offer for the travel and tourism industry, after research showed that there were 500 hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism related qualifications across the UK, but that employers and employees did not understand their relevance. Advisory panels, made up of employers and partners, have also been set up to oversee the development of new qualifications where the need has been identified. 2010 will see a number of these qualifications become available, including a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) in travel and a new travel Apprenticeship in August.
and regional networking events with inspirational speakers. Despite the fact that 59% of the sector’s workforce is female, the number of women working in senior positions is alarmingly low – fewer than 6% of company directors in the sector are women. Women 1st aims to address this by bringing together employers, women managers and entrepreneurs to provide engaging and practical examples of how to overcome barriers to employing more women in senior positions. Women 1st has already received extremely positive feedback from those participating in the programme, and more information on the initiative is available at www.people1st.co.uk/women1st. The upcoming London Olympics and Paralympics in 2012 provide one of the most exciting prospects for both current and future tourism employees. People 1st’s State of the Nation 2010 report, due to be published in May, will report on the learning experiences of tourism businesses at the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Vancouver.
People 1st is also working with Tourism British Columbia to bring the customer service programme used for Olympic volunteers and the tourism industry at the recent Winter Olympics to the UK. Investing in the skills of the workforce can help to improve the appeal of the sector and improve retention rates. A 2008 survey by People 1st and ABTA found that over 90% of travel job seekers want to work with employers who offer good training and development programmes. The upcoming decade represents a huge opportunity for UK tourism to shake off negative perceptions and create a lasting legacy for success, but this can only happen if the workforce is trained and prepared for the challenge. People 1st continues to work with employers, stakeholders and Government to ensure that this is the case, but employers also need to pick up the baton and help to drive the skills agenda forward. The work to put UK tourism in first place must start now.
New vocational qualifications in travel and tourism, aimed at those currently not in education or employment, are also due to be launched in the autumn. In January this year People 1st, in partnership with leading employers including Hoseasons Holidays,TUI UK,Thomas Cook, Co-operative Travel Group, Advantage Travel, ABTA The Travel Association, and The Institute of Travel and Tourism, submitted a bid for over £2 million of government investment in a National Skills Academy for the industry. This followed overwhelming industry support for a dedicated body to benchmark excellence in training and qualifications in the sector. Although the bid was not selected for progression by the government – the successful bids focused on civil engineering projects and the low carbon economy – People 1st is working with the other partners involved to see if they can find an alternative approach to developing the skills academy the industry so clearly wants. People 1st also launched its ‘Women 1st’ initiative last year, designed to support the career development of women in hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism through a continuous professional development programme, mentoring network
www.tourismsociety.org
Issue 143 Summer 2010
John Humphreys MTS | Travel and Tourism Diploma Manager, People 1st
11
12
28/4/10
09:42
Page 2
Tourism Higher Education
Maintaining interest in turbulent times For most of the 20th century, tourism as an academic subject was not taught at universities.The emergence of tourism in higher education is a recent phenomenon, albeit an astonishing one, in terms of its rapid growth and development. Until fairly recently, little systematic attempt had been made to chart the extent of tourism higher education (HE) in the UK. Admittedly, a number of academic studies with tourism education at their heart made statements about tourism’s rapid expansion since the early 1990s, but an overall review of the status quo was missing. Not until 2007, and more recently in 2009, the Association for Tourism in Higher Education (www.athe.org.uk) decided it was time to provide an overview of the provision of tourism higher education in the UK.These reports provide overdue baseline data. To summarise the key points from ATHE’s 2009 report: The number of institutions offering tourism (at HE level) has remained fairly constant since 2006 (approx. 120). There appears to have been a slight decline in the number of tourism courses offered but their diversity has grown (rather than simply studying tourism it is now possible for example to undertake a course in tourism anthropology or adventure tourism). Figures from UCAS (2002-2007) indicate that the number of students on
‘Despite short-term fluctuations, overall the tourism industry is expanding and needs graduates. School leavers know a degree is now regarded less as an optional extra, but as a prerequisite to an increasing range of jobs (witness the increase in applications to HE this year)’
12
Dr Andreas Walmsley | Leeds Metropolitan University, Brandon Crimes MTS | University of Hertfordshire
tourism courses in HE continues to grow, albeit far more slowly than in the 1990s (from a lower base). In summary, it is reasonable to claim that, after tourism’s rapid expansion in HE, the growth curve is flattening off and we are now faced with three possible scenarios: rejuvenation, stagnation or decline. While it is impossible to know where tourism education is heading, past developments provide clues as to possible future scenarios.The changing HE landscape of the 20th century was a result of changing views of the role and purpose of HE in society.Today, it is widely acknowledged and accepted among policy-makers that an economic imperative underpins HE and that link between the economy and HE is likely to become stronger. On that basis, vocational courses such as tourism are unlikely to disappear any time soon. However, while the incumbent government’s target was to ensure that 50% of school leavers participated in HE by 2010, recent economic developments will result in a reigning in of public spending
Issue 143 Summer 2010
with implications for HE. Indeed, cuts in HE funding have already been announced. Caps on student numbers and hefty penalties will ensure that previous levels of growth in student numbers will not be sustained. A further factor that has possibly already impinged on the number of students studying tourism is the emergence of competitor courses.The rapid rise of the popularity of events management courses in particular may have, in part, contributed to the flattening off of the tourism HE growth curve. It would be churlish not to regard it as a substitute product.This is clearly of concern in a market that is not expanding as rapidly as it was. But the picture is certainly not one of doom and gloom; far from it. As ATHE figures indicate, there is still strong demand for tourism courses, in particular from international students at postgraduate level. Despite short-term fluctuations, overall the tourism industry is expanding and needs graduates. School leavers know a degree is now regarded less as an optional extra, but as a prerequisite to an increasing range of jobs (witness the increase in applications to HE this year). Some would say there was always the danger that the emergence of tourism in HE was but a blip in the history of university education.This view is becoming more difficult to support. While there are many factors that may curb the rate of growth in the short-term, the increasing importance of knowledge in our so-called knowledge society will ensure the longevity of tourism HE. If, as government and industry recognise, the source of competitive advantage is the skills and knowledge of the workforce this is unlikely to change any time soon. Both authors are on the Executive Committee of the Association for Tourism in Higher Education The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and may not reflect those of ATHE or their respective institutions.
journal@tourismsociety.org
28/4/10
09:54
Page 1
Corporate Member
13
Corporate Member
Corporate Member
Corporate Member
Corporate Member
14 28/4/10 09:55 Page 1
15
28/4/10
11:10
Page 1
16
28/4/10
10:01
Page 2
Membership News To say the first quarter of the year has flown by is certainly an understatement. As you read this we are moving out of an economic downturn and possibly have a new government, which hopefully will have a very expansive and supportive tourism portfolio – fingers crossed, anyway. In other news, both the Tourism Alliance and ABTA have released their manifestos, the Tourism Society has successfully integrated with TMI. We are also actively seeking similar organisations that can see the benefit to their members of being part of a larger organisation whilst
maintaining their own specialist identity and activities. With this in mind I would be very happy to open dialogue if anyone wants to get in touch. With a new approach to corporate partnership marketing amongst our members and corporate partners it looks like the next quarter will keep us as busy as the first, especially with the forthcoming conference in London on June 13 and 14 exploring the New Decade of Tourism. Mark Miller MTS | Executive Director, mark@tourismsociety.org
From the Chairman’s Desk Training and education are paramount to the future of our industry and this edition of the journal has provided a good overview of the options available.The TMI qualification is an excellent way for those interested in destination management to bring together their experience under formal qualifications. Our annual conference in June will give delegates the opportunity of examining the TMI qualification and CPD program and its role in the future during one of the breakout sessions. Training has brought the Tourism Society, ABTA and ITT – the three leading travel and tourism associations – together over the past 3 years to present industry-wide careers advice and training sessions.This approach to the industry has been taken a stage further with ABTA's manifesto (www.abta.com/about/lobbying_and_government_affairs/abt a-manifesto). By the time you receive this journal the election will have taken place and we may be on
16
the way to having a dedicated tourism minister. It is never too late to educate your local MPs on the importance of our industry and I hope that you managed to make use of the toolkit that the British Tourism Week Executive Committee made available. I’d like to thank all contributors and look forward to seeing as many members as possible at the annual conference and AGM. Alison Cryer FTS | Chairman, The Tourism Society
Issue 143 Summer 2010
Book Reviews: The following reviews are available online at www.tourismsociety.org/bookreviews: Classroom Activities for Edexcel GCSE Leisure and Tourism (Travel and Tourism Publishing 2009); Contemporary Tourist Behaviour:Yourself and Others as Tourists (CABI 2009);Tourism and Generation Y (CABI 2009). Congratulations to… Bobbie Heavens for being awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours List 2010 for Services to the Tourism Industry. Welcome New Group Members University of Exeter 01392 263 200 business-school.exeter.ac.uk Adrian Bailey MTS University of Exeter 01392 263200 a.r.bailey@exeter.ac.uk Gareth Shaw MTS University of Exeter 01392 723 332 g.shaw@exeter.ac.uk Tim Coles MTS University of Exeter 01392 264 441 t.e.coles@exeter.ac.uk Queen Margaret University 0131 474 0000 www.qmu.ac.uk Elaine Crichton MTS Queen Margaret University 0131 474 0000 ecrichton@qmu.ac.uk Trevor Laffin MTS Queen Margaret University 0131 474 0000 tlaffin@qmu.ac.uk Rebecca Finkel MTS Queen Margaret University 0131 474 0000 rfinkel@qmu.ac.uk Bernie Quinn MTS Queen Margaret University 0131 474 0000 bquinn@qmu.ac.uk Senija Causevic MTS Queen Margaret University 0131 474 0000 scausevic@qmu.ac.uk Welcome New Members Kathryn Bullock MTS Face Marketing 0207 274 6302 kathrynbullock@ btinternet.com www.face-marketing.com Alex Paul MTS Choose Suffolk
01473 406 710 alex@choosesuffolk.com www.choosesuffolk.com James Hoseason MTS Indigo Commercial 01508 520 111 james@icomprop.co.uk James Chilton MTS TRP Solutions +353 86 336 2523 james@trpsolutions.ie www.trpsolutions.ie Julia Fallon MTS Cardiff School of Management, UWIC 02920 416 322 jfallon@uwic.ac.uk www.uwic.ac.uk Joseph Farrugia MTS International Hotel Investments plc +356 21 233 141 jmfarrugia@yahoo.co.uk Wendy Tang MTS Greenwich Council 0208 921 6295 wendy.tang@greenwich.gov.uk Shari Vo-Ta MTS Millennium and Copthorne 0207 872 2469 shari.vo-ta@millennium hotels.co.uk www.millenniumhotels.co.uk Karen Sequeira MTS Millenium and Copthorne karen.sequeira@millenniumhotels.co.uk www.millenniumhotels.co.uk Eva Aimable MTS World Travel & Tourism Council 0207 481 8007 eva.aimable@wttc.org Adebayo Adedugbe MTS 11-73 Services Ltd +234 1 475 8619 tourism11_73@yahoo.com Andrew Steven MTS Promote Shetland 01595 741 571 andy@shetland.org Paul Rickard MTS Visit London 0207 234 5124 paul.rickard@visitlondon.com www.visitlondon.com Continued on Page 17
journal@tourismsociety.org
17
28/4/10
10:07
Page 1
Membership News Continued from Page 16 Peter Sandman MTS Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council 0151 934 2321 peter69@orange.net Anna Lightbody MTS West Lothian Council anna.lightbody@westlothian.gov.uk www.westlothian.gov.uk Laurence Bresh MTS VisitBritain 0207 578 1120 laurence.bresh@visitbritain.org www.visitbritain.com Crispian Emberson MTS Heritage Destination Consulting Ltd 0871 218 0817 hd.consulting@btinternet.com www.heritagedestination.com Charles Mansfield MTS University of Plymouth 07564 541 627 cm@eserve.org.uk Carolyn Custerson MTS Close Focus Tourism Consultancy 07968 261 845 carolyn.custerson@btinternet.com www.carolyncusterson.co.uk Sofia Reino MTS Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh 0131 474 0000 sreino@qmu.ac.uk Ahuva Zarkan MTS Israel Ministry of Tourism
+972 2 666 4232 ahuvaz@tourism.gov.il Jan-Bjarni Bjarnason MTS Grontmij-Carl Bro +45 272 36430 jbb@gmcb.dk Ian Castle MTS 07954 481 164 ipcastle@aol.co.uk Zahara Cuenca Lopez MTS Lotus UK 0207 953 7470 zahara@lotus-uk.co.uk www.lotus-uk.co.uk Nicola Bowen Rees MTS Sulis Projects Ltd 07590 030 258 sulisprojectsltd@aol.com Jennifer Medcalf MTS Tall Poppies Scotland Ltd 0131 449 7377 jen@tallpoppies-scotland.co.uk www.tallpoppies-scotland.co.uk Alison Partridge MTS Proof Positive Solutions +1 250 812 8202 contact@ppsolutions.ca www.ppsolutions.ca Samuel Cooper MTS Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust 01634 823 817 scooper@chdt.org.uk www.chdt.org.uk Anne Corbett MTS Get Back to Me 01442 213 325 info@getbacktome.co.uk Janet Uttley MTS
VisitEngland 0207 578 1419 janet.uttley@visitengland.org www.visitengland.com Omololu Olumuyiwa MTS Travelscope Magazine +234 803 850 6964 olumololu@yahoo.com Becky Janes MTS Activity People 07962 379 419 becky@activityhq.com www.theactivitypeople.co.uk Jeannie Shapiro MTS Think Marketing 07768 414 358 jeannieshapiro@aol.com www.think-marketing.net Johann Holt MTS The RSPB 01767 693 078 johann.holt@rspb.org.uk www.rspb.org.uk Tracy Bosanko MTS Bosanko Marketing Communications 01625 871 402 tracy@tbpr.co.uk bosankomarketing.com Welcome New Students Aparaajit Venkatakrishnan University of Surrey aparaajit@gmail.com Friederike Franck University of Surrey ff00002@surrey.ac.uk Hannah Elizabeth Baker
Basingstoke College of Technology HEB19991@aol.com Jarka Hinksman London Metropolitan University jarka@tastingplaces.com Joanna Garus Leeds Metropolitan University joannagarus@hotmail.co.uk Joanna Slomiak University of Wolverhampton joan-3.14159@hotmail.com Karen Crittenden Guildford College karenblenkinsop@btinternet.com Kathryn Griffin Thames Valley University kathryn.griffin@rocketmail.com Marjun Hansen Queen Margaret University hansenmarjun@gmail.com Miguel Dias Costa Westminster University miguel.dias.costa@innovationbox.co.uk Nadia Sorokina Oxford Brookes University nadia_sorokina@hotmail.com Richard Greenwood The British College of Journalism richardgreenwood@hotmail.co.uk Selma Costa Guildford College 04048388@students.guildford.ac.uk Tina GĂźnther University of Surrey tg.guenther@gmail.com
Notice of Annual General Meeting 2010 Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of The Tourism Society will be held at the Danubius Hotel Regents Park, 18 Lodge Road, St. John’s Wood, London NW8 7JT on Tuesday 15th June 2010 at 9:00am for the following purposes: 1. The Executive Director to read the notice convening the meeting. 2. To receive apologies for absence. 3. To receive and, if agreed, to adopt the Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on Tuesday 14th July 2009, previously circulated. 4. To receive and consider the reports of the Council and of the Sections Groups and Chapters for the year ending 31st December 2009. 5. To receive and consider the Accounts, Balance Sheet and report of the Auditors for the year ending 31st December 2009. 6. To appoint the auditors at a fee to be agreed by the Board. By Order of the Board 7. To elect members of the Board. Mark Miller Executive 8. Any other business. Director 15th April 2010 Nomination forms available from Secretariat. A proxy vote is available.
www.tourismsociety.org
Issue 143 Summer 2010
17
18
28/4/10
10:09
Page 2
28/4/10 10:10
Corporate Member
Corporate Member
19 Page 1
Corporate Member
28/4/10 10:10
Corporate Member
Corporate Member
20 Page 1
Inside Back cover
28/4/10
10:12
Page 1
Back Cover
28/4/10
10:11
Page 1
The Tourism Society Annual Conference 2010
A NEW DECADE OF
TOURISM Sponsored by The Carrier Group
Sunday 13th and Monday 14th June Lord's Cricket Ground London
As we see Britain slowly moving out of recession and with the new government in place, this year’s Tourism Society Conference is going to be one of the most exciting and thought-provoking that we have ever had. Join us at the fantastic venue of Lord’s Cricket Ground on Monday 14th June for the new format Conference designed to promote as much debate and discussion as possible.
Conference Programme Sunday 13th June Study tour of some of the Olympic sites or Middlesex v Essex 20/20 cricket game at Lord’s (Limited availability) Monday 14th June Keynote address:Tobias Ellwood, Shadow Minister Culture, Media & Sport Breakout sessions:The Carrier Group – New Media & Marketing for the Future; A New Decade of Events, Conferences & Incentives; CPD;The Future of Tourism Consulting. Dinner in the Long Room, Lord's. Tuesday 15th June Tourism Society AGM For the full programme and costs please visit The Tourism Society event page on www.tourismsociety.org or call 0208 661 4636. Places are selling fast, book now to avoid disappointment! From £95.
comprising direct marketing specialists Carrier Direct Marketing and online marketers Carter Communication