BHA to develop new strategy to create jobs
A new strategy to unlock the hospitality and tourism industry's job-creating potential is to be developed by the British Hospitality Association (BHA).
Ufi Ibrahim, the BHA's chief executive, said the association must focus on creating a platform so that the industry's growth potential - in jobs and investment - is fully realised and is not held back by barriers that could be removed. Such action "would hugely advantage not only the industry but the UK economy overall," she explained.
"If there was one message that came out of the Hospitality and Tourism Summit, held earlier this month, it was that there is overarching concern that the present government is not listening to the country's wealth creators."
Ibrahim said that the BHA was now following up with all speakers and delegates at the summit to trawl opinion on the focus of the new strategy before the association took it forward.
"The BHA's role is clear. With ever-widening industry support we must lead opinion so that government fully understands the critically important role that hospitality and tourism plays in the UK economy.
"At present, there is a lot of government talk about supporting the industry, but very little action.
"We must quickly gather together all the industry's forces to ensure that there is a real change in government attitudes and policies, so that action follows."
At the summit, more than 500 delegates supported the need for industry and government partnership to ensure that the hospitality and tourism industry's job-creating potential was fully realised..
The hospitality industry is working towards creating 20,000 work placements and 10,000 apprenticeships and will take a step towards advancing job creation, particularly for 18- to 24-year-olds, at The Big Conversation for Hospitality event on 11 July 2012.
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By Janet Harmer
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