Tourism minister hails hospitality industry's potential for job creation
New tourism minister Helen Grant has hailed the hospitality industry's financial contribution to the UK and potential for job creation.
Speaking at the launch of the Deloitte report, Tourism: Jobs and growth, Grant said she was impressed by the possibility that hospitality and tourism, could create 300,000 jobs by 2020.
The report, commissioned by Visit Britain, found that the tourism sector would grow by 3.8% very year to 2025. It also said that tourism was responsible for a third of all jobs created between 2010 and 2012.
Grant said: "The commitment of the hospitality and tourism industry to creating jobs and supporting young people has been brought into sharp focus by the British Hospitality Association's Big Conversation. It has shown the potential of creating 300,000 new jobs by 2020 and 1,000 employers have already pledged to create 5,000 jobs and 15,000 apprenticeships.
"This is truly impressive, and it's initiatives like this which help to realise the potential outlined in today's report."
British Hospitality Association chief executive Ufi Ibrahim said that the hospitality industry was UK plc's brightest star. "We account for one third of all new jobs created in Britain between 2010 and 2012, taking us to 3 million employees across all regions of the UK - from coastal to rural, towns and cities. This growth will move Hospitality up into the top three biggest employers in Britain," she added.
"As other industries increasingly automate and outsource jobs, Hospitality stands out for the scale of jobs it represents, especially for young entrants, and for the pace and extent of career development offered across our industry. There are few industries that can match Hospitality's power to propel individuals from entry level to boardrooms across Britain."
