Council leaders warn of tourism black hole

With many councils playing a leading role in boosting local tourism, the Local Government Association has warned that the sector risks being overwhelmed by record number of visitors and growing skills gaps.

With overseas visitors spending £22 billion annually in the UK, the LGA is warning that current and future shortages in skilled staff risks bringing our booming tourism industry to a halt unless improved training opportunities needed for a career in the sector are made available.

The Tourism Alliance has reported that 38 per cent of hospitality and tourism businesses are reporting that they are struggling to fill vacancies and it is getting increasingly harder to fill vacancies, while 21 per cent of businesses are reporting that the staff that they are employing lack essential skills. It is believed that an extra 1.3 million new employees will need to be recruited to cope with the rapid growth of tourism in the UK by 2024.

Amongst leading examples of councils boosting local tourism is Cornwall Council, established as the number one UK tourist destination, attracting 4.5 million overnight visitors and 14 million day trips a year and creating 58,000 regional jobs in the tourism supply chain. Recent investments include the award winning Tate St Ives (museum of the year); Jubilee Pool, Penzance (art deco geothermal powered lido); and the award winning Man Engine which reached 112 million people across 104 countries. Cornwall is currently in the running for UK’s Best Holiday Destination for the tenth year running.

Gerald Vernon-Jackson, chair of the Local Government Association’s Culture, Tourism and Sport Board said: “Tourism has a vital role in driving future economic growth. It provides a wealth of employment opportunities for residents, it attracts new visitors to our communities and it promotes our local and national arts and heritage.

“It is crucial that government supports councils in providing residents and young people with resources and training. As the employment market changes over the next few years, there could be an array of opportunities in the tourism sector, but it is vital that councils are able to direct skills funding to meet the increasing demand for skills in the industry."