News

“Industry provides accessible employment when one in five young people is unemployed”

The British Hospitality Association is bringing together industry leaders for the first-ever Hospitality and Tourism Summit at the InterContinental London Park Lane on June 1. .

Joining industry leaders such as Nick Varney Chief Executive of Merlin Entertainments, Richard Solomons, chief executive of InterContinental Hotels group and Simon Vincent, President Europe, Hilton Worldwide, will be John Penrose MP, Minister for Tourism & Heritage, to discuss how the sector can drive jobs and growth in the UK.

The Summit will explore the breadth and vitality of the industry and draw on investors and high-level speakers to help shape its future. Leaders of the sector, which supports over 2.5 million jobs and contributes over £34bn to the UK Exchequer, will discuss strategies to realise the full potential of hospitality and tourism as a source of growth and job creation.

Top celebrities such as Dame Kelly Holmes, Matt Dawson, Gavin Hastings and Raymond Blanc will join leading international voices on tourism such as Taleb Rifai, Secretary General, UN World Tourism Organisation, for a Gala Dinner following the Summit.

Ufi Ibrahim, Chief Executive, BHA comments:

“Tourism and hospitality is a key UK industry and we are proud to be stepping forward to devise strategies to drive growth and employment.

“Tourism is the UK’s third largest export, and provides accessible employment at a time when one in five young people is unemployed.

“The Summit focuses on powering links between major events, sports, tourism and hospitality and will provide a platform to showcase the industry’s importance to the UK economy.”

Angela Brav, Chief Executive, Europe, InterContinental Hotels Group, one of the Summit speakers, says:

“2012 is an exciting year for the UK as we host the Olympic and Paralympic Games. At IHG we’re working to create a legacy from the Games – Holiday Inn is the official hotel provider and we have launched an IHG academy providing hospitality training in the local Stratford area.

“We’re taking part in this first ever UK Hospitality and Tourism Summit as it’s an important opportunity for us to come together and create a lasting legacy for the industry from 2012.

“The UK hospitality and tourism industry delivers millions of jobs and has a huge role to play in the economic well-being of the country – this Summit is a chance for us to come together as one voice.”

Christophe Vanswieten, Chief Operating Officer, Accor Benelux, Switzerland, UK & Ireland says:

“We fully support the aims and objectives of the BHA’s Hospitality & Tourism Summit. The hospitality and tourism industries have a valuable and increasingly important impact on the UK economy.

“The dynamism of the hotel sector – its role in the creation of jobs and career stability, its promotion of Britain as a tourism destination and its overall stimulus on the economic development and growth of the UK – is of enormous value.

“It is imperative that the government and our industry work together to protect and help grow the sector.”

Simon Vincent, Area President Europe, Hilton Worldwide, says:

“Great Britain has a rich cultural heritage which makes it a world class destination – what we need now is to harness this heritage and innovate to ensure we’re competing at a global level by providing the framework for the tourism and hospitality sector to succeed. As the world’s fastest growing major hotel company with a long established presence in Great Britain, we’re committed to working in partnership with Government and other agencies to achieve this goal.”

Speakers include  John Penrose MP, Minister for Tourism & Heritage; the Chinese Ambassador to Britain;  Richard Solomons, Chief Executive, InterContinental Hotels Group; Robert Webb QC, General Counsel, Rolls Royce; Taleb Rifai, Secretary General, UN World Tourism Organisation;, David Scowsill, CEO, World Travel & Tourism Council; Geoffrey Kent, Founder and Executive Chairman, Abercrombie & Kent;  Nick Varney, Chief Executive, Merlin Entertainments;  Simon Vincent, President  Europe, Hilton Worldwide;  Sir David Michels, Chairman, Michels & Taylor; Alistair Storey, Chairman, Baxter Storey; Christine Petersen, President, TripAdvisor for Business; James Berresford, Chief Executive, VisitEngland; Tracey Rogers, Managing Director, Unilever UK; Andrew Coppel CBE , Chairman, De Vere; Patrick Dempsey, Managing Director, Whitbread Hotels & Restaurants; Robert Cook, Chief Executive, Village Hotels; Debbie White, Chief Executive, Sodexo UK and David Sheepshanks, Joint Acting Chairman, The Football Association & Chairman, St George’s Park

The main partner sponsor of the event is InterContinental Hotels group.

Attendance at the Summit, and the Gala Dinner in the evening, is limited.  Anyone wishing to attend should contact Philippa Brady at BHA – philippa.brady@bha.org.uk.