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TOURA 38 03
TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE TOURISM ALLIANCE EXECUTIVE GROUP
Minutes of the Tourism Alliance Executive Group held on Wednesday May 28th at Centre Point.
In the Chair
Digby JonesChairman of the Alliance
Members
Bob Cotton, OBEBritish Hospitality Association
Sandie Dawe Visit Britain
Colin Dawson BALLPA
Stephen DowdBritish Incoming Tour Operators Association
Rob Hayward, OBEBritish Beer and Pub Association
Tony MillnsAssociation of Recognised English Language Services
Ros Pritchard British Association of Holiday & Home Parks
Ian ReynoldsAssociation of British Travel Agents
June-Alison Sealy CBI
Richard Tobias OBETourism Alliance
In Attendance
Karishma ChandariaTourism Alliance
Emmeline Owens CBI
Agenda Item 1: Chairman's welcome:
Richard Tobias took the chair as Digby Jones was running late. Richard welcomed members.
Agenda Item 2: Minutes of the last meeting and matters arising:
Richard Tobias asked members to agree the minutes of the last meeting and if there were any matters arising. Members agreed the minutes.
- Matters arising
- Tourism Alliance Media Lunch: Members asked when this would be taking place. Richard Tobias stated that the media lunch would be taking place on May 29th at Centre Point and that so far they had had a good response from journalists..
- Gaming Law Reform: Members informed Richard that there were plans to launch a consultation on gaming law reform sometime in June and that if this was the case it seem appropriate for the Alliance to submit a joint submission.
Action: Secretariat to find out the progress of this
Agenda Item 3: Review of May Activities:
Richard Tobias updated members on the Alliance activities since the last Executive Group Meeting.
- Tourism Alliance Newsletter: RichardTobiasstated he would like the frequency of the newsletter to increase to at least two per month. He emphasised that while it was important not to bombard members with information the Alliance needed to establish how it could add value and emphasis to the service it was providing members with.
- Responses to consultations and position papers: Richard stated that Alliance responses to consultations papers should be based on the general view expressed by the majority of members and where possible working parties should be set up to agree positions on major policy issues.
- Future Meetings: Richard asked whether members would agree to increase the frequency of Executive Group meetings to one per month. Members agreed to this arrangement.
Action: Secretariat to schedule new dates.
- Tourism Summit: Richard informed members that the Tourism Summit scheduled for June had now been postoned until the autumn and that he had sent a letter to Kim Howell's office outlining the Alliance's key concerns which they would have raised at the Summit.
- Cross- Whitehall Tourism Group: Bob Cotton mentioned that a more effective way for the Alliance to target Government might be to approach this group of civil servants.
Action: Secretariat to find when this group next meets.
- Media Coverage: Richard informed members that he had carried out a number of press interviews to continue building the Alliance's media profile and that the forthcoming media lunch would help this develop.
- Tourism Alliance Plenary Meeting 16th June: Richard stated that he spoken to a number of Alliance members who would be attending the plenary meeting and were very keen to continue supporting the Alliance.
Digby Jones took over the chair at this point.
- Tourism Alliance Breakout Session at CBI National Conference: Digby Jones informed members that he had now been asked to chair a breakout session on US-UK trade relations at the conference at short notice. Therefore he would no longer be able to chair the tourism session. He asked members that given these circumstances would they still like to go ahead with the session.
Members agreed that they would still like to go ahead with the session but that they would like to change the format of it. They agreed that it should now be branded as a plenary meeting of the Tourism Alliance focused on a particular issue. During the meeting there would be a question-time session with a panel of key industry representatives. The session would be open to members as well as those attending the conference, allowing businesses to see how their sectors had links with the tourism industry.
Action: Digby Jones stated that he would put this proposal to the National Conference strategy board and report back to members.
Agenda Item 4: First Year Review of Tourism Spending Priorities:
June-Alison Sealy asked members to consider and discuss a draft of the first year review of Tourism Spending Priorities. She explained that the review would be divided into three parts consisting of a broad overview of the economic situation, followed by a section on the key policy areas that continue to hinder tourism and finally a checklist set against the Tourism Spending Priorities Report, assessing progress made by government the industry or both. June-Alison noted members' comments and stated that a final daft would be circulated for approval by June 6th.
Agenda Item 5:Proposal on the Health and Safety at Work Act:
Colin Dawson updated members on the progress of the Employer's Insurance Liability Costs agenda. He stated that a number of associations had supported BALLPA in trying lobbying for a variation or amendment of the Health & Safety at Work Act placing greater responsibility on an individual to avoid behaviour likely to put themselves or others at risk of injury. He stated further that he and some of BALPPA's members would be making a deputation to the All Party Group on Tourism on this particular issue before the summer recess. He then asked members to endorse the position that BALPPA had taken.
Members agreed to endorse BALLPA's position.
Action: Secretariat to circulate a copy of BALLPA's position paper and Richard Tobias to draft letter to Janet Anderson MP regarding the All Party Tourism Group meeting.
Agenda Item 6: Any other Business
Title of the new report: Members agreed that the title of the first year review of Tourism Spending Priorities would be Priorities for Tourism- First Year Review.