The coronavirus epidemic has had unprecedented negative effects on several sectors and has put pressure on the tourism sector as well. According to the UN World Tourism Organization, an estimated €840 – 1,000 billion in losses were caused by the coronavirus epidemic in the global travel industry.
The new government strategy, Welcome to Wales: Priorities for the visitor economy 2020-2025, was launched in January 2020. The ambition is to grow tourism for the good of Wales, aiming for skills development, equitable economic growth, environmental sustainability, social and cultural enrichment and health benefits.
The strategy highlights that Visit Wales will continue to work with the industry and take a more prominent role in promoting skills for tourism, hospitality and events. By the spring of 2020, a Tourism Skills Partnership is to be established to bring together the sector, Regional Skills Partnerships, Further Education, Higher Education and others.
The goal of environmental sustainability will be achieved by sustaining natural resources, improving environmental performance and encouraging sustainable transport. Social and cultural enrichment will be achieved by giving a warm welcome for everyone, providing opportunities for young people and promoting a thriving Welsh language and culture. There is an emphasis on inclusive tourism and the need for more access improvements for disabled visitors. A Brilliant Basics fund will deliver small-scale tourism infrastructure improvements, for example, accessible changing places on the beach.
A key priority is an innovative Cymru Wales brand delivered by a digital-first industry and the development of a Visit Wales ‘Centre of Excellence’ for digital innovation. The Centre will act as a physical hub for the brand, a creative space for professionals in the sector to work together as well as running webinars for businesses.
All of these progressive aims are timely and relevant to the Next Tourism Generation Competition 2020. This aims to promote industry engagement with education. Read about the launch of the competition here.
Looking into the future, this is an exciting time for tourism development for the good of Wales.
At the beginning of 2020 we started to really see the results of all the hard work, as I was nominated for the Welsh Wedding Awards 2020 for ‘Honeymoon Organiser of the Year’ and won!!! Then a few weeks later the business was a finalist in the Business Growth South Wales Awards for ‘Rising Star of the Year’. Followed by me then being selected for the TTG Top 30 under 30. It’s fair to say 2020 was off to a flying start!
How can a hotel emerge stronger from the COVID-19 Crisis? In her study “Future Hotel – The Smart Resilient Hotel” (original available in German + English) Prof. Dr. Vanessa Borkmann, head of research at the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering (IAO), points out fields of action and possibilities. One result: Digitalization promotes resilience in hotels.
On 7 and 8 October Next Tourism Generation alliance partner Cardiff Met University attended VAC2020, (#vac2020), a 2 day virtual conference, to gain a better understanding of the concerns of the UK Visitor Attractions sector in 2020.
In the tourism industry digital skills are becoming increasingly important as the workplace develops. Therefore, being fluent in these digital tourism skills is more in demand than ever and employers are now constantly on the lookout for employees with them. This digital demand can be seen in the industry, which is why digital workers are becoming increasingly valuable, and employers are pushing for more skills in the industry.
As employees are continually encouraged to work at home during the corona virus pandemic many are taking this opportunity to upskill and develop themselves further. One way this can be done is by developing your soft skills as these are more in demand than ever as the working world drastically changes in front of our eyes. Soft skills are key to ensuring that you thrive in your current role at work as well as helping you to achieve your career dreams. All of the skills listed below are crucial in any role within the tourism industry.