It was another successful annual convention for UKinbound, with record-breaking figures and an undeniable feeling that team work will lead to a fruitful future for the industry
It was triumphs all round at UKinbound’s annual convention, with a record-breaking number of delegates attending the three-day event, and the revelations that there were nearly 40m inbound visits to the UK, with almost £25bn spent in 2017 – both record-breaking figures.
Held at the Mercure Cardiff Holland House Hotel and Spa in Cardiff on 7-9 February, the convention brought together 257 tourism professionals, providing a mixture of B2B and networking opportunities.
A variety of knowledgeable names also shared their thoughts and experiences of the industry, as well as their predictions for the industry’s future, and its 2017 Awards for Excellence was held on the last night.
A proud year
The convention began with the annual general meeting where the association’s achievements in 2017 and this year’s priorities were revealed.
In his Chairman’s Address, Mark McVay gave an overview of 2017, which included another record-breaking figure – a record number of new members joining UKinbound.
Priorities for 2018 include running more national and regional events, grow membership numbers, and to increase overseas engagement, says General Secretary Jo Bachelor. Following the association’s new branding launched last year, a new website is set for this year.
UKinbound’s Chief Executive Deirdre Wells OBE reinforced last year’s achievements with some healthy statistics, telling delegates: “Last year we delivered nearly 40m visits to the UK, which is a record, and nearly £25bn in spend, which is another record. That makes us the fastest growing service industry and one of the country’s biggest employers.
“Although last year was challenging in many ways, and I am sure this year will be no different, we can be really proud of what we have achieved together.”
Business as usual
Figures provided by Patricia Yates and Carol Dray from VisitEngland/VisitBritain revealed that inbound visit rates to Britain in 2017 are higher than 2016 but spend per visit is lower, “suggesting that lower cost options are more popular as a result of increased financial pressures on UK households”.
A panel debate gave Denis Wormwell from VisitEngland, Steve Ridgway from the British Tourist Authority, Jason Thomas from the Welsh Government, and Sean Taylor from Zip World the chance to discuss issues in the industry. Delegates were also given the opportunity to ask them any tourism-related questions they had.
The topic of Brexit was of course unavoidable, with the panel agreeing that the impact of it will remain uncertain for months to come.
“It may be frustrating waiting for negotiations, but it doesn’t stop us addressing any issues we already see,” said Mr Ridgway. “We can’t bury our head in the sand because of these uncertainties – business goes on.”
Industry advice
This feeling was echoed by PY Gerbeau, visiting professor at London Business School and Imperial College, in his keynote speech about how the industry needs to be flexible.
“We must be able to adapt to factors out of our control,” he told delegates.
He also used his experiences of running and developing some of the most successful attractions in the world, including Euro Disney.
“The most important thing is to protect your customers, protect your people, protect your brand, and protect your business,” he advised.
The day ended with a networking dinner – not forgetting the sea-themed fancy dress to coincide with Wales’ Year of the Sea.
After the B2B Workshop on the second day, a series of business seminars were held. Delegates had the chance to attend two from a number of sessions covering a range of industry-related topics.
Award-winners
The convention concluded with the 2017 Awards for Excellence held at the National Museum Wales.
The winners are:
- Tour Operator of the Year: AC Group
- Individual Attraction of the Year: Cutty Sark (Royal Museums Greenwich)
- Accommodation Provider of the Year: Macdonald Hotels & Resorts
- Destination Marketing Company of the Year: Visit Greenwich
- Service Provider of the Year – Transport & Sightseeing: City Cruises
- Service Provider of the Year – Restaurant, Retail & Ticketing: Encore
- Service Provider of the Year – Professional Services: Made
- Regional Member of the Year: Windermere Lake Cruises.
The Judges' Commendation Award was presented to VisitAberdeenshire and the Chairman's Award for Outstanding Contribution to Tourism went to Karin Urban, Non-Executive Director at Tour Partner Group – the parent company of Hotels & More.
The best of Wales
Optional familiarisation trips were also held after the convention to showcase the best of what Wales has to offer, including trips to Cyfarthfa Castle, Penderyn Distillery, Elan Valley, Yr Ysgwrn, The Slate Caverns in Llechwedd, Portmeirion, Conwy Castle and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.
Says Ms Wells: “Bringing over 250 of our members to Cardiff enables them to not only discover what Wales has to offer, but also provides them with the commercial opportunities and insights to help grow their business in 2018 and beyond.”
Next year’s convention will be held in Glasgow on 6-8 February 2019
