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Happy New Year

So what does 2012 have in store for us?

I think we can rely on difficult trading conditions, reducing customer confidence, increasing unemployment and concerns about the ability of Wales, UK and the Western World’s economies to provide for their electorates. Meanwhile the debate about Europe, the Euro and should we be in or out – shake it all about – of either or both will run and …… run. So that’s the backdrop.

We will have a better idea about Welsh Government’s approach to the newly promoted tourism, as informed by SAG (Sector Advisory Group) rather than TAP (Tourism Advisory Panel). But what’s in a name? One was representational whilst the other ……. Well we’ll see, won’t we.

We are going to have to work with reduced budgets everywhere, from central to local government, and from the largest to the smallest businesses, too. Lean, not too mean, people, not machines. We’ll be contributing to a thinner, fitter nation! And the confidence thing: I hear people blaming the media for spreading tales of caution, tales of woe, of being responsible for the recession by talking the economy down. Last week I heard from a local shopkeeper that it was all the media’s fault, so now he’d stopped buying and reading newspapers. He’ll be well informed, then.

Heck, the rest of us buy newspapers, so we presumably buy into their messages. Do we really think our lives are governed by the media that circulates information? What information? Meanwhile, access to information becomes even more readily and widely available. So, let’s not delude ourselves by thinking we can switch off. And even if we could, our customers (those treasured people who provide our livelihoods, remember?) – apparently don’t, even when they’re on ‘downtime’.

But there also lies an opportunity for Welsh tourism: the use of new digital software, hardware and anything else which right now are supported by an EC programme. We must make next year count if the programme is to succeed and, more importantly, if our industry is to take full advantage of this position. We need to abolish any 'spots', whatever hue, to give us and our customers an acceptable broadband service, throughout. And we should ensure the next round of EC funding (I do struggle with the concept of EC funding as the Euro totters on the edge), 2014 to 2020 and under early discussion, is used for something worthwhile this time, something with legacy value, something which makes a difference. Please.

Finally, as propounded everywhere I‘ve travelled in the last six months, I believe our industry has proven itself remarkably resilient to the economic challenges. So far, anyway. And we have to deal with the current commercial environment as the new reality; waiting for an upturn is not going to give you sleepful nights. VAT levels, business rates collection, poor understanding of tourism’s crucial role in rural areas, the clutter of red tape – as opposed to the clatter of falling scaffolding (not sure where that one came from) – all of these are obstacles to our ability to better support the economy, employment and our future sustainability.

I wish you all success with your customers, funders, suppliers and every other component of our evolved entanglement in our increasingly self-aware nation. Happy New Year. 

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