WTA attendance at the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee on Thursday, 21 September25/9/2017 The Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee inquiry into ‘Selling Wales to the World’ asked the WTA to attend committee last Thursday (21st September 2017) following our detailed submission to them on the 1st of this month. Adrian Barsby, Chair and adrian Greason-Walker (Policy Advocate) took questions at the committee in relation to the response. Our full submission can be found here on the Assembly website:http://senedd.assembly.wales/documents/s65554/02%20Wales%20Tourism%20Alliance.pdf
The Committee was well attended by AMs and included Russell George, Welsh Conservatives - Committee Chair; Hannah Blythyn, Labour; Hefin David; Labour; Vikki Howells, Labour; Mark Isherwood, Welsh Conservatives; Jeremy Miles, Labour; Adam Price, Plaid Cymru The Party of Wales; David J. Rowlands, UKIP Cymru. Also alongside us was Prof. Annette Pritchard and Prof. Nigel Morgan. The WTA took questions on how the Welsh and UK Governments sell Wales to the World at present in terms of trade, tourism and skills/training. Also discussed at length was the ‘Wales.Com’ web site, the strength of Wales’s international tourism “brand”. Visit Wales’ international marketing activities and the impact of Brexit were discussed at length. Members also quoted several times from the report WTA submitted when later cross examining Deb Barber, Chief Executive Officer, Cardiff Airport and Cassie Houghton, Head of Marketing and Public Relations, Cardiff Airport. There was some disagreement with WTA opinion on the value of major events to Wales outside Cardiff! The impact of Brexit was discussed and WTA was asked what Wales can learn from similarly sized countries? Scotland and several eastern European destinations were used as alternate examples of good practise coupled to bigger budgets. The full webcast can be found here: http://www.senedd.tv/Meeting/Archive/9f2e7c6c-5902-4edb-95b9-610f780487a3?autostart=True
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The Package Travel Regulations (PTR) apply to businesses that sell products that combine two or more of transport, accommodation and "other tourism services" into a single product that is sold to a customer.
Under the current EU Regulations, businesses that combine products are deemed to be selling "package travel" and are subject to a range of requirements aimed at protecting the rights of customers. Two of the main requirements are that the business needs to be bonded (or to keep customers funds in a trust account) and that the business that sells the package must be legally responsible for all components of the package. Whilst we are all in favour of protecting the rights of customers, it can been argued that the regulations currently governing package travel have, particularly for small or micro businesses, stifled our industry's ability to construct packages. As a result of BREXIT the UK Government now has the opportunity to review and amend this legislation. Please complete our survey. The members of the new CMS Select Committee have been announced. The WTA is pleased to hear that Simon Hart MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, Conservative and Jo Stevens MP, Cardiff Central, Labour were announced as two new Wales Members to the Committee. Ian C. Lucas, MP for Wrexham, Labour was re-appointed as an existing member.
The Culture, Media and Sport Committee is an influential group that monitors the policy, administration and expenditure of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and its associated bodies, including the BBC, on behalf of the House of Commons and the electorate. It also conducts inquiries into areas of current interest within its remit, for example, tourism issues. The Committee chooses its own subjects of inquiry and seeks written oral evidence from a wide range of relevant groups and individuals. At the end of an inquiry the Committee will produce a report setting out its findings and making recommendations to the Government. The Government must respond to each of the report's recommendations within two months of publication. The Welsh Government has launched its latest Brexit paper, which proposes a fair approach to future migration to the UK. The paper sets out a position which links migration to the UK more closely to employment that will enable the UK to convince EU negotiators to agree to continued full access to the Single Market after Brexit and ensure that Welsh employers would continue to access the skills they need.
The managed approach to migration would enable people from EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland to continue to come to the UK to work if they have a prior job offer, or to seek employment if they have a real prospect of finding a job quickly. This approach would allow Wales and the UK to continue to benefit from inward migration, while addressing the concerns that featured prominently in the debate leading up to the Brexit referendum last June. While making a forceful case for fair movement, the paper also addresses what might happen if the UK government decides to impose quantitative limits on migration from the EU. In this case, which would not be the preferred option of the Welsh Government, we would be minded to press for a specific quota for Wales. First Minister Carwyn Jones said: “It is essential that, post-Brexit, the system for migration between the EU and UK is one which is right for Wales, and for all parts of the UK. “We recognise many people have concerns about the extent and speed of migration and we want to see more control over this. That is why we are proposing a fair system which would ensure future migration to the UK is linked to employment, with those wishing to come to the UK required to have a job, or the ability to find one quickly.” Document: https://beta.gov.wales/brexit The caravan industry is reaping the benefits of a weak pound which is making foreign holidays much more expensive, says an award-winning Shropshire-based business.
Tony Bywater, chairman of caravan and motorhome dealership Salop Leisure, which has sales centres in Shrewsbury, Machynlleth and Stourport-on-Severn, reported record sales across the business during August. The company’s headquarters at Emstrey, Shrewsbury saw a 26 per cent increase in customers during the month, which increasing takings in all divisions of the business, including caravan, motorhome and campervan sales, the accessory sales, the Love Plants specialist plants centre and Love Coffee restaurant. Mr Bywater believes the weak pound against the Euro and other currencies, long delays at airports due passport checks and the continual threat of international terrorism have convinced many British people, especially those with young families, to spend their holidays in the UK this year. “They are definitely factors in the staycationing boom this year,” he said. “Many people are looking for better value for money and more flexibility with their holiday requirements for the future. “A caravan holiday home, touring caravan or motorhome is available all year round whenever it is required and gives people absolute freedom to come and go as they please, whereas all that’s left after a holiday abroad is a suntan that fades and a few photographs. “The beauty of owning a caravan holiday home, in particular, is that you can share it with other members of your family and you are assured of a high standard of comfortable accommodation every time you need a holiday of short break. “Today’s holiday homes offer home from home luxury and the quality of parks in Mid Wales and the Heart of England is comparable if not better than other parts of the UK.” He revealed that sales of caravans, motorhome and VW campervan conversions have been almost equally divided between existing customers and first-time buyers, but the business has welcome mote young families this year. For more information, please contact Mr Tony Bywater, Salop Leisure chairman, on 01743 282400 or Duncan Foulkes, public relations consultant, on 01686 650818. |