Officially opening the two-day Hotel & Catering Show 2013 (H&CS), Deirdre Wells OBE, Head of Tourism for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), set the agenda for the revamped hospitality event in a keynote which addressed ways in which the government is helping tackle economic recovery through tourism investment in the South of England:
“Economic growth will be achieved through hard work and DCMS is working equally hard to nurture that growth. With 80% of UK tourism coming from the domestic market, it’s really important that we all work together [tourism attractions, hotel owners and the government] to create a positive image of the UK, educating consumers about what is on their doorstep and reminding them of what is great about holidaying in Britain.
Improved perceptions of Britain’s ‘welcome’
“In Visit Britain’s Brands Nations Index, during the London 2012 Olympic Games period Britain’s ‘welcome’ rose from twelfth position to ninth, which is a reflection of improved perceptions of customer service amongst our international audience and of perceptions of Britain as an overseas tourist destination.
£130 million investment
“Over four years, VisitBritain’s international campaign, including GREAT, will invest more than £130 million in inbound tourism to the UK. Another GREAT Britain marketing campaign for the domestic market will launch this autumn and we are investing £2 million in this follow up campaign, in order to build on the success of the 2012 ‘Holiday at Home’ campaign,” said Ms Wells. “Early forecasts show that our investment in the GREAT campaign to date is projected to help generate around a quarter of a billion pounds for the British economy over the next two years.”
H&CS 2013 programme of events
Running throughout today (5th) and tomorrow (6th), H&CS 2013 has undergone an exciting re-launch with new features, culinary attractions and must-attend professional seminars led by the industry’s biggest names, to ensure it serves as the ultimate, trade-only regional event for chefs and proprietors in the hospitality sector in the South of England.
The first ever The Staff Canteen LIVE– a collaboration between H&CS and digital platform The Staff Canteen – also got underway today with four of the UK’s top chefs, Tom Kerridge, Paul Ainsworth, Chris Stains and Russell Brown, showcasing their remarkable skills, innovative techniques and use of unusual ingredients in a succession of live cookery demonstrations.
Over at Chef’s Kitchen, contract catering giant Sodexo are busy prepping their dishes in a competition to serve the best 60-cover lunch dining experience for an audience of VIPs. Visitors will watch the magic unfold as they see Sodexo’s chefs prepare and create their greatest works of art in an open plan kitchen. A chef commentator will offer explanations of the techniques and methods being used whist viewers sample amuse bouche tasters. Compass will go head to head with the results of today’s judging in their own VIP lunch service tomorrow from 10am.
For the seminar programme click here