The British Hospitality Association is urging the government to act early in support of hospitality businesses such as hotels, restaurants, B&Bs and tourist attractions across the UK as they struggle to cope with, and then recover from, the effects of flooding and the winter storms which are now in their third month.
Future impact on hospitality and tourism businesses
With warnings from the Met Office and Environment Agency that the adverse weather is set to continue, causing severe flooding to more homes and businesses across the UK, as well as playing havoc with the transport network, the British Hospitality Association is highly concerned at the potential future impact on hospitality and tourism businesses and is urging the government to act early to support the industry in two ways:
- by creating a tourism marketing budget to attract people back to flood hit areas; and
- to give business in affected areas a moratorium on VAT, PAYE and corporation tax payments to help their cash flows.
Hospitality businesses in the west, south and south west are worst affected, with many still trying to recover from loss of business over the busy Christmas period.
Potentially catastrophic
Ufi Ibrahim, CEO of the British Hospitality Association (pictured above), said: “The impact of these storms is potentially catastrophic for hospitality and tourism businesses in the affected areas. The ripple effect is also hitting other businesses as tourists are being put off visiting parts of the UK because of the severe weather.
“We have to act now to plan for the future and we are keen to ensure that our industry has learned the lessons from the past and is helped by the government to quickly set a path to recovery. The British Hospitality Association today asks government urgently to help our industry in two ways: by setting up a marketing budget to attract tourists back, and by giving affected businesses a lifeline by offering a moratorium on VAT, PAYE and corporation tax payments.”