A recent analysis released this week pointed out that tourism is a major driver of jobs in England since the recession. The work, commissioned by VisitEngland the national tourist board and carried out by the Office for National Statistics shows that between September 2009 and September 2013 the number of people working in tourism related industries in England rose by six per cent equating to 153,000 jobs.
Over the same period, the number of people working in other industries grew by just three per cent.
Tourism in England is worth £106billion and employs 2.6 million people – it is a key employer in this country and an engine for growth. According to People 1st, which promotes and supports skills and workforce development, tourism and the visitor economy is one of the largest employers of apprentices.
Figures from 2012-13 show approximately 65,000 apprenticeships in this important employment sector.
Earlier on this month London Mayor, Boris Johnson, teamed up with the British Hospitality Association to announce 7,000 new apprenticeship positions in the catering industry for the city.
Global hospitality company Hilton Worldwide’s National Apprenticeship Academy has already seen more than 200 participants to date train with the company through one of seven 12-month apprenticeships since 2012, including food & beverage, professional cookery, front desk and health & fitness. The Academy’s entry-level education to the exciting world of hospitality includes on-the-job training from professionally qualified experts, development workshops and master classes.
Minister for Tourism Helen Grant said: “Working in the tourism sector can offer a rewarding, challenging and fulfilling career. The industry is playing a key part in the Government’s economic growth strategy and English Tourism Week is the perfect time to highlight the career paths available and what companies like Hilton Worldwide are doing to help the sector go from strength to strength.”
English Tourism Week runs from 29 March-6 April to celebrate tourism in England. The industry-wide initiative run by the national tourist board, VisitEngland, is designed to shine a light on the importance of tourism in England – an industry worth £106bn a year to England, supporting 2.6million jobs. The week will feature a combination of business and consumer focused events across the country with the aim of raising the profile of tourism, highlighting the important contribution it makes to England’s economy and its potential for future growth.
