Optimizing the Tourism Benefits of the Olympic & Paralympic Games
LONDON, UK, November 30, 2005. The Tourism Society organised a Workshop meeting of 50 delegates to address "the biggest potential advantage that UK tourism will ever get" - the 2012 Olympic Games. The Workshop was sponsored by VisitBritain and hosted by Visit London, at their offices on 24th November.
VisitBritain have commissioned Ken Robinson, independent Tourism Adviser and Chair of the Tourism Society's Think Tank, to prepare a draft strategy for Optimising the Tourism benefits of the Olympic Games, which will be issued for consultation in the spring of 2006. Ken has consulted with sectoral organisations and with individuals (through the Tourism Society and TMI) in preparing the draft.
The Workshop was called to discuss some of the key issues, including - Organisation and Communication, Benefiting all of the UK, Skills, Service, Quality and Value, Branding, Marketing and Business Tourism. The discussion was lead by Tom Wright of VisitBritain, David Hornby of Visit London, Bob Cotton of British Hospitality Association, Huw Jarvis for the Regional Development Agencies and Michael Hirst of the Business Tourism Partnership.
The meeting focused specifically on the need for clarity, realism and leadership, as the Olympic Games usually lead to unrealistic expectations of the immediate tourism benefits. However, the potential tourism gain from increased image and profile is potentially massive and is the main economic benefit of staging the Games. The comments made by the representatives of national organisations and individuals present are being taken into account in the final draft of the policy.
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