Hopes for a happier year for Yorkshire tourism and hospitality industries - Susan Briggs

As you’d imagine, this New Year is different – many of the people I work with barely dare to even think what the future holds, let alone to ask for anything beyond ‘‘normal’’.

The last year has left the tourism and hospitality industry feeling particularly battered and bruised. I’ve always cringed when support agencies and bureaucrats dismissively talk about ‘‘lifestyle businesses’’ referring to small, rural tourism businesses.

Running a B&B or holiday cottage business in an idyllic location may seem like a cushy number. The reality is very different. Smiling faces, welcoming words and beautiful settings are what visitors see.

Yet behind the scenes there’s another story of physical hard work and unpredictable finances. Tourism business owners put everything they have into running their businesses: pounds, passion, personality. They may not earn a great deal but they are lynchpins of the Yorkshire economy.

Covid has highlighted the gaps in the economy that appear when hospitality businesses aren’t able to open their doors.

An incredible number of businesses and employees are directly or indirectly reliant on the tourism industry.

No one really even knows how many. A long and complex hospitality supply chain means it’s not just the accommodation providers and pubs that struggled during Covid-19 – there’s a negative knock-on effect on so many other businesses from breweries and bakers, to farmers and artisan cheese-makers.

After such a difficult year, many business owners hesitate to make any concrete plans for 2021. Wishful thinking will have to suffice for now. Perhaps, more encouragingly, we can all help each other.

1. Covid forced us to stay closer to home in 2020. We explored the places on our doorstep and saw Yorkshire through new eyes. When we’re all able to travel more widely again, many will want to scoot off overseas.

Tourism and hospitality business owners really hope that in between more exotic trips, everyone will continue to appreciate Yorkshire’s doorstep delights. Even a short trip to a familiar place can be uplifting, and good for the local economy.

2. Another of Covid’s more positive side effects was that our eyes were opened to all things local – our local shops and communities came to the fore. We did things more slowly, stopping to talk to people from a safe distance.

We noticed the details of the buildings and landscape around us, the quirks and personality of the places where we live. Small businesses are all hoping this will continue in 2021.

3. Some of the wishes voiced by tourism businesses are long-standing. Could 2021 be when they finally come true? One is that people who post on review sites will write with honesty and compassion, recognising the impact a few hastily written negative words can have on any business.

All business owners have the same plea: speak to the manager or owner if something is wrong, before you become a keyboard warrior.

4. The next wish shouldn’t really be necessary. Every business owner recognises that sometimes you need to change arrangements, but they wish you’d do it in good time. If only there was a magic wand to stop people from booking tables and simply not showing up.

Every booked table means that someone else may be turned away. Each no-show means the business loses twice when people simply don’t turn up. That’s on top of the wasted ingredients, prepared and un-eaten.

5. Over the last few years we’ve seen an incredible rise in the power of online travel agents like Booking.com, Expedia and AirBnB, but few people realise that the accommodation provider has to pay up to 30 per cent commission.

A heartfelt wish of all tourism businesses is for families to book directly with them. Everyone gains when they do. The business can invest more in their property and services because they’re not giving away such huge sums to the online travel agents. You’ll get a better rate by booking direct, more personalised service, and better rooms. Accommodation providers rarely allocate their best rooms to those who’ve booked through online travel agents.

You might expect tourism and hospitality businesses to simply ask for more government support and financial hand-outs. But that’s not their main request. What they really wish for is to be able to trade normally and to offer great experiences for their visitors. 2021, we’re counting on you.

Susan Briggs, from Masham, is a grassroots tourism campaigner. She is director of The Tourism Network.

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