- Tourism Alliance Update covering the following:
- 1. DCMS Select Committee chair;
- 2. Digital identities adoption sprint – your views;
- 3. Late Night Levy extension – Government consultation;
- 4. Reminder – Tourism Insights Conference and Parliamentary Reception: save the date.
- TIC Update on the Home Office review of the Immigration (Hotel Records) Order 1972.
Additionally, we would like to draw your attention to the following:
The Value of Events Report 2022, commissioned by UK Sport to The Sports Consultancy on the economic and social value of hosting major sporting events in the UK. See more details here – https://www.uksport.gov.uk/news/2023/01/12/new-report-reveals-economic-and-social-benefits-of-the-uk-hosting-sporting-events%F0%9F%94%97
A press release on the Energy support scheme – Events industry excluded from energy support scheme – Raising the profile of business events at https://the-business-of-events.com/2023/01/11/events-industry-excluded-from-energy-support-scheme/
New DCMS Select Committee chair
The Rt Hon Damian Green MP (Cons, Ashford) has been announced as the acting Chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee while the permanent chair, Julian Knight MP, is recused following a complaint made against him.
Digital identities adoption sprint – your views
DCMS are currently engaged in policy work around digital identity, aiming to make it easy and secure for people digitally to prove their identity.
What is digital identity?
- A digital identity lets you prove who you are during interactions and transactions without the need for physical documents
- It can be more convenient, more cost effective and safer than physical documents
- You can use it online or in person
- Digital identities are not government ID cards
- We are not mandating how the market will develop digital identities, only that they are safe and secure
We will be taking part in a policy sprint day in a few weeks’ time focussed on adoption of digital identities and adoption in the travel sector. In particular, DCMS are keen to explore barriers to adoption and trust within the sectors they are engaging with.
If you have any views on how digital identities could be useful in your own sectors, and what the barriers to adoption might be, please let me know. I am happy to set up calls before the sprint (on 23rd February) to gather views from across the tourism sector.
Late Night Levy extension – Government consultation
The Government has launched a consultation on extending and reforming the late night levy. Currently the levy may be applied by licensing authorities to premises selling alcohol between 12am and 6am, with several exemptions, including premises with overnight accommodation.
The proposal is to extend the levy to ‘late night refreshment’ premises with a couple of specific proposals made.
Members may wish to review the consultation document.
Reminder – Tourism Insights Conference and Parliamentary Reception: save the date
Last week we announced that our half-day Tourism Insights Conference will be taking place on Thursday 23rd ***MARCH***, to be followed by our annual English Tourism Week Parliamentary Reception, hosted by the Tourism Alliance and the Family Holiday Charity, and generously sponsored by the Camping and Motorhome Club
Make sure the date is saved in your diary!
We will be launching bookings next week, so keep an eye out for that.
In the meantime, there are plenty of sponsorship opportunities available for both the half-day conference and the parliamentary reception. If your organisation – whether a TA member or not – is interesting in these opportunities do let me know. In particular, we will be providing spaces for organisations to display pop-ups and materials at the reception which will be great for photo ops with visiting MPs and Peers. Contact me at Richard.Toomer@tourismalliance.com to discuss this further.
TIC Update (12th January 2023) – Home Office review of the Immigration (Hotel Records) Order 1972
The Home Office is currently undertaking a review of the Immigration (Hotel Records) Order 1972.
As stakeholders with an interest in this legislation, the Home Office would welcome your views on the Order’s effectiveness and impact on your business / your members. They are also particularly interested in how often the police or other government officials have asked to see guest records.
If you would like to share your insights on the Order, or for more information, please contact FBISEngagement@homeoffice.gov.uk by Friday 20th January.