Three new tourism or tourism related consultations

Posted on December 16, 2020

One informal and two formal consultation that you may wish to be aware of:

The Tourism Alliance has asked us to circulate a business survey designed to help the Cut Tourism VAT Campaign and UK Hospitality evidence the benefits of the current temporary cut in VAT on tourism services and the likely impact of a return to 20% on 31 March 2021. You may wish to circulate the survey to some or all your local business partners: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9CHZNCQ

HMRC are seeking views on the application of VAT to the sharing economy and, in particular, the online platforms that have enabled the exponential growth in the sector. From a tourism prospective some section of the consultation have relevance to the sharing accommodation sector and to the standard application of VAT, the arguments and counter arguments around competitive advantage this may or may not give and the rights and wrongs of the platforms being liable for VAT. Destinations may wish to respond individually and/or provide comments to me for a joint response on the tourism and associated economic development implications. The consultation closes on 3 Mar 21.

DCMS are conducting a review on the 2005 gambling act, and any perceived shortcomings in protection, particularly for children, and the methods and means of enforcement. Although very regulation and enforcement focused the outcome could have a materiel impact on aspects of land based gaming, including: high street centres, book makers, casinos and seaside and other similar traditional entertainment arcades. Some destinations may wish to respond from a tourism economic development and redevelopment prospective and/or, as above, contribute comments for a joint response from us on the general tourism and economic development implications. The call for evidence closes on 31 Mar 31.

The two formal consultations have been added to the Consultations menu tab on Britishdestinations.net or they can be accessed directly at:

https://britishdestinations.net/consultation-responses/open-consultations/hmrc-vat-and-the-sharing-economy-call-for-evidence-closing-3-mar-21/

and

https://britishdestinations.net/consultation-responses/open-consultations/dcms-review-of-the-gambling-act-2005-terms-of-reference-and-call-for-evidence-closing-31-mar-21/

4 Dec 20 Covid-19 update

Posted on December 3, 2020

The latest edition, version 7, of “survival to recovery” from Hotels Solutions brings together the finding of recent reports and research documents on the hotels and accommodation sector, looks back at trends and forward at future prospects for the hotels and accommodation sector. It also looks in some detail at recent investment, new developments, closures, acquisitions and rebranding. A copy has been added to our C-19 research library at http://www.britishdestinations.net or go direct to the page containing it at: https://britishdestinations.net/c19-research/

Andrew Keeling’s report is an excellent higher level summary of the issues for the accommodation sector in the UK. As such it is also a good and timely briefing document that can help inform part of our discussions next week on the many issues facing destinations and destination management now, into the first quarter of 2021 and beyond that into the 2021 main holiday season. If you have missed the diary details and link for the destination managers meeting 1400 – 1600 Wednesday 16 December and would like to join colleagues from other major destinations email me at: peter.hampson@btconnect.com . I am also happy to consider request as guest attendees from a few non-member “friends of the association”.

It has been yet another hectic week with a number of significant announcements and events, some of which either individually or combined have posed nearly as many questions as they have answered. This I think by now we would all accept is largely due to the complex nature of the beast. Notwithstanding, the looming opportunity to discuss immediate issues next week, please do email or call me with any and all issues or anomalies effecting you or your business partners as a consequence of new or amended rules, regulation and/or the business support mechanisms. A number of new issues have been raised with me this week, particularly around Tier 2 restrictions in England and the Christmas bubble arrangements for the four nations. If you raise something and isn’t already on the appropriate departmental radar, I will ensure that action is taken to try and get it there.

I look forward to seeing and speaking to a good number of you next week.