The Tourism Society - People in all the right places

The search is on for the next generation of travel tycoons. Further Education students across the country have just two weeks left to enter Start Up: Travel and Tourism a new high profile competition to help them bring their travel and tourism business ideas to life.

The competition, run by enterprise campaign Enterprise UK, is free to enter and challenges FE students to submit their ideas for a tourism business in their local area. As well as offering students practical hands on advice and guidance through the process of setting up a business, the competition offers students the hard cash to turn their ideas into reality with £500 start up grants up for grabs!

All entrants meeting the initial criteria will have the chance to learn more about how to translate their ideas into reality through ‘stepping stones’ – classroom-based interactive workshop sessions that will help them develop marketing and finance plans, which will be judged along with their idea at the next stage of the competition. Stepping stone sessions will also give students the chance to learn from the real-life experiences of successful young entrepreneurs, who will be visiting participating colleges to share their experience and advice with the students.

The judges will choose one winner per region, who will each receive £500 to run their business for real between March and June. Students will then have the opportunity to present their results at a major industry event in July, with prizes including prestigious work experience placements and an overnight stay at an eco-destination.

Supporters of the competition include high profile travel and tourism entrepreneurs such as Tom Marchant, co-founder of award-winning travel firm Black Tomato; Sally Broom, founder of Tripbod; Ben Keene, founder of Tribewanted; and Laura Greenman, Director of Eco escape. Tom Marchant, of Black Tomato, says of Start Up: Travel and Tourism.

“Competitions like this were not available when I was studying. I welcome anything that gives people hands-on experience and it is great to see college students being given the opportunity to start a business in an area they are passionate about.”

Former Deputy principal David Howe, now Head of Further Education at Enterprise UK, adds

 “The UK has already established a strong track record in travel and tourism entrepreneurs – and we’re sure that there a plenty of FE students out there with the ideas and drive to rival them. Our Start Up: Travel and Tourism competition is a chance for the budding business people of tomorrow to demonstrate their ideas by starting a real small business with start-up capital and industry support as well as a range of travel related prizes – ideal for those who want to show their business potential! We’re really looking forward to seeing the fantastic ideas that the entrepreneurs of the future come up with and the results their businesses produce.”

The aim of the competition is to provide learners with the skills and confidence to be enterprising and enable a number of them to start-up and operate their businesses. Advice from industry experts and real-life entrepreneurs will help inspire future entrepreneurs, and the additional marketing and finance are intended to complement existing curriculum models.

The deadline for competition entries is December 18 2009, with ‘stepping stones’ taking place in January and February 2010. Winners will then be selected and businesses run between March and June 2010, with presentations and awards in July 2010.

Start Up: Travel and Tourism will be open to teams of FE students studying courses up to Level 3, co-ordinated by a tutor. Enterprise UK will providing resources, a website and support, including speakers to visit. Learners can spend as little or as much time as they wish, although entries will be judged on the quality and viability. For more information or to sign up to the competition, please call Luc Benyon on 020 7430 8071, email luc@enterpriseuk.org or visit www.enterpriseuk.org/get_involved/startup_travel_tourism

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Ali McInerney on ali.mcinerney@kindredagency.com or 020 7612 8873

Notes to editors

About Enterprise UK

Enterprise UK gives people the skills, confidence and ambition to be enterprising, through four programmes of work promoting enterprise for now and for the future, globally and locally.

It was founded as a campaigning organisation in 2004 by the British Chamber of Commerce, the Confederation of British Industry, the Institute of Directors and the Federation of Small Businesses. Back then their name was Enterprise Insight. It is primarily funded by the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS), and Peter Jones is Chair.

It is best known for running the Make Your Mark campaign, which encourages enterprising activity amongst young people, and co-founding Global Entrepreneurship Week (16-22 November), a worldwide movement of entrepreneurial people.

www.enterpriseuk.org