31 January 2008

CONFERENCE TO IDENTIFY SOLUTIONS FOR EMPLOYMENT IN TOURISM & HOSPITALITY

Britain is facing a huge hospitality skills shortage that could undermine the success of the Olympics. The country urgently needs thousands more chefs, waiters, receptionists and customer facing staff if the games are to be a success in creating a tourism and service industry legacy for London and the UK . High staff turnover in hospitality businesses means that by 2012, the sector will have lost more than 4 million people.

The London Employer Coalition, Tourism Society, Job Centre Plus, Learning and Skills Council, People First and the London Development Agency have come together for the first time to co-host a conference aimed at showcasing the government led solutions available. This conference will take place on Tuesday 4 th March 2008 at the Gymnasium at St Pancras, London , from 4.30-7.30pm.

Tourism & Hospitality employers in London are urged to attend to hear from a range of speakers who will outline practical ways in which they can use government agencies and initiatives to meet their recruitment and retention needs, as well as funds for workforce training and development.

Grant Hearn, CEO of Travelodge, will host the evening and offer practical advice drawn from Travelodge's experience in using government led solutions for their employment, skills and training.

Carrie England, Associate Director of the London Employment Coalition, said: “this is an unprecedented opportunity for London 's hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism employers to meet face-to-face with organisations that can help them to find, recruit and retain local staff. There is money available to train Londoners to become the employees these businesses need, now and into the future. Every hospitality employer in London should be at this event.”

-ENDS-

This press release can also be viewed at www.travmedia.com .

 For further information, please contact:
Flo Powell Tel: 020 8661 4636 flo@tourismsociety.org www.tourismsociety.org

Note to editors:

The Tourism Society (est.1977) is the leading network of professionals in the industry. All sectors are represented: hotels, attractions, destinations, operators, travel companies, writers, academics, students and consultants.