The Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy – Janet Finch-Saunders MS – has welcomed the ‘positive progress made’ following her holding of a digital hospitality stakeholder meeting to review what targeted support is required to address the impact of the present staffing shortage.
The working group is in discussions about holding a targeted jobs fair locally to increase awareness about the vocational careers that people can enjoy in the industry. Alongside those local business owners attending the meeting, the forum heard remarks from Glenn Evans (Director of The Royal Oak Hotel & Waterloo Hotel), Berin Jones (Chairman of the Llandudno Hospitality Association), Chris Frost (Chair of North Wales Tourism) and Lawrence Wood (Principal of Coleg Llandrillo).
Commenting on the meeting, Janet said:
“Our local hospitality businesses provide rewarding and long-term job opportunities to many local families and young people.
“But the rhetoric from certain quarters over the past eighteen months, in spite of the severe challenges being faced by our tourism and hospitality businesses, have led some to be put off pursuing such a career locally. This is hugely disappointing, especially as they are the perfect setting to learn essential life skills, including team-work, customer service and time management.
“This is why I am tremendously pleased with the positive progress made during my stakeholder roundtable, beginning collaborative conversations with our local educational establishments to look at holding a targeted jobs fair to increase awareness about the vocational careers that people can enjoy.
“What this meeting also made plain was just how damaging any proposed tourism tax in Wales will be, placing livelihoods and jobs at risk. As I made clear during proceedings, we need to be focusing on helping our tourism industry bounce back after the pandemic and encouraging people to visit Wales, rather than economically penalising them.
“It also made clear that work should be undertaken to better explain the licensing situation for our youngest workers. Employing a young person under school leaving age without a Work Permit is rightly illegal, but this round table highlighted that more information should be provided on what Risk Assessments and forms must be completed to ensure their safety.”
ENDS
Photo: Kathryn Giberson/Unsplash
