TheUKtourist industry urgently needs to address the quality of its product and service if it is to compete as atourist destination, according toMichael East managing director of management consultants East- castle.
East revealed the results of a survey among Travel Industry Digest readers which said the industry was “snotty and insular about overseas destinations” and the domestic market was less professional than the outbound market.
“The quality of the product and service is the industry’s biggest problem,” said East. “The UK should expect higher standards and should take advice from abroad.”
He said the UK should follow the example set by destinations such as Florida and the Costa Brava to help improve its product.
The quality of medium to low-cost accommodation is discouraging many visitors and that is giving the UK a bad name, according to both the Travel Industry Digest Survey and research conducted among conference delegates.
Some 67% said the UK inbound and domestic industry was only slightly well managed compared to the global industry. Furthermore, 80% thought the UK domestic product offered poorer value for money than comparable overseas destinations. The Travel Industry Digest survey backed up the point with a 73% vote.
In order to improve the British tourism product, BITOA delegates said the fragmentation of UK tourist boards would need to be reversed, quality of service improved through training, attitude of service staff improved and value for money increased.
Meanwhile, BITOAchairman Aidan Ford said the UKtourist industry needs to focus on recruitment and training to help raise standards.