Travel and tourism lecturers have ramped up their political lobbying efforts to highlight the value of Level 3 qualifications, which face the axe in England.
A petition calling on the government to recognise the importance of tourism, hospitality and events (THE) education to the UK economy has surpassed 1,000 signatures.
Meanwhile, travel and tourism students at Birmingham Metropolitan College joined their lecturer on April 21 to lobby their MP – Andrew Mitchell, the Conservative MP for Sutton Coldfield – about the Department for Education’s plans.
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Mitchell pledged to take a letter about their concerns to education secretary Gillian Keegan after he met John Garside, lecturer in travel and tourism and aviation, and those studying for the Level 3 qualifications.
Keegan – a former Travelport and Amadeus executive – declined to comment on the subject when approached by Travel Weekly.
The changes are part of DfE plans to streamline the post-16 Level 3 qualifications system with a focus on A-levels and technical T-levels.
Garside urged industry colleagues to sign the petition, which builds on mounting collective travel industry opposition led by Abta and other trade bodies.
Dr Peter Robinson, head of the centre for tourism and hospitality management at Leeds Beckett University, circulated the petition as part of a “suite of activity” planned ahead of a conference in October.
The Institute of Travel & Tourism’s Future You Foundation – which gives students ideas and inspiration for their careers – described the defunding plans as “short-sighted” and “damaging” to the sector.
It urged industry professionals to support the tourism skills working group set up with Abta and other travel and educational associations to coordinate the sector’s response.
Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer said: “There is still an opportunity to replace the current travel and tourism qualifications with a new type of qualification once the current courses cease to be funded by government.”
Commenting on the working group, he added: “An important part of what lies ahead will be about providing evidence that there is a demand for the students that take these courses within the industry. We will need members and the wider industry to help us in that effort.”
There is also a wider lobbying campaign in higher education – using the slogan #ProtectStudentChoice – as the plans affect other subjects beyond travel and tourism.
The #ProtectStudentChoice coalition of 30 educational organisations has also lobbied the education secretary.
Mike Renshaw, a travel and tourism lecturer from Sunderland College, said: “If this [defunding] decision is implemented, the industry will be left with a Business T-level or in-company apprenticeships.”
Agents were also critical of the government plans for courses aimed at those aged 16 to 19.
Westoe Travel owner Graeme Brett said: “The proposed changes are crazy. This will impact the number of people considering [careers in] travel, tourism and hospitality.
“As an industry that lost tens of thousands of experienced professionals during Covid, there is massive demand for training to enable employers to recruit staff.”
Ashley Quint, director of TravelTime World, said: “We need to do better at highlighting the importance of travel to government.
“This is the latest in a long line of setbacks for travel and we need to reverse the tide quickly.”
However, a Hays Travel spokesperson said: “At Hays Travel we have a culture of ‘training our own’ and hundreds of school leavers join us through our award-winning apprenticeship programme.
“We also welcome many new staff members from colleges and universities and as an organisation, benefit from their further and higher-level education, which is a solid foundation for us to build upon.”
Click here to sign the petition on change.org
More: Industry unites as travel and tourism courses face axe
Government plans to scrap travel courses will hit pipeline of talent for employers
Take Off in Travel: Your guide to an amazing world of career opportunities