HBAA (Hotel Booking Agents Association) has announced that it will adopt a ‘regeneration’ theme for 2020, which aims to restructure the association and increase its relevance within the industry.
To implement this change, the association has created new roles on its executive committee including a sustainability chair, training chair, partnerships chair and nextgen chairs.
Regeneration was also the theme of its ‘Kick Off Meeting’, which took place at The Grand Brighton. The sessions discussed developments such as Esports and Brexit and hosted guest speakers such as Francis Gimblett from Taste the Vine and Micky Yule, a Paralympic powerlifter.
The session, titled ‘Esports: An Industry Regeneration Opportunity’, was led by Alistair Turner from Eight PR and Cameron Vanloo, a lecturer on Esports at the University of Northampton. The session highlighted how Esports present a revenue of opportunity for the event and hospitality industry.
Vanloo added that Esport events do not require standardised or large capacity venues as the audience participates online.
The next session, titled ‘Brexit: Recruitment, a concern for venues and hotels’, discussed the new political landscape. John Rowland, political consultant and analyst, Cicero Group, suggested that recruitment from the EU could pose as a long-term problem for the hospitality and events industry in a post-Brexit Britain under new immigration rules.
Rowland said: “Brexit will increase the friction in travel but not enough to put off short-term visitors, as those staying up to 90 days will not require a visa. It could affect those coming to live and work in the UK.”
Lex Butler (pictured), chair of HBAA, also confirmed that Buses4Homeless will continue as the association’s charity partner for 2020 and its annual dinner added £22,000 to the £36,000 raised by members in 2019.
