UKHospitality election manifesto outlines hopes for ambitious growth

UKHospitality has set out ambitions to grow hospitality output by 5.5% over the next three years as part of its general election manifesto released today.

The manifesto, Menu for Change, calls on the UK political parties to acknowledge the vital role of hospitality and tourism in the global and local economy and the potential the industry holds as a generator of future jobs.

In addition to achieving a hospitality output growth, UKH hopes to work with the government in order to secure the right conditions to boost skills and opportunities for the workforce - increasing employment by 500,000 within a decade - and bring communities together through the Tourism Sector Deal.

“Protracted uncertainty” is the organisations biggest worry for the industry, said UKH CEO Kate Nicholls, “because that impacts investment, impacts the perception of the UK internationally and therefore impacts our social capital. And hospitality is what gives the UK its social capital to attract other businesses.”

Within the manifesto, the organisation calls for an independent enquiry and fundamental review of the business taxation system, a cut in tourism VAT to 5%, and a reduction in employer NICs, increasing the threshold at which NICs are paid to £12,000. The increase of in-work training is another primary demand, UKH hoping for the development of T-levels and reform of the apprenticeship regime in order to provide businesses with greater flexibility.

Other key policy proposals include:

• A guarantee of the rights of EU citizens in the UK and assurance of the smoothest possible trade with the EU on food and drink.
• Investment in the Tourism Sector Deal to promote the available careers in hospitality.
• A future immigration system that works for the whole economy, at all skills levels.
• A reduction in excise duty rates for alcohol.
• The introduction of ‘Green Sector Deals’ to deliver a step-change in business sustainability.
• A review of the relationship between commercial landlords and occupiers, alongside a reform of the planning system to incentivise investment.

“Our key message to all the main parties is work with us, because hospitality is your natural regenerator, and your natural equality of opportunity employer, and will help you to spread prosperity.

“If we have that support through cuts in business rates, and cuts in employment taxes, we can invest in local communities and help government deliver the infrastructure investment that those communities need to be able to achieve their full potential. We will use the Tourism Sector Deal that we already have in place and build on that ambitious program, working with government to achieve prosperity across the regions,” Nicholls said.