To All Members of the Tourism Alliance Board

3

CONFIDENTIAL

TOURA 48 04

TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE TOURISM ALLIANCE BOARD

Minutes of Tourism Alliance Board Meeting held on Thursday 29th July 2004 at The British Hospitality Association, 55-56 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London WC2A 3BH

In the Chair

Bob Cotton British Hospitality Association

Members

Robin Broke ALVA

Chris Collier Regional Tourist Boards

Stephen Dowd BITOA

Michael Hirst Business Tourism Partnership

Tony Millns English UK

Ros Pritchard British Holiday and Home Parks Association

Ian Reynolds Association of British Travel Agents

Ken Robinson Visitor Attractions Forum

Secretariat

Rebecca Sutton-Ward Tourism Alliance

Richard Tobias Tourism Alliance

Apologies

Colin Dawson BALPPA

Peter Hampson British Resorts Association

Brigid Simmonds Business in Sports and Leisure

Agenda Item 1: Chairman’s Introduction

Bob Cotton (BC) informed the Board that there would be two parts to the meeting, with Richard Tobias and Rebecca Sutton-Ward attending up to and including agenda item 5. Thereafter, the Board would discuss issues relating to Richard’s replacement when he stepped down as Director-General.

Agenda Item 2: Election of Officers

Tony Millns (TM) said he was still awaiting two 288A Director appointment forms. He added that the appointment of Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary and President also needed to be decided.

Robin Broke (RB) proposed that Bob Cotton should remain as chairman of the Board until the end of December with a new chairman taking up office in January 2005. TB said that it would not be an issue to align the appointment of a chairman with the date of the Annual General Meeting.

Ken Robinson (KR) said that the Board needed to be clear as to what the role of the chairman was. BC said that the Executive Council had previously decided to appoint a chairman to chair Executive Council meetings and had agreed that the chair should be held for a period of one year on a rotational basis. BC felt that the procedure should be continued with the new Board. TM said that the procedure would apply to the chairman only; other officers could remain in office if they wished to, with the agreement of the Board and subject to being elected members of the Board.

After discussion the Board requested that Bob Cotton remain chairman of the Board until December 2004, with a new chairman taking up post in January 2005, and requested that Tony Millns (TM) continue as Hon Secretary and Ian Reynolds (IR) as Treasurer.

Ken Robinson (KR) asked what the procedure was if a Board member resigned or stepped down from their occupational post. BC said that Board members were elected in their own name and that any successor may, at the Board’s discretion, be co-opted to the TA Board until the following election where he/she would have to elected in the normal way.

Michael Hirst (MH) asked if there was any “pecking order” as to who would be the next chairperson. BC said there was not but felt that there was merit in the next chairperson being from a smaller organisation. After discussion TM proposed Brigid Simmonds as the next chairperson and BC undertook to approach her to seek her agreement.

RB asked whether Digby Jones (DJ) would continue as President when his term of office expired at the end of December 2004. After discussion it was agreed that DJ be asked to continue as President for a further term.

Observers : It was agreed that the CBI, the LGA, a representative of the RDA’s and VisitBritain be invited to be Observers at subsequent Board meetings. BC said he would also like to invite Rob Hayward from British Beer and Pub as an Observer, which the board agreed to.

Action Points: BC to speak with Brigid regarding her appointment as next TA chair.

BC to speak with Digby regarding his re-appointment as President.

TM to invite all Observers agreed by the Board to attend Board Meetings

Indemnity Insurance : IR proposed that TA directors have indemnity insurance.

Action point: TM/IR to enquire as to cost and any other relevant issues in respect of Directors Indemnity Insurance and report to the Board

Board Rotation : IR felt there should be an opportunity annually for all members to stand for election to the Board. RB agreed with IR but proposed that for the sake of continuity the present Board stay in place for at least one year. After discussion it was agreed to address this issue in March 2005.

Agenda Item 4: Funding

IR told the Board that current funding would run out in October 2004 and that it would be necessary for some members to pay their 2005 subs this year to ease cash-flow. He added that currently the TA annual income was around £65/70K and that it was desirable to match income and expenditure in the appropriate financial year.

BC said that subscriptions should cover the TA’s core functions. RB said it was essential to recruit new members and Stephen Dowd (SD) said that a budget needed to be drawn for 2005. RT reminded members that the TA couldn’t take it for granted that the CBI would continue to accommodate the TA indefinitely without cost.

SD said there needed to be confirmed pricing on banding and fees. MH said it was essential the TA embraced the majority of the sector and should aim for volume. KR said it was equally essential that the TA demonstrated value. Ros Pritchard (RB) said that the trade association members might be able to help out with office space.

Action: Ian Reynolds to prepare budget for the next meeting.

RT said the Board needed to determine the TA’s form and function. The TA’s original objective was to establish a communications portal between the wider tourism and hospitality industry and government. RT felt that this had been achieved. The Board now had to decide if the strategy was to be widened or amended and if it was, what it was going to be.

Agenda Item 5: Communications

Chris Collier (CC) said that TA members did not know how or if the TA was able to influence government and that the TA had not convinced members. To some members it appeared that the TA just held two plenary sessions a year. It was necessary therefore to establish what was meant by communications. CC felt that the TA was not influencing the government’s agenda. KR said that the TA still had a job to persuade government the TA was a forceful entity and said that the government originally thought the TA would be a delivery body for funding. RT said that the TA had a Communications Strategy (CS) that had been agreed by the previous Executive Committee. The Board needed to determine whether the CS needed revising or amending.

RT & RSW left the meeting after this agenda item

Next meeting date tba

ends

M