Headline speech Sally Shalam

Transcription

1 Headline speech Sally Shalam My thanks to South West Tourism Excellence Awards for inviting me to be here on this special night for everyone who is involved in tourism in the south-west. It s lovely to be in Plymouth, famous for gin, a spectacular harbour (so lovely it rivals Sydney s) and of course, the Royal Navy. Some of which are perfect ingredients for a getaway. I first came here in my 20s to visit my brother, living in student digs. We went out to the cinema and watched a brilliant film, called Arthur. Some of you may know it. If not, I shall leave it to your imagine why, to this day, despite new branding as the Ocean City, I shall always associate Plymouth with a very short man surrounded by bubbles drinking champagne in a gigantic bath. Arthur, the film, which starred Dudley Moore, was nominated for four Academy Awards. This is of course awards season. The Grammys, the Baftas take place in London in a couple of weeks, followed by the much-anticipated Oscars in Hollywood. And tonight we have some Oscars of our own. Well, OK the gongs we re handing out tonight are not gold-plated, but you can t have everything. At least you don t have to worry about Joan Rivers talking to a TV crew in your moment of glory and describing your dress as looking like a disco ball which had sex with a quilt. It s a real pleasure to reward those who work hard in a very diverse, and therefore fragmented and often tough industry.

2 Tourism isn t only affected by the economy, after all, it is also at the mercy of the weather and the fickleness of fashion. Thankfully, in the past 12 years or so one of the biggest trends has been a huge uplift in quality - food, beds, the whole experience and another, we Brits falling completely in love with Britain as a destination again. Holidays are no longer all about baking in the Mediterranean sun, and looking like David Dickinson s love child when you get home. The UK holiday has become so cool we ve had to create a new lexicon. Staycation, mini-moon, nano-break. Which doesn t mean that you ve brought your granny, but actually, perhaps it should. Because according to Visit England in a report released just last month (I promise I m not going to drone on about reports) the traditional family is changing. Yes we have an ageing population, but grand-parents have a younger outlook on life, and multigenerational groups on holiday together are likely to increase. Oh incidentally I must mention something else from that report. There was another new word it s really snappy, rolls right off the tongue. Individualocracy. Try typing that at speed on Twitter. In plain English, it means that demand for a tailored experience is where things are going. It means that there is a recognisable shift away from the prescriptive and more emphasis on individual, and by that I reckon authentic experiences. Demand for authentic experiences from people who know their region best and how to show it off is good news for a region such as the south-west, I think, where there is such a cross-section of ways to holiday. Maybe concierging is a better way to think of it. While we might

3 associate that word with five-star hotels, personal attention is something which small businesses do very well. Anyway, back to the ageing population. Because the south-west is so important, and dare I say, could justifiably claim to be brand leaders for Team Tourism in England, coming up with ways to include and embrace an ageing holidaying public, is going to be key. In fact inclusiveness full stop is key. Great strides have been made in terms of accessibility, Gay Marriage is on the horizon, and the message which is coming through is, surely, inclusiveness? I m inclined to throw down the gauntlet tonight, addressing the great and the good of the industry here. In the same way that you have always innovated can you do the same for inclusiveness? Can you come up with accommodation, facilities and experiences which appeal to the over-50s and 60s, 70s and 80s, in a way which fits with Britain s cool image? It might not sound like a very sexy prospect but consider this. The 60- and 70-somethings of today are guys who got into trouble for wearing their hair long, girls who bought mini skirts in Biba, people who might have backpacked along the Silk Route or hitch-hiked their way across the USA. Couples who met, maybe, at a Rolling Stones concert and are still going to them, and dare I say it quite possibly spent blissful weekends at early rock festivals smoking unusual varieties of tobacco. When I see websites aimed at the over-60s, the models are always wearing a pink or lilac sweater, a golf-course tan and pointing somewhere in the distance. Or there is a reclining chair

4 involved. It s not very inventive, or even representative. Tailoring what you offer to embrace all generations and making it cool is a positive challenge up ahead for the industry. Which brings me to excellence and tonight s celebration of that. To achieve true excellence, two of the most important factors are meticuous attention to detail and the ability to stay ahead of the game. New ways to be excellent often start with the little things. When I think of something simple, such as putting hampers of local produce in a holiday cottage, it is this part of the country which led the way was way ahead of everywhere else - and helped create that local, sustainable message which enhances the visitor s experience and is such a natural part of tourism now. In this light, the pursuit of excellence for multi-generations could start just by offering smaller portions on menus not just for children. My Mum doesn t want chicken nuggets, but neither does her generation like leaving food on their plate. And what about the size of the type on your printed material and website? Are visitors to your attraction holding their information booklets like this? The local food initiative is proof that small pebbles can make big ripples. Excellence is also, of course, about hard work. It is the hard work of people sitting here which ensures that on judging day in London

5 for the National Awards, there is always significant representation from this region. I know that from personal experience. What could be better than rewarding you? When hard work and dedication ensure that people who arrive in need of a break, have a simply wonderful time? So they go home rejuvenated, relaxed, and with memories which linger with them, maybe for a whole lifetime. When you think about doing that for living, it really doesn t matter what tonight s gongs are made of though they are, in fact, very beautifully designed glass by Dartington! In terms of achievement, what they represent is pure gold. Good luck to everyone tonight!