Bristol hoteliers hoping for more support this year in key UK sector

Hoteliers in Bristol are looking ahead to 2024 with 'cautious optimism' but calling for the government to do more to support this important sector.

Recent data from UK Hospitality showed that it is the UK's third largest employer and accounts for 10% of all UK jobs. It also provides each year £7.5bn of investment in UK high streets and communities.

READ MORE: Business picking up for Bristol hotels

Chair of the Bristol Hoteliers Association (BHA) Raphael Herzog said: "The importance of hospitality to the UK economy should not be underestimated, which is why we deserve to get the support we need to sustain our sector."

Although hotel occupancy rates were good in 2023, further challenges lie ahead, he suggested.

"The biggest impact on our sector for 2024 at present is the increase to the National Living Wage which the Chancellor announced in his Autumn statement, he said.

"This will rise by almost 10% from April, but it’s not the Government who will pay the increased wages, it is us.

"We have been calling, for some time, for a reduction in VAT for hospitality businesses, like the temporary ones that were introduced during the pandemic, which would be a huge help to us in coping with the new higher rates of living wage."

Herzog added that the sector was still struggling to address the impact of Brexit, the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis.

"Our trade in number of covers over the Christmas and New Year period was about the same, if not a little above, 2022, but still lower than pre-pandemic levels in 2019 - yet our costs remain high and, in some areas, continue to rise.

"The latest data from UK Hospitality gives a very clear indication of the significance of our sector to the nation’s economy, so we hope that 2024 is the year that we finally see some serious recognition of this from Government and see some support which can enable us to continue to contribute to this country in a positive and meaningful way."

Herzog has also recently written to local MPs Thangam Debbonaire and Darren Jones concerning the threat posed by Airbnb lets to hospitality businesses.

Visit Hampshire Biz News for bright, upbeat and positive business news from the county