By Soozie Campbell

The Brighton & Hove Tourism Alliance (TA) is delighted with the news that tourist numbers in the city were up 11% between 2007 and 2011. These were some of the toughest years in history for the industry given the severe winters, the credit crunch and ultimately the recession. We have subsequently been through a double dip recession and a triple is hovering on the horizon.

The national economy has never been more fragile and in Brighton, where our main industry is tourism, it is clear that support is needed. However, if support is not possible then it needs, at the very least, to be relieved of burdens that will discourage both investment in the sector and visitors to the city.

The TA applauds the Argus’s successful campaign to reverse the ruinous hikes in parking charges that were proposed last year and is encouraged that the leader of the council and colleagues attended the TA’s Voice of the Industry conference last week.

We very much hope that this event has highlighted the deeply embedded importance of the visitor economy to our city. It not only employs 14% of the local population directly but also plays a pivotal role in the success of other industries notably new media and creative industries, which are thriving because people want to study, work and live in our vibrant city. And it secures the investment of very large businesses (such as American Express) that recognise the attractions of a strong tourism offer in recruiting and retaining staff.

The TA had some concerns regarding the council’s recent residents survey that included questions around a tourist tax but we are satisfied that this was simply an error and is definitely not some- thing they plan to impose. The years ahead are going to be tricky to navigate with impending cuts in public funding and the heightening competition all around us.

The TA is keen to support the council to find a way forward through a Destination Management Organisation (DMO) or other structure that will enable the tourism industry in Brighton and Hove to be more self-sufficient and less dependent on diminishing hand-outs from central government. The new structure will need to secure financial support from businesses as well as from the public purse. To succeed, the benefits to business must be clear and must include strategic influence.

James Berresford, CEO of VisitEngland, spoke at our Voice of The Industry event and commended Brighton for being ahead of the game in reviewing the options for a DMO. He advised that as national policy was moving toward DMOs this would be the ideal route to follow as it would open doors and provide access to funding pots as well as enabling Brighton to operate alongside and share best practice with other leading tourist centres such as York and Newcastle-Gateshead. The debate has only just begun on DMOs and while it is not something we want to rush into we don’t have much time to waste.

We have at least another five years of austerity ahead of us and it would be wise to act before the money runs out altogether.