The
London Development Agency (LDA) is to invest £3.5m over the next four years to
create top-quality chefs, hotel managers, tour guides and other hospitality,
tourism and leisure staff in London.
The
investment and action plan set out in a report by the LDA shows that the
hospitality sector accounts for 430,000 jobs in London among 47,000 businesses,
but that a third of these firms have difficulty recruiting staff in London.
The
LDA’s action plan is part of its bid to attract more high-spending visitors to
the capital, especially business tourists. Around 7 million people come to
London on business each year – around 25 per cent of the total number of
visitors. However, they account for one-third of all tourism spending in London
each year.
Manny
Lewis, chief executive of the LDA, said: "The quality of service that
customers receive is a hugely important factor in the attractiveness of any
business in this sector.
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"This
projects aims to help improve the experience for visitors and attract more
high-spending business tourists to London,” he said. “It will also ensure
people working in the industry improve their skills and jobs prospects while
enabling firms to raise their competitiveness in this dynamic sector."
