Ski instructor marketplace calls for clearer plans for the travel industry with regards to how future variants are managed
Ski instructor marketplace, Maison Sport has reported a 100% increase in bookings overnight since the latest announcement that rules on testing are to be eased for people travelling to the UK, following numerous pleas from the travel industry, who are amongst those hit hardest amidst the pandemic.
Commenting on the new guidelines, Nick Robinson, Founder and CEO of Maison Sport said: “This is brilliant news for the industry and we expect to see ski lesson availability snapped up for the busy month of February over the coming days.
“This is typically our busiest month of the season so it’s great to see things ramp up again so quickly – this is just the news we have been waiting for. Not only is it brilliant news for those travelling but it will also provide a welcome boost to all of our ski instructors”
Maison Sport has proven to be a game-changer for independent ski and snowboard instructors who can significantly increase their earnings using the platform. The marketplace has surpassed 34,000 hours of lessons taught in 364 ski resorts across Europe.
Nick Robinson comments: “The old rules were perhaps in place for 2 to 3 weeks more than they needed to be based on the fact that they were implemented mainly to slow the spread of Omicron, but Omicron was dominant in the UK from the 17th of December or earlier so it’s clear that rules were causing more harm than good to certain industries.
“It’s really important that moving forward there is a clearer plan for the travel industry with regards to how we deal with new variants in the future.”
Founded in 2016 by former ski champion brothers Nick and Olly Robinson and fellow ex-British Ski Team member Aaron Tipping, Maison Sport now boasts the third-largest selection of instructors in comparison to any ski school in the world.
With its innovative platform continuing to grow, overcoming the significant challenges facing the global travel industry, the company plans further expansion into Asia and South America over the course of 2022.
TUC calls for permanent short-time working scheme to protect jobs in times of economic crisis and change
TUC says government must build on the success of furlough – and set up a permanent scheme to deal with big disruptions to jobs in the future, like the transition to net zero, future pandemics and technological change
Periods of industrial change have too often been mismanaged and led to increased inequality – a short-time working scheme would help prevent this, says TUC
Union body warns of job losses amid abrupt end to furlough scheme
The TUC is calling on the government to establish a permanent short-time working scheme as “a post pandemic legacy” to help protect working people through periods of future economic change.
The TUC says the furlough scheme, while far from perfect, is one of the major successes of government policy during the pandemic, protecting millions of jobs and livelihoods.
On the back of the success of the furlough scheme, the union body is urging government to build on furlough – “not throw away its good work” – with a permanent short-time working scheme to make the labour market more resilient in times of change and crisis.
The union body adds that because of the UK transition to net zero and the increased uptake of new technology, this is “hugely relevant”.
Case for a short-time working scheme
In a new report, Beyond furlough: why the UK needs a permanent short-time work scheme, the TUC says the case for a short-time working scheme is clear, citing significant benefits for workers, firms and government. The union body says for workers, a short-time working scheme would:
reduce the risk of workers losing their jobs in times of crisis
protect workers’ incomes – particularly as short-time working schemes are usually more generous than unemployment benefits.
prevent widening inequalities – protecting women, disabled workers and BME workers who tend to lose their jobs first in a recession due to structural discrimination
And for the government, it would:
protect against long-term unemployment, and the subsequent devastating impacts on communities
help stabilise the economy, and encourage a faster economic recovery as workers continue to spend their wages
save money, as the cost of furlough schemes is often below the cost of unemployment benefits, particularly where costs are shared with employers.
For employers, the TUC says that such a scheme would produce significant savings on redundancy, training and hiring costs, as they enable firms to keep skilled workers on their books.
The union body points out that the UK is an anomaly among developed nations in having no permanent short-time working scheme to deal with periods of industrial disruption and weak demand.
In the OECD, 23 countries had short-time working schemes in place before the coronavirus pandemic, including in Germany, Japan and many US states.
Turbulent times ahead
The TUC predicts that the UK economy is likely to face significant risks in the future – be it from climate change and the transition to net zero, new technologies such as AI, new variants or another pandemic. All could cause unpredictable and widespread disruption in the labour market – causing big spikes in unemployment and business failure.
The TUC cites failed attempts to manage industrial change in the past, which “left communities abandoned” and played a major role in the widespread regional inequality we see today.
The union body says that if the government is serious about levelling up, it will put in place a permanent short-time working scheme to prevent inequalities spiralling – adding that a short-time working scheme could play a vital role in achieving a ‘just transition’ to net zero.
Criteria for accessing scheme
The TUC says the scheme should be governed by a tripartite panel bringing together unions, business and government, which should be tasked with designing the criteria for the new scheme.
In designing the scheme, the TUC says the panel should take into account best practice from existing global schemes. The union body has set out the following conditions which it says must be in place for accessing a short-time working scheme:
Workers should continue to receive at least 80 per cent of their wages for any time on the scheme, with a guarantee that no-one will fall below the minimum wage for their normal working hours
Any worker working less than 90 per cent of their normal working hours must be offered funded training.
Firms must set out a plan for fair pay and decent jobs
Firms should put in place an agreement with their workers, either through a recognised union or through consultation mechanisms.
Firms must demonstrate a reduction in demand – which can include restructuring
Firms should commit to paying their corporation tax in the UK, and not pay out dividends while using the scheme.
The scheme should ensure full flexibility in working hours.
There should be time limits on the use of the scheme, with extension possible in limited circumstances.
TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Everyone deserves dignity and security at work. The pandemic shows how an unexpected economic shock can wreak havoc on jobs and livelihoods with little warning.
“In a changing and unpredictable world – as we battle climate change and new technologies emerge – a permanent short-time working scheme would help make our labour market more resilient and protect jobs and livelihoods.
“Too often in the past, periods of economic and industrial change have been badly mismanaged – increasing inequalities and leaving working people and whole communities abandoned.
“Setting up a ‘daughter of furlough’ to provide certainty to workers and firms through future industrial change would be a fitting pandemic legacy.
“Furlough has been a lifeline for millions of working people during the pandemic. Now is the time for the government to build on the success of furlough with a short-time working scheme – not throw away its good work.”
Furlough warning
The call for a permanent short-time working scheme comes exactly six weeks before the furlough scheme is set to end – the date at which employers are legally obliged to start consulting on planned redundancies with their staff.
The TUC is warning the abrupt end to the furlough scheme will cause unnecessary job losses and may harm the country’s economic recovery.
Recently, aviation unions have also been raising concerns about the sudden end to the furlough scheme and the loss of jobs in the sector.
On the ending of the furlough scheme, Frances said: “The jobs market is still fragile, with more than a million people still on furlough.
“An abrupt and premature end to the furlough scheme will needlessly cost jobs and harm our economic recovery.
“Instead of pulling the rug out from under the feet of businesses and workers, the chancellor must extend the furlough scheme for as long as is needed to protect jobs and livelihoods.”
Captain Martin Chalk, Acting General Secretary of BALPA said: “The UK aviation sector is the only industry to remain effectively in a lockdown.
“It employs about one million workers directly and ONS statistics show that 57% of remaining employees in air transport companies remain on furlough.
“The scale of jobs at risk of redundancy when the furlough scheme ends is self-evident, yet the footprint of aviation must not be missed – one in four constituencies has over 1,000 people employed directly by aviation companies.
“If the Chancellor chooses not to extend furlough, the effects will be felt by workers, communities and businesses right across the country.”
Diana Holland, Unite Assistant General Secretary, said: “Aviation is crucial to the UK’s economic recovery. It needs furlough support to continue while Covid restrictions apply.
“Airports and aviation support thousands of jobs. Without support all are at high risk.”
– The full report Beyond furlough: why the UK needs a permanent short-time work scheme is here:
A new organisation has launched to help Scotland’s beleaguered tourism sector make a sustained recovery driven by technological innovation.
Traveltech for Scotland will build a support network for travel technology pioneers whose ingenuity could help turn the sector around following the devastating impacts of Covid-19.
The venture will create opportunities for businesses, including digital tour operators, online booking providers and companies developing robotic devices that improve the hotel experience.
Traveltech for Scotland will foster an online community of entrepreneurs, promote industry events and create a digital marketplace to encourage growth in the sector.
It builds on the country’s traveltech leadership, demonstrated by pioneers such as flight-booking giant Skyscanner, hotel guest app provider Criton and trip-planning company Whereverly.
The £342,000 initiative – led by the University of Edinburgh and funded via the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise – will tap into Scotland’s research excellence and seek to nurture the country’s tech graduate talent.
Traveltech for Scotland involves two strands of the University of Edinburgh – its commercialisation service, Edinburgh Innovations, and the Edinburgh Futures Institute, which has a particular focus on harnessing big data and digitisation to promote social good.
Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism, Fergus Ewing, said: “The tourism and hospitality sector has been hit hard by this pandemic and we do not underestimate the crisis this has created.
“Protecting jobs and businesses is a key focus of the Scottish Government’s efforts to respond to the pandemic.
“As we start to see more and more of the sector re-opening, the launch of Traveltech for Scotland will support the sector further in its road to recovery. I welcome this innovative approach and look forward to seeing how the community is strengthened as a result.”
The Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise, Steve Dunlop, is confident Traveltech can support economic recovery in communities that rely on tourism and help the sector to ‘build back better’ by developing sustainability and resilience.
Mr Dunlop said: “By bringing together our digital and visitor economies, there’s a real opportunity for the Scottish technology sector to lead the way in creating innovative solutions to the challenges faced by the tourism industry on a global scale.”
The newly appointed Director of Traveltech for Scotland, Joshua Ryan-Saha, of the Edinburgh Futures Institute, believes it is in moments of great crisis that new ideas are born.
He said: “The travel industry faces unprecedented challenges and we need to invest now in Traveltech to build a better, more resilient and sustainable future for Scotland’s travel industry.”
COVID-19 has impacted heavily on the travel, tourism and hospitality sectors, forcing redundancies and reduced operations for airlines, hotels, bars, restaurants and tech businesses, and leading to the cancellation of Scotland’s major events and festivals in 2020.
In 2018 Scotland’s tech industry was valued at £4.9 billion, with over 100,000 people employed in the sector. Demand for tech recruits continues to grow rapidly: it is estimated that Scotland needs around 13,000 new people to work in tech every year.
The CEO of the Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA), Marc Crothall, said the launch marks a vital step forward in providing Scotland’s tourism businesses access to new technology solutions, which can build customers’ trust around virus control and safety.
He said: “It will offer reassurance that challenges can be overcome to aid a sustainable recovery for the industry and, I hope, put Scotland on the map as a leading destination for travel technology.”
Traveltech for Scotland is initially a three-year project funded under Scottish Enterprise’s Cluster Builder programme – supported by the 2014-20 European Structural and Investment Fund through a programme of jointly funded projects with the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and managed by the Scottish Government.
A total of up to £342,000 has been allocated towards creating a Cluster Builder for traveltech in Scotland over three years. The ERDF contribution is up to £171,000.
Lothian MSP Miles Briggs has welcomed the boost. He said: “The creation of Traveltech is a positive move for Edinburgh’s tourist industry, which has been hit so hard by Covid-19 and lockdown.
“Social distancing has created many challenges for tourist businesses and the development of technology to allow companies to make a profit and keep people safe is welcome.”
