Cumbria Tourism’s managing director Gill Haigh will address an influential group of MPs and business leaders today at a special conference organised by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Migration.
With a new set of immigration rules coming into effect in just over three weeks, the event will focus on the challenges and opportunities different types of businesses face in managing their workforce post-Brexit.
Cumbria Tourism has been selected to highlight issues in England’s tourism industry, providing a key opportunity to emphasise some of the unique issues Cumbria faces around its migrant workforce.
Mrs Haigh will speak later this afternoon alongside the Federation of Small Businesses, MAKE UK and the City of London Corporation.
MPs from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Migration are also expected to offer their reflections and comments.
The discussion will be chaired by the APPG’s Vice Chairman, Westmorland & Lonsdale MP, Tim Farron.
Mrs Haigh said: “It is a privilege to be representing England’s visitor economy at this important event, building on the high-profile lobbying work Cumbria Tourism has done in recent months around the impact and implications of not only the current pandemic, but also wider long-term issues such as skills, recruitment and retention.
“European workers are an important asset in our county – and an intrinsic part of our workforce – but the new points-based immigration system will introduce new job, salary and language requirements that will change the way businesses hire from the EU.
“In a post-Brexit era, it is vital that policy-makers fully understand the specific needs of tourism-reliant areas like Cumbria, where a flexible migrant workforce is so integral to supporting some of our key tourism operators, which in turn, support the rest of the workforce locally.
“We know that Cumbria’s tourism businesses are very resilient and will keep adapting and innovating, but the right support must be in place to ensure they can continue accessing the talent and skills they need.
“This conference is an important opportunity to get these messages across.”
