So the festive period has come and gone and at the time of going to press we are almost out of January. Economic uncertainty is seen as the biggest challenge for the hospitality industry in 2012 with customers thinking very carefully how to spend their money so businesses in our sector of the economy will need to keep close to the mood of the public and to respond to their requirements. The year will obviously present many challenges but more importantly opportunities.

JHA members attending the Christmas Forum and Luncheon held at The Grand Jersey on Tuesday 20th December found out what plans Senator Alan Maclean, the Minister with political responsibility for hospitality and tourism, had for the industry when he delivered a keynote speech.  It was the first time he had spoken to hospitality and tourism leaders since his reappointment last month and he gave an upbeat message for the future of tourism. So what did his address include?

 And the PPP for Tourism?........Having brought a PPP for Tourism back onto the agenda earlier this year, Senator Maclean, in his address to the States, said that he wanted to move Jersey Tourism into a new structure called "Visit Jersey". He said that this entity would be operated in the same way as Business Jersey, a merger of the Jersey Business Venture and Jersey Enterprise, and would sit outside government with a private sector board and would be grant funded. The Minister believes that EDD should concentrate on policy, strategy, and overseeing regulation and it should not be trying to micro manage the economy.

With challenges prevailing for all businesses involved in the hospitality industry and going into a further uncertain period ahead his address will be very important for the industry and will certainly include updates ref his vision for a PPP for Tourism and how that will work and be delivered as well as business and marketing plans for 2012.

The members only programme will see the JHA President and Committee updating members on our activity since we last met in August together with a presentation of the What's On App. The forum will commence at 11.00 a.m. with coffees/teas etc being served from 10.30 a.m.

Pre-luncheon drinks will be served from 12.30 with luncheon at 1.00 p.m. The cost of the event will be £27.50 per person and will include morning coffee/tea on arrival, luncheon and a half a bottle of wine and coffee.

In some cases the skills and experience of some of these employees could represent a good match to those required in the hospitality sector and therefore, by way of contingency planning, EDD want to explore with the JHA the opportunities that may exist.  In particular, whether the industry has the capacity to employ locally qualified individuals in the 2012 season and to give consideration as to what training may be required to equip individuals for employment in the hospitality sector and how such training might be delivered. More to follow...

A seasonal (unskilled) work permit holder for employment of up to 9 months will no longer be allowed to transfer to another employer when their main contract of employment ends.

The law governs how and where young people can be employed, whether they are being paid or not.  It applies to people under 16 years old and it's about protecting the welfare of children and young people, and is not intended to make working life difficult for young people or their employers. Work has been defined in Article 48 of the Children (Jersey) Law 2002 as "a person who assists in a trade or occupation carried out for profit shall be regarded as being employed notwithstanding the person receives no reward for his or her labour". The law does not intend to restrict jobs such as babysitting or doing odd jobs for pocket money.  It does not apply to young people on work experience programmes organised through schools.

Deputy Southern believes the MW should go up further to bring it in line with average earnings. If the proposition is passed it would see the MW at £6.52 (4p more per hour than being recommended i.e. a 3.2% increase instead of 2.5%. The extra 4p per hour would mean a difference of a further £1.60 per week more for an employee on a 40 hour week which If approved would mean a total increase of 20p per hour and this does not include the extra Social Security contribution that would be paid by the employer.

In an island economy of increasing unemployment, a difficult employment law, higher wages and being asked by Government to employ more local staff, the JHA is considering its response.

As an aside, members will have noted that the UK government (from which most of our employment regulation has been cut & pasted) are back-pedalling on regulations as they have quite rightly recognised that these now inhibit business, the economy and employment opportunities.

Dress to Impress - Christmas Window Display Competition - You are invited to Dress to Impress and participate in the Christmas Window Display Competition 2011. This year, the Parish of St Helier, together with Jersey Tourism, Channel 103 and in association with The Chamber of Commerce will be giving the public the chance to vote for your efforts in creating a colourful, eye-catching display, in keeping with the Christmas spirit.  By texting your business name to 07700 376 001 (Text voting provided by Sure, text messages charged at standard text message rates as set by your operator. Texts sent after 12pm on 21.12.11 will not be counted but will be charged). Nomination forms are available in the shops.  Voting will start on Thursday 1st December and run until Wednesday 21st December, with the winner being announced on Thursday 22nd December, at 6.30pm. The lucky retailer will win not only a trophy to display on their premises, but an amazing prize. More information is available from Claire Boscq-Scott T498961.

PPL - A good start – Responses have been made to proposals by PPL (Phonographic Performance Ltd) for massive hikes in the fees for Specially Featured Entertainment - essentially playing recorded music at a dance/disco.  Following this, PPL announced that it will not be introducing any increases to the tariff before January 2013, not April 2012 as originally expected. Please note that, if implemented, the changes would represent increases for hospitality businesses ranging from 1500 to 6000 per cent – Ongoing......

TripAdvisor - Several issues raised with TripAdvisor as a result of concerns include "disappearing and reappearing reviews" which are taken off the site by the reviewer, slightly rewritten and put back as new (and therefore prominent) entries; and problems where a guest uses the hotel Wi-Fi to submit a review, which TripAdvisor then wrongly suspects was penned by the hotel.  If you have been a victim of either of these issues, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it