Tourism is big business in the UK. With the weather set fair for the next week, those in the leisure and hospitality business will be looking forward to a profitable Easter weekend, and hoping for the same on the weekend of the Royal Wedding. Naturally, all places in the country wish to promote what they have to offer.
In the South East, the main tourist board is Visit South East England, which aims to promote the counties of Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire, Surrey, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and Buckinghamshire. This is partly paid for by public money. But it doesn't end there. Take Surrey as an example. It has its own tourist board - Visit Surrey. One of the aims of this organisation is 'to co-ordinate Surrey-wide tourism activity, discourage duplication and seek economies of scale.' One would think they were duplicating the activities of Visit South East England, but once again it doesn't end there. There are eleven district and borough councils in Surrey, and some of them also have their own tourist boards, such as Visit Leatherhead, which is partly sponsored by Mole Valley District Council.
With all this going on, I was surprised to read Surrey County Council is looking for a Tourism and Culture Legacy Officer. The advert states:
'This is a newly created role, within a recently restructured service. You will be required to develop new ways of working, create an understanding within the tourism and culture sectors of the significance of the opportunities available.'
Perhaps it's just me, but why with all the money currently spent on tourism and the number of staff involved, does Surrey County Council need to create a new job? Surely all the existing tourist boards will be busy promoting events such as the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the 2012 Olympic Games? Isn't it their job? It's not as if they haven't had sufficient notice, although how this new member of staff is going to help promote Surrey by using the Royal Wedding when they will not be in post until well after the event, I don't know.
Perhaps someone from the council would like to explain all of this and justify to council taxpayers why it is essential to create new jobs, and spend more money, when everyone else is scaling back?Tourism is big business in the UK. With the weather set fair for the next week, those in the leisure and hospitality business will be looking forward to a profitable Easter weekend, and hoping for the same on the weekend of the Royal Wedding. Naturally, all places in the country wish to promote what they have to offer.
In the South East, the main tourist board is Visit South East England, which aims to promote the counties of Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire, Surrey, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and Buckinghamshire. This is partly paid for by public money. But it doesn't end there. Take Surrey as an example. It has its own tourist board - Visit Surrey. One of the aims of this organisation is 'to co-ordinate Surrey-wide tourism activity, discourage duplication and seek economies of scale.' One would think they were duplicating the activities of Visit South East England, but once again it doesn't end there. There are eleven district and borough councils in Surrey, and some of them also have their own tourist boards, such as Visit Leatherhead, which is partly sponsored by Mole Valley District Council.
With all this going on, I was surprised to read Surrey County Council is looking for a Tourism and Culture Legacy Officer. The advert states:
'This is a newly created role, within a recently restructured service. You will be required to develop new ways of working, create an understanding within the tourism and culture sectors of the significance of the opportunities available.'
Perhaps it's just me, but why with all the money currently spent on tourism and the number of staff involved, does Surrey County Council need to create a new job? Surely all the existing tourist boards will be busy promoting events such as the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the 2012 Olympic Games? Isn't it their job? It's not as if they haven't had sufficient notice, although how this new member of staff is going to help promote Surrey by using the Royal Wedding when they will not be in post until well after the event, I don't know.
Perhaps someone from the council would like to explain all of this and justify to council taxpayers why it is essential to create new jobs, and spend more money, when everyone else is scaling back?
In the South East, the main tourist board is Visit South East England, which aims to promote the counties of Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire, Surrey, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and Buckinghamshire. This is partly paid for by public money. But it doesn't end there. Take Surrey as an example. It has its own tourist board - Visit Surrey. One of the aims of this organisation is 'to co-ordinate Surrey-wide tourism activity, discourage duplication and seek economies of scale.' One would think they were duplicating the activities of Visit South East England, but once again it doesn't end there. There are eleven district and borough councils in Surrey, and some of them also have their own tourist boards, such as Visit Leatherhead, which is partly sponsored by Mole Valley District Council.
With all this going on, I was surprised to read Surrey County Council is looking for a Tourism and Culture Legacy Officer. The advert states:
'This is a newly created role, within a recently restructured service. You will be required to develop new ways of working, create an understanding within the tourism and culture sectors of the significance of the opportunities available.'
Perhaps it's just me, but why with all the money currently spent on tourism and the number of staff involved, does Surrey County Council need to create a new job? Surely all the existing tourist boards will be busy promoting events such as the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the 2012 Olympic Games? Isn't it their job? It's not as if they haven't had sufficient notice, although how this new member of staff is going to help promote Surrey by using the Royal Wedding when they will not be in post until well after the event, I don't know.
Perhaps someone from the council would like to explain all of this and justify to council taxpayers why it is essential to create new jobs, and spend more money, when everyone else is scaling back?Tourism is big business in the UK. With the weather set fair for the next week, those in the leisure and hospitality business will be looking forward to a profitable Easter weekend, and hoping for the same on the weekend of the Royal Wedding. Naturally, all places in the country wish to promote what they have to offer.
In the South East, the main tourist board is Visit South East England, which aims to promote the counties of Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire, Surrey, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and Buckinghamshire. This is partly paid for by public money. But it doesn't end there. Take Surrey as an example. It has its own tourist board - Visit Surrey. One of the aims of this organisation is 'to co-ordinate Surrey-wide tourism activity, discourage duplication and seek economies of scale.' One would think they were duplicating the activities of Visit South East England, but once again it doesn't end there. There are eleven district and borough councils in Surrey, and some of them also have their own tourist boards, such as Visit Leatherhead, which is partly sponsored by Mole Valley District Council.
With all this going on, I was surprised to read Surrey County Council is looking for a Tourism and Culture Legacy Officer. The advert states:
'This is a newly created role, within a recently restructured service. You will be required to develop new ways of working, create an understanding within the tourism and culture sectors of the significance of the opportunities available.'
Perhaps it's just me, but why with all the money currently spent on tourism and the number of staff involved, does Surrey County Council need to create a new job? Surely all the existing tourist boards will be busy promoting events such as the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the 2012 Olympic Games? Isn't it their job? It's not as if they haven't had sufficient notice, although how this new member of staff is going to help promote Surrey by using the Royal Wedding when they will not be in post until well after the event, I don't know.
Perhaps someone from the council would like to explain all of this and justify to council taxpayers why it is essential to create new jobs, and spend more money, when everyone else is scaling back?