TOURISM chiefs for the conurbation described 2020 as “unpredictable, cruel, and downright farcical on too many occasions” for the hospitality industry.

A joint correspondence from David Bailey, BCP destination management board chair, and Cllr Mohan Iyengar, portfolio holder for tourism, leisure and culture, praised the emergence of a sector-wide collaborative effort, which is “fighting hard, lobbying locally and nationally”.

As reported by the Daily Echo throughout the pandemic, the hospital industry, which is crucial to the local economy has faced some its most challenging times on record.

With businesses on the brink and a need for more support from central Government, the announcement that BCP would move into Tier 4 coronavirus restrictions from December 31 means the sector faces more tough times ahead.

Mr Bailey and Cllr Iywengar said: “We don’t need to tell you what a challenging year this has been - we all know. The hospitality industry has faced some of the darkest months in modern history during this past year. It has been unpredictable, cruel, and downright farcical on too many occasions. Redundancies, risk of closure and, regrettably, actual closure for some of our peers have been all too common a reality.

“So as we look to 2021, some light seems to be appearing at the end of the tunnel, and we can begin to prosper again and build a stronger industry in the months to come. The importance of the tourism and hospitality industries has received national recognition not just in terms of the number of jobs it creates but also in terms of the extraordinary value it brings to the general public.

“And the industry has grown in unity through our collaborations; fighting hard, lobbying locally and nationally. This has not just been the work of the Destination Management Board but we have seen tremendous tenacity from both established and new groups coming together: BAHA, IEA, Wonky Table, and the South Coast Events Forum, to name but a few.”

The tourism leaders said the industry has shown how it can adapt and operate safely, although admitted hospitality had often been “unfairly punished” by measures in response to the pandemic.

They described as an “uphill struggle” dealing with lockdowns, tier changes and alterations to the rules.

The pair concluded: “With the roll out of the new vaccines and a continuation of conscious efforts by so many to work with the existence of this virus we know we will once again welcome and entertain our customers, hosting a variety of events and festivals where it is safe to do so.

“Let these solid working relationships we have formed with one another thrive and guide us through to a new and prosperous year.”