Sport and Leisure to create 100,000 new jobs by 2014 argues Business In Sport & Leisure


London (9 November) - The Leisure Works theme of Business In Sport & Leisure’s Annual Conference, which takes place on Thursday 10th November at Lords Cricket Ground and is being sponsored by Sky, could not be more timely, according to Chief Executive Dominic Harrison.  He explained: “The depressing unemployment figures – particularly in relation to the young – plus the not unconnected news relating to Luminar, which relies so heavily on the custom of 18-24-year olds, resonates with the core theme of our Conference.

“Our simple message is Sport and Leisure is a powerful industry which provides over 4m jobs, 27 percent of all jobs for young people and contributes some £200bn – over 3 percent of GDP – to the UK economy. It is also an industry that has the capacity to compensate for the job losses taking place in the public sector, providing it is given the freedom to operate without punitive tax regimes and the ever-greater levels of regulation and red tape.  The nation needs more jobs; Sport & Leisure remains one of the UK’s key growth areas, and with the right level of Government support, we calculate a further 100,000 jobs will be created by 2014.”

“The tourism and heritage brief should be about strategic joined-up thinking; for example the night-time economy is incredibly important to tourism and has a massive knock-on effect to retailers, hotels, attractions and transport providers.  Similarly, ‘gambling tourism’ is a powerful economic driver, which delivers local, regional and national benefits.

“We are of course delighted to welcome both John Penrose MP, Minister for Tourism and Heritage, and Harriet Harman QC MP, Shadow Deputy Prime Minister and Shadow Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport to our Annual Conference as well as our high profile speakers drawn from business, sport and the media.  I believe their attendance at Conference speaks volumes about the status enjoyed by BISL.  I know that delegates are looking forward to hearing from our distinguished guests regarding their strategies for growth and their recommendations for private operators.  We are moving into a different political phase and BISL will continue to address the hurdles preventing Sport and Leisure from playing its full part in a jobs-led economic recovery.”

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CONTACTS

Dominic Harrison, BISL | m: 0781 511 2714

Chris Jones, S&J | t: +44 (0) 1273 699 900 | m: 0776 691 7062 | e: cj@sjc.co.uk

Steve Turner, S&J | t: +44 (0) 1273 699 900 | m: 0777 918 0055 | e: st@sjc.co.uk