England

The hospitality, passenger transport, travel and tourism sector in England employs nearly 3 million people - one in every nine workers.

Estimates suggest it is worth more than £50bn each year, contributing over six percent of the country's total economy, and supports employment across a wide range of other sectors that are dependent on passenger transport and tourism.

The sector has a significant presence across all nine English regions, but is particularly important in employment terms in the South West, North West, London and the North East.

People 1st, employers and trade organisations have worked hard to ensure members of staff are skilled and trained to the highest standards to improve the reputation of the sector and the service offered to customers. The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games demonstrated the sector at its best and the importance of having a highly skilled workforce – especially when it is on show 24/7 to a worldwide audience.

To continue to raise standards and address training and skills needs in the tourism industry, People 1st is also supporting the Tourism Strategic Framework's Skills Action Plan that VisitEngland is taking forward.

Our recent successful bids to receive new government funding focused on the delivery of six key project streams.

The delivery programmes within each stream are practical and results-focused, based on research with employers and partners and selected for the strong performance seen in their respective pilot stages.

The funding will allow People 1st to put the necessary resources behind them to ensure the strongest chance of success and benefit to employers.

To find out what the six key work streams are and how they will affect the sector, download a copy of the ‘An inspirational skills legacy' document from the box on the right hand side. For more information on our UK-wide strategy, visit our strategy pages.