VisitEngland Academy - business support webinars

Choosing eco-friendly or green energy sources not only aligns with corporate social responsibility but also unlocks numerous advantages for businesses, ranging from cost savings to enhanced environmental stewardship. Cost-savings are very much dependent on your existing tariff, however there are multiple suppliers who offer green energy which are very competitive. (John Devine, TCD Energy)

It is true that Rishi Sunak has apparently scrapped the forthcoming changes for landlords of residential properties, it is less clear for commercial property. The tightening of the rules may yet be delayed but it will still be coming. The UK is behind most other European countries in terms of existing standards. 

Our advice is still that with the huge rise in energy prices, making improvements to reduce consumption and minimise loss make business sense and will allow you to be compliant when the standards required are inevitably raised.  (Matt Breakwell, Kimpton)

There is a National Grid project called ‘The Great Grid Upgrade’ (https://www.nationalgrid.com/the-great-grid-upgrade)  which is relevant to some locations. Business may also be eligible to apply for an infrastructure grant to help with the cost of a new supply, however that would be roughly £5000 plus. In some areas, such as the Lake District,  the local network operator is rolling out their own chargers and upgrades to the supply, but this is not yet a national approach. Depending on the average dwell time of your visitors (e.g. overnight stays) standard EV charging may be sufficient for most guests. (Steven Core, Voltshare)

­There is little difference between a 7 and 11kw unit, it would make minimal difference in speed of charge and the unit cost should be the same.­ (Matt Breakwell, Kimpton)

Commercially we do not see this as being a great investment as the technology is expensive and potentially has a more limited life. Most large commercial applications don’t create enough power to have an excess to charge a battery, as it is all utilised in daytime demand. 

Residentially with cheap overnight tariffs, they make more sense and can see paybacks of 4-5 years, but for commercial operations with a high daytime usage pattern, they would deliver a marginal return and closer to a ten year payback. Bear in mind that battery warranties are generally around five years, so they may even become obsolete as payback is reached. 

Where it could be viable is for a community centre, where there is little daytime demand and higher evening usage. This would allow batteries to be charged through the day from the Solar PV and then discharge when needed in the evenings. (Matt Breakwell, Kimpton)

The grant needs to be claimed by an OZEV installer, if the installer is not OZEV registered you will not be entitled to claim the grant. An EV charger can be installed by any electrician, the grant is only for OZEV registered installers¬. (Matt Breakwell, Kimpton)

In relation to this there are so many variables to consider, the battery size, vehicle size etc.  Car manufacturers even struggle to quantify it, as a rule of thumb after around roughly 10k miles of driving an ICE vehicle the carbon footprint would be the same. (Matt Breakwell, Kimpton)

Solar Thermal is an amazing and quite simple technology for hot and sunny counties such as Greece and Spain, where they are cheap and deliver incredible returns. In the UK, where we don’t generally have long sunny summers, they are a marginal technology. They could be useful for part heating a swimming pool, but as they are not widely adopted in the UK, access to skilled engineers to service and install them would be a problem. 

Solar PV works well in the UK, even in the North. Paybacks for commercial and residential applications are 3-4 years and ongoing savings can be huge. The Solar PV Panels should be effective for 20-25 years, but the inverter will probably need replacement at some point. (Matt Breakwell, Kimpton)

 

LED lighting will save money immediately. Particularly if you have any incandescent, 50w dichroic or fluorescent tubes. 

Also consider whether it be externally insulated or clad to reduce heat loss?

Look at whether solar PV could be added to the roof?

Think about at how it is heated and hot water is provided. It could be that a heat pump, more efficient gas boiler or electric boiler (like a Tepeo Boiler https://www.tepeo.com/) could work

Add a Nest/Hive thermostat so you can turn the heating of remotely if your client forgets to when they leave. (Matt Breakwell, Kimpton)

Additional answers from John Devine at TCD Energy

There are a multitude of low-cost energy efficiency measures that be taken to reduce energy consumption and in term improve sustainability and importantly reduce emissions;

•    Communicate with guests to educate them about conserving energy, use posters on notice boards, send regular emails to encourage them.

•    Install low energy lighting (LEDs)

•    Smart thermostats (such as Honeywell or Hive) or other remotely controlled systems are suitable, enabling you to monitor and manage the temperature settings within the building to prevent unnecessary use of heating systems

•    Turn your thermostat down by just one degree and reduce heating bill by up to 10% 

•    Reducing the Flow Temperature on combi boiler. Combi boilers work best when they heat radiators to 60°C or below. But this flow temperature is often set much too high, often between 70°C and 80°C

•    Reduce the hot water temperature on your combi boiler

•    Turn the “pre-heat” function on your combi boiler off

•    Ensure boiler pressure is optimal

•    Implement weather compensation

•    Get the boiler serviced

•    Install a cylinder jacket to reduce heat wastage

•    Install thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs)

•    Bleed radiators

•    The tumble dryer is the biggest culprit for consuming large amounts of energy, so purchase an energy efficient one.

•    Encourage guests not to run dishwashers when only half-full

•    Fit water saving shower-heads

•    Hunt down and eradicate as many drafts as possible

•    Install radiator shelves

•    Don’t block radiator

•    Ensure freezers are defrosted to boost efficiency

 

The issue with hydrogen is at present, it is expensive and inefficient to produce when compared to other technologies. It takes 3-4kw of energy to produce 1kw of hydrogen power. 

Oil companies are keen on the technology as it can be produced from crude oil. 

This inefficient production may well be solved and as newer boilers are all being built to be hydrogen ready, meaning with either no change, or a change to the jets within the burner, it could run with a proportion of hydrogen (5-10%) added to the existing gas provision. (Matt Breakwell, Kimpton)

 

Photovoltaic tiles seem like a logical technology for new build residential homes, but in Scandinavian countries, they have tended to go for solar panels being used as the ‘outer skin’ of the roof to give as great a coverage as possible. This is only viable on very specific roof types, and the tile option would seem to give greater flexibility for more tricky applications. (Matt Breakwell, Kimpton)

See the Sustainability section of The VisitEngland Business Advice Hub for lots of resources to support carbon reduction. Additionally: information is available from the following websites 

•    Government guidance and support: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/find-funding-to-help-your-business-become-greener

•    https://www.gov.uk/guidance/workplace-charging-scheme-guidance-for-charities-and-small-accommodation-businesses 

•    Energy Bills Discount Scheme support for Energy and Trade Intensive Industries: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/energy-bills-discount-scheme-energy-and-trade-intensive-industries-support

•    Ofgem energy saving and funding opportunities: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/energy-advice-businesses/find-business-energy-efficiency-grants-and-schemes

•    For support is also broken down by region Government Schemes for Business Energy Customers & Finance and Support (tcdenergy.com)

Additional to the answer given in the session by Rachel, Matt Breakwell also added: Guest comfort is probably the most critical thing for a hospitality business, but low carbon, also generally means lower ongoing running costs. This gives you a real commercial advantage. There is also increasing evidence that Gen Z (People born between the mid-1990s and mid-2010s ) are actively choosing and prepared to pay more for more sustainable products and services https://kadence.com/why-gen-z-values-sustainability-tips-for-marketing-to-the-eco-conscious-generation/

The key thing is to make doing the right thing simple and easy for holidaymakers. This means, for example, leaving clear instructions on how to control heating, or where to put various items for recycling. It’s also worth making sure people know that the actions you are asking them to take are part of a collective effort. You can do this with messages that say things like ‘We are taking steps to reduce our water use. Please help us to do this by not leaving taps running. 

Providing information (in a welcome pack, or on your website, or social media channel/s) about the sustainability measures you’ve implemented will help reinforce the message by building trust. Studies have shown that guests also respond positively to messaging that suggests others behave in a certain way. So communications that say things like  ‘Our guests are supporting our efforts to save water by hanging their towels up if they don’t need them changed’ are more effective than ‘ Please save water and hang up your towel if you don’t want it changed’. It’s probably worth experimenting to find out what works best for you.  Incentives can also be a great way of encouraging behaviour change. In hospitality these range from discounting takeaway coffee if customers bring their own cup, to restaurant/bar discounts in hotels if guests opt not to have linens changed daily.  There will always be some guests who feel that generous use of amenities is part of the luxury of being on holiday, but by clearly communicating your sustainability achievements to customers and potential customers, you are more likely to attract those who share your approach to looking after the environment. (Rachel McCaffery, Visit England)

Understand where the biggest wins are and pick off the easy wins first. Lighting is cheap and effective. A new boiler will be a cheaper alternative to a more expensive heat pump system and if replacing an old one, will show significant improvements. Also perhaps look at whether windows be improved, or secondary/tertiary glazed and consider if there is space to fit Solar PV in the garden, if the roof is not viable? (Matt Breakwell, Kimpton)

If the building is well insulated, has the right size pipework and space to fit one externally, they make a lot of sense. 

Ground source is more expensive and more effective but requires a lot of space. We see some future in district based ground source heat pump systems so multiple properties draw from the same central system. 

Air source is simpler to fit and therefore cheaper. Running costs are generally on par with gas for a reasonably well insulated property and life cycle should be on par too, at around ten tears.

However, electricity is 3-4 times more expensive than gas per KwH, so even with a 3-4 times return from energy input to output (known as COP) of a heat pump, savings will be marginal.

You will not be burning gas however, so there will be significant carbon reductions. (Matt Breakwell, Kimpton)

 

As oil, LPG and coal fired boilers will be banned from 2035, some of the boiler manufacturers have invested to create HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) powered boilers. This will be a greener interim solution but longer term, using green energy from wind, solar and hydro etc will be more sustainable than burning things to produce heat and carbon waste. (Matt Breakwell, Kimpton)

Reduce consumption first, through insulation, lighting and glazing changes. 

  There are then two main alternatives to consider when it comes to heating. 



 

•    Wet – Via heat pump, electric boiler or gas boiler which heats water within a closed system and radiators or pipes in the floor to emit the heat, or wall mounted fan coil units

•    Radiant - Panel heaters that are wall mounted in each room (common now in some hotels and new build flats)

Which is best for you is entirely dependent on scale, insulation levels and restrictions within the building fabric. (Matt Breakwell, Kimpton)

 

For air source you just need enough space for a unit outside to get an airflow around it. 

Ground source potentially needs more space as it requires a coil of pipes below the ground and for a bigger system, you need more pipes. This all needs to be dug into the ground. It can be done with bore holes, but if you need more than one, for a larger system, they need to be at least 10metres apart. 

 

This depends on the system design and how well suited your property is for their application. See notes above. (Matt Breakwell, Kimpton)

This depends on the age and scale of the system. If yours is over seven years old, it will be cost effective to change it and have a big impact on ongoing running costs. For hoteliers, consider a VRF system. This uses water within the system that goes into the bedroom, so the helps you avoid any issues with the EN378 Directive https://www.kimpton.co.uk/hvac-system-for-hotels/(Matt Breakwell, Kimpton)

The Export MPAN (Meter Point Administration Number) is the “m” number being referred to. Before any payments can be made to the exporter, the supplier has to apply to the DNO for an export MPAN for the meter. Before applying to the DNO for an export MPAN, suppliers will normally ask for a MCS or equivalent certificate and for Distribution Network Operator (DNO) sign off on the completed installation. Once the National Database has been updated with the export MPAN, the supplier will pay SEG export payments.

Until both DNO sign-off and an Export MPAN is in place, exporters will not receive any payments for exported electricity prior to this.

All suppliers have different arrangements, however the majority do not charge for accessing import and export data, so I would consider identifying an alternative Smart Export Guarantee provider who does not charge for this data. British Gas is an example of a supplier who does not charge. (John Devine, TCD Energy)

You need to record your Fire Risk Assessment (FRA), including your actions, plans and timeline, irrespective of the number of persons employed to work.

You need to know where you need expert advice and when to assess yourself. For example, the guidance for small premises is relatively straightforward, while larger premises and more complex buildings might need more competent assessors. If you choose to carry out the fire risk assessment yourself, it is important that you feel able to interpret and apply the guidance and recommendations to your property. However, if you do not feel confident to do so, you should engage the services of a competent fire risk assessor. Always carry out reasonable checks that the fire risk assessor employed is suitably competent.

If a competent Fire Risk Assessor assesses you, it should be aligned. You need to record your FRA. Previous FRAs should be kept as a record, but the ‘current’ or most recent FRA is the one that is the relevant document – think of it as an MOT certificate

Contact your local fire station. They will most likely want to visit your premises for operation risk purposes. They won’t be able to inspect your FRA, but if they think it appropriate, they may ask an inspecting officer to attend to give you advice.

Do not wait for guidance. Any fire risk assessor is already suitable to assess according to your circumstances.

Each independent occupancy will require its own FRA, and there must be an FRA to cover any communal areas. The FRA for the communal areas will be the responsibility of the owner, landlord or Page 3 managing agents. All occupants must share their findings (co-ordinate and co-operate) with the other occupants. From 1 October 2023, a FRA is required for any premises to which the Fire Safety Order applies, irrespective of the number of persons employed to work.

The small paying guest accommodation guide says, ‘Any fire detection and alarm systems should be serviced by a competent contractor every six months.’ This is onerous for domestic systems and is more applicable to commercial systems in hotels, etc. Still, it would be considered best practice to ensure fire alarms are subject to suitable maintenance regimes in addition to the weekly or changeover tests.



 

• The fire safety order (Article 17) requires a suitable testing and maintenance regime for fire safety equipment. A period in excess of 12 months for basic tests would be difficult to justify.



 

• The British Standard for domestic fire alarms (BS 5839 part 6) does not specifically recommend that Grade C, Grade D and Grade F systems are maintained by a competent person unless identified in the manufacturer’s instructions. This says a visual inspection, cleaning, and functional testing should be done. This should be done as part of a regular maintenance regime.

Yes. Keep the actions recorded. This should be under the heading of ‘relevant information’

You need to keep a record and show when you are asked.

Yes, every rented room needs a smoke alarm. The system will need to be compliant with BS 5839:part 6, 2019, Grade D1 LD1. On completion of the installation, contractors should provide a written statement that they have installed the system to the necessary standard. Any variations should be included.

The only change is you need to record it.

Ask for references that align with your businesses, including accreditation, training courses and relevant experiences have been taken.

Yes, that is correct.

If you are a small premises, you can do it on your own. If the premises are relatively more complex, you need an assessor to ensure you comply with the regulations. However, you don’t need to wait to be published

Although the results might be similar, each unit should have an individual fire risk assessment.

There is no specific timescale, but you should record a review date on your FRA. FRAs should be reviewed at regular intervals (this could be annually, but not necessarily), but FRAs must be reviewed if there has been a change or reason to believe the FRA is no longer suitable. This may be following an incident or near miss.

Ask for references that align with your businesses, including accreditation, training courses and relevant experiences have been taken. There are Fire Risk Assessor’s registers. Here is an example - https://www.ife.org.uk/fire-risk-assessors-register.

Yes – there are courses, and the Institute of Fire Safety Managers have a ‘tier’ system. There are Fire Risk Assessor’s registers. Here is an example - https://www.ife.org.uk/fire-risk-assessorsregister

The owner, if they have control of the property, but letting or management agencies may have a duty dependant on their level of control. The Fire Safety Order refers to someone taking a ‘rackrent’. Saying this, ‘the “owner” means the person for the time being receiving the rackrent of the premises in connection with which the word is used, whether on his own account or as agent or trustee for another person, or who would so receive the rackrent if the premises were let at a rackrent.’ (Article 2 FSO)

Yes, Airbnb properties do need a Fire Risk Assessment.

Not at this time, but many training providers could provide training based on the organisation’s needs – an internet search using the phrase ‘fire safety training’ should assist in finding suitable providers.

The legislation applies to all premises where the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (As amended) applies – so yes

The laws in Scotland are different. They would need to apply the English guide standards.

If the venue operates as a business, and some may define this as the ability to stay at the premises by booking or knocking on the door, then yes, the guide is likely to apply. Other standards may apply if the premises are operating as a shelter or charity, but they are likely to be very similar. The key point to consider is whether the person or persons staying on the premises are considered a relevant person and whether the fire safety order applies. The FSO applies to any premises which is not a single private dwelling (house or private flat). A relevant person is anyone who is legally on or in the vicinity of the premises.

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fire-safety-legislation-guida…

Have a background check to determine whether the company has experience with similar premises.

The building owner/management should be responsible for communal areas, and the fire strategy should be communicated to the flats. Flat owners are responsible for FRA within their premises.

Yes

It is unnecessary to complete checks when the property is not in use, though this may make some small faults worse and more expensive to rectify. However, checks must be completed before reoccupation, which may require re-certification and re-commissioning.

If you decide to omit checks during the closed season, this should be detailed in your FRA.

It is very unlikely that the fire brigade team did a FRA. This would have been a fire safety audit, which is entirely different. If this is the case, you will need to complete your own FRA. An update only needs to be completed when there is a significant change in the exterior and function of the building, assuming the current assessment had been carried out correctly and actions were taken.

When a change on the building or function of the property is taken.

Yes – please complete a search on the internet using the phrase – ‘intumescent coating for fire doors.’

No – this is an appropriate testing regime.

Competent Fire Risk Assessors should give advice or solutions which will be accepted by the Fire Service by complying with the guides/standards. Where the advice deviates from standards, this needs to be made clear in the FRA, and the assessor should advise you to seek approval from the relevant authorities. Fire Risk Assessors have a duty to provide competent advice and can be prosecuted if the FRA is not suitable and sufficient.



It is mandatory to record your FRA moving forward, including plans and actions taken.

The legislation is the same for both – the fire safety order. The guides for each depend on the property size but are most likely to be the Sleeping Risk guide if there are more than 4 bedrooms.

There are no grants for this, as the regulation has been in place for almost 20 years. The only change is to record the FRA.

Yes. The regulation applies. If you rent out the tent, you still need to complete a fire risk assessment, but it should be very simple, ensure you can raise the alarm in case of fire so that all persons can get out safely. For a bell tent or similar, you are unlikely to be able to provide mains wired fire alarms. In this case, a battery-operated smoke alarm will be acceptable. You will need to consider emergency lighting; this could be a torch fixed in a suitable location.

The travel distances are covered in both guides.

This is a statutory guidance. Not complying can be a breach of the order.

Do the background and sense checking and price comparison on the services.

The guidance for small premises is straightforward. However, you may need a competent Fire Risk Assessor for more complex premises.

We do not provide completed FRA due to the different circumstances of each premise.

It can range between £250-£300. However, price comparison and checking should be taken individually.

Depending on the building, 3-storey cottages can be as complex as HMOs or hotels or closer to small premises

The Fire Risk Assessor evaluates and gives feedback on how your premises can comply with the fire safety regulations.

It depends on how the FRA was taken, by whom, and the measure the premises’ owner took.

The principle is to prevent any specific circumstances that may jeopardise the safety of the person staying.

The inspections are already part of the Fire and Rescue Services tasks. The regulation has been established for almost 20 years.

The training requirements have not changed.

Yes, it will.

There is a guidance for sleeping accommodation that is already established.

It should be in a format that is accessible and available for inspection when requested by an authorised inspector (normally from the fire and rescue service – they should carry identification and a fire safety inspector’s authorisation card).

The regulations would not normally apply, but if a fire in the main house was likely to affect the selfcontained unit, this must be considered regarding fire separation – fire doors and raising the alarm in case of fire – sounders in both areas or one fire alarm system.

To comply with the guidance – yes. Who cleans your property, and what changeover checks are completed?

Not necessarily yearly. Make sure to manage any potential ignition sources. Insurance cover is to be factored in, for example, a maximum every two years.

There is no strict timeline. Only mandatory records for FRA have been taken, plans in place, actions taken, timescale, and follow-through, with a proportionate approach. The answer would be a soon as reasonably practicable. This does not specify a time but ensures that weak or lame excuses for not doing the work are not used. All fire risk assessments give a schedule for when works need to be completed, starting from immediate to 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months and as part of a programme of works. Assuming the works are required because of fire safety deficiencies, the fire risk assessor should consider the impact of fire when making recommendations. If works are unnecessarily delayed, then the fire service will take action. Page 10 The fire service can also require works to be done. When the fire service requires works to be done, they give timescales (in Enforcement Notices), which consider how long it would take to complete the work, considering the planning, procurement, installation and commissioning times. This will be similar to the schedule fire risk assessors use. However, the fire service can restrict or prohibit the use of the premises until works are completed if they think someone is at risk of harm in the event of a fire. If so, the business may use interim measures to lift the restriction/prohibition notice. An example could be restricting the use of bedrooms because of inadequate fire alarms (smoke detectors). The fire service may require a mains wired system to be installed in 3 months, but then accept a batteryoperated system to allow the bedrooms to be used while waiting for the mains wired system to be installed. It is up to the business owner to introduce interim measures. Still, they would not be able to use the prohibited area until the matters identified (as deficiencies) have been remedied.

No

You could try ‘iAuditor’

Competent Fire Risk Assessors are capable of conducting a FRA.

For owners of heritage buildings wishing to see what is possible, the ‘Fire Safety Management in Traditional Buildings’ guide published by Historic Scotland is a very helpful reference source.

Not really. You could ask someone to check thoroughly to see if they agree with your findings, but without experience, this is not recommended and is subjective.

Electrical installations should be checked every 5 years, but other electrical equipment may be subject to more frequent checks depending on the manufacturer’s recommendations and the use of the equipment. All checks should be completed by a competent person, and records of checks should be maintained

Your solicitor should request information from the seller or agent on compliance with fire safety regulations based on the current use. You should complete the FRA immediately after the purchase or before occupation.

The FRA is to be recorded, which means it is written down so that when an inspection occurs, there are records of FRA taken, plans in place, action taken, timescale and follow-through.

I use all my own photos and videos. You need to think much more about the people in the images, even when in public spaces. Go to the VisitBritain Asset Library; when you register, there is information in the Help section on how to deal with asset rights.

Most of the guides use Zoom. A free version is available for up to 40 minutes, and is easy to use for the viewer and can handle video streaming well. Licences can be purchased for longer sessions.

What is the typical age of the people that come on your tours, or is it very broad?

Facebook is utilised by most of the guides represented in this webinar; however, many guides have also explored Instagram. All platforms have different purposes and different age groups, so it is best to explore which may work for your and publish different content on each.

Am I doing something wrong, or do I need to use a different platform?

All of the guides on the webinar that host live walking virtual tours use Zoom to present them. However, when hosting multiple guides, Streamyard was also used.

I use a meeting, as the feedback and interactivity during the tour make them feel welcoming. Webinars can feel cold.

I find that one hour is the ideal length. Any longer is certainly too much. If you are concerned about people’s attention wandering, perhaps have a break for questions halfway through.

Most of the guides on the webinar always use live tours, to enable them to interact with the audience. However, one of the guides also offers downloadable videos.

No. A strong broadband connection is more important.

The guides on the webinar share the expectation that virtual guiding will continue into the future, and we will see a formation of a hybrid environment – where both live in-person guiding and virtual guiding form part of the offering.

If you recorded a video of yourself talking, the sound and images would be done at the same time. Alternatively, play pre-recorded video and add a voiceover in real time.

Streamyard – it’s akin to a mini TV studio.

I don’t use a green screen. If you have a decent computer you can use the virtual backgrounds offered by Zoom.

I encourage questions in chat, and leave lots of time at the end to answer them and interact with the audience.

Certainly. Or you could consider doing the tour at times that suit your overseas clients. I’ve done virtual tours at 10pm and 8am.

We don’t encourage Blue Badge guides to do any interior tours without express permission.

Travis uses internet translation engines: they choose the best ones for different languages.

­Good point – we did use an app which gave a unique download, but at present we have just a simple link that we can change when we want to. You can create a secure registration link so it can only be used by one person from a single computer, if this is your fear.

In the future I would like to see a way of recognising the many of us who are guiding but not currently part of the institute.

There are courses for the Cities [Green Badge] and Sites [White Badge] which are less expensive, and take less time to complete. Please see the Institute of Tourist Guiding website for details.

With the closure of so many tourism information centres, attractive maps and guidebooks may be of interest.

Try them out on your friends first, and ask them to spread the word. Be bold and write to local papers to feature you, put up ads in supermarkets or on neighbourhood Facebook sites.

White Badge courses are usually requested by the attraction, and the Institute accredits them. Maybe if you work or volunteer at an attraction they would consider running a course. If so, I would suggest contacting the Institute of Tourist Guiding. If you don’t, then the most accessible courses for individuals are the Green Badge courses.

We run courses on a Continuing Professional Development basis for our already-qualified guides, but I’m afraid I don’t know if there are others available.

Radio receiver systems and Vox Connect (phone based) could be very useful in the future.

You receive skills-based training that has been developed over decades for guiding in any circumstance, complemented by in-depth knowledge training for core and regional guiding. There are rigorous examinations to ensure high standards. Presentation skills and tour planning are also part of the training. You have the support of a great number of individual expert guides and the guiding associations. There are opportunities to work together, exchange work and learn together through your guiding career – it is a great community. The standards are internationally recognised.

That’s a tough one, as a lot depends on the context. It’s a good idea to put yourself in the shoes of the audience: if it sounds a bit ‘off’, it’s not quite right. It may be suitable to use some aspirational language, such as: ‘imagine going…’

Yes, definitely. With social media, it is even more important to understand your audience and their requirements. What do they want to hear? What kind of language do they react best to? What challenges do you have – and how can you help to overcome them?

Social media is also a great way to start conversations. Instead of just posting a comment, try to start a dialogue by asking a question or creating a poll.

I think it’s important to ensure that your customers get a full sense of the ‘real’ experience, wherever possible – so be as descriptive as you can.

It’s likely that your audience will remember the beginning and end of your presentation the most, so it pays to make these extra engaging. Leave them thinking about what comes next – you’ve opened their eyes to a new way of thinking, so how can they continue this journey? There are a few ways to do this: take a look at our blog on the subject.

These are three quite distinct audiences, so I’d be tempted to have three separate presentations to cater for each in a really targeted way. There will be some overlap, but when your audience feels like a presentation has been focused to their exact needs, it makes them all the more engaged.

Unfortunately, there is no right answer to this! Your presentation has a number of variables (complexity, time available, number of key messages, etc) and each one affects the number of slides you should use.

However, we have put together a set of guidelines to help you get to grips with this.

Your slides are there to support you, not to compete with you. If there’s too much text on a slide, your audience will struggle to read it AND listen to you – so they’ll probably do neither.

For this reason, it’s a good idea to strip the text down to simple key points, wherever you can.

Imagery can look great and convey a lot of emotion – so more imagery, less text, is a decent rule of thumb.

There are a lot! Luckily, we’ve put them all together in one place.

Understand who your audience is, and what challenges they face in terms of selecting accommodation. Then, show how you can help them overcome those challenges by explaining the benefits of staying with you.

If you have a cool story about how you came to run the business, share that too; personal stories can really help potential customers to decide.

I think this boils down to who your audience is. I’d look to change the stories depending on the groups you’re presenting to. For instance, is it a family looking for a gentle spin, or a group of young people looking for adrenaline?

It’s essential that you don’t burn time by talking about yourself too much. Talk about the customer, and how your products or services can benefit them specifically. Perhaps ask them outright what they’re interested in, so you can customise your presentation on the fly.

A list of online and classroom-style training programmes, free staff training slides and an Accessibility Champion brief can be found on the VisitEngland Business Advice Hub. 

Providing accessible accommodation is as much about the little things as it is about the facilities on offer. One of the most important factors is uncluttered space. You should also communicate to potential guests what you can honestly offer.

It is impossible to cater for everyone, but play to your strengths and use what you do have – for example, your accommodation may not have a wet room and be suitable for wheelchair users, but is spacious and has level thresholds so would be perfect for someone using a walking trolley or Zimmer frame. Ensure your accessibility information is clearly visible on your website and not hidden away, so guests can make an informed choice.

Think about all types of access, including visual and hearing, where initial outlay on equipment is less but there is a large untapped market.

Have you got a quiet site that would be great for those living with autism or dementia? How can you help these groups have a relaxing holiday?

Contrasting colours in accommodation are helpful for guests with visual impairments, to highlight handrails, door frames, obstructions, etc. It’s not only about bright colours, but also the difference in light reflection: you need a contrast of at least 40% on the LRV (Light Reflectance Value) scale, to help people distinguish between features.

My number one tip is to listen to guest feedback, and learn from it. Provide what your guests actually want, not what you think they might need: this enables you to improve the accessibility of your property over time.

Practical guidance on making your self-catering business more inclusive can be found on the VisitEngland Business Advice Hub. 

A common concern from operators and staff is using the wrong language. Guidance can be found in the Speak Up! guide to marketing your accessibility. Carrie-Ann Lightley wrote an interesting article ‘Why terms like ‘fully accessible’ don’t help disabled people’.

No, not every seat needs to be wheelchair accessible, but having some will broaden your appeal.

We use a booking system called Supercontrol which partners with Master Cancel to provide flexible booking terms that give a money back guarantee to the customer: they can cancel up to three days before arrival and still get a 100% refund. There is a percentage charge for the service, but our guests can book with confidence.

One option is to lock the toilet with a RADAR key: disabled people can purchase a RADAR key that is universal to open all compatible doors. You should have a notice on the door telling people where to borrow a key (for example an information desk) if they don’t have one themselves. This will limit people ‘sneaking in’ who do not require an accessible toilet.

Operators should consider adopting the Sunflower Lanyard Scheme – this is used in most airports and a growing number of other businesses – and ‘Not Every Disability is Visible’ signage for accessible toilets. Disabled people will generally understand there may be some unavoidable restrictions, but these need to be made clear via websites and wider information guides so that they can make informed choices.

TXGB: The key here is to think about what you’re trying to achieve, what your needs are, and to ensure you’re testing out various ways to reach the customer. At TXGB we talk a lot about the value of diversifying your distribution, finding the right mix and ensuring you achieve the right balance by working with a variety of channels and optimising direct sales. There is no one size fits all answer here, but if you have a platform that allows you to easily test and learn, to monitor what is working and what is not, then you can find the solution.

TXGB: As a technologist, I can confidently say technology is not the answer you’re looking for here. That might surprise you, but the key to using technology is to start by looking at what you’re looking to achieve, what your internal needs are, and the needs of your customer. Then, use technology that meets those needs. Don’t make any big uncomfortable decisions: test things out, learn by doing, be what we call in tech’ land ‘agile’. This will mean you improve your business processes, from selling more to doing less, and so earning a larger profit.

what3words: What3words is accurate, free, easy to use and guest-focused. I’d recommend ensuring you’re doing all you can with all the attainable resources out there to ensure guest safety, not all of them are hard.

Attractions.io: If you’re a small team, it’s all about automation for me. Automation allows you to replicate your efforts and have a system that works for you 24/7.

what3words: What3words is the biggest [such provider] in Europe. The UK is the largest focus for us at the moment, but we’re also quite popular in Germany and most recently Australia and Canada. Keep in mind that offering what3words, even if someone has to quickly learn what it is, could still mean the difference between them getting lost or not – so it’s not all about someone already knowing the system.

Attractions.io: ­If the individual shops are on board then certainly. You could offer outlets the option to promote offers to town visitors when they’re nearby, and even use beacons in shops to push messages as visitors walk past.­ On the food and beverage side, we integrate directly with the venue’s payment-processing system – but again, if the town and the venues are on-board, there’s nothing to stop it being offered to shops and facilitated through the town.­ ­It’s also worth noting that we can connect to off-the-shelf payment processors like Stripe, so those operators who don’t have anything in place can very quickly and easily take mobile orders and have funds deposited into their bank account.

TXGB:  We’ve been working with VisitBritain and VisitEngland on their mission to make Britain the most accessible tourist destination in Europe. We think the biggest impact we can have in this space is in content that explains the facilities and allows everyone to search and find experiences that meet their needs.

TXGB: TXGB is not a consumer brand, so tourists do not need to find it. TXGB connects you (as a tourism supplier) to various consumer channels, or enables you to sell more effectively to consumers directly.

TXGB: We are looking at how an ‘on request’ booking flow would work, and the demand for this. Our view so far has been that pre-booking has become even more vital and expected by consumers.

TXGB: Yes, TXGB has a separate booking fee. The benefit is that TXGB allows you to access many OTAs (and other channels) from one place, reducing admin and allowing you to see what’s working for you. So rather than directly loading products with OTAs, you can manage all channels in one place. We also provide access to other types of distribution that often have a low commission (such as less than 10%, and sometimes 0%).