|
About
|
The Association originally formed in 1921, has developed from a traditional local government association, to become a national body that operates as a trade association representing the wider interest of local authority sponsored tourism. As a consequence the membership now includes local government authorities of all types and sizes from across much of the UK, regional and local tourist boards and commercial organisations, who are either suppliers of services to the public or to the industry itself. Despite the popular misconception associated with the organisation's name, it is not exclusively in the business of promoting the interests of major built coastal resorts. While the majority of the member authorities are coastal, many are major rural destinations. We also have some significant inland, rural and built destinations in membership. The common link between all members being an engrained tradition of hosting visitors and therefore a tendency towards a much higher local social and economic dependency on a healthy tourism industry.
The work of the Association covers a wide range of areas. Although originally set up and run as a lobbying and advisory body, since it's reorganisation in 1993 the Association has expanded its offer to include a wide range of added value services. These vary from cost effective national advertising campaigns, through PR and press initiatives, like this website and British Resorts & Destinations 2008, its accompanying hardcopy travel trade and press publication to employee benefits like low cost travel insurance.
The operation of the Association continues largely along local government lines. However, all routine procedures have been streamlined to ensure that the Association is a proactive and can lead, rather than follow the national debate. A full-time secretariat based in Southport and consisting of a Director and two members of staff run the day to day business of the Association. The host authority Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council provides an Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer who assist the secretariat, mainly with personnel and financial issues. Two main committees advise on practical delivery and set the strategic policy. The officer based Officers Advisor Committee deals with delivery and advises the Elected member based Policy Committee on background to policy issues. Both committees are elected from within the membership every two years and both meet approximately 6 to 8 weeks apart, three times a year in London and once concurrently at annual conference. The Association also elects a Chairman from within the membership of Policy Committee who acts as the senior internal representative of the Association. Although the Association operates in the often highly politically charged environment of local and national government; it functions on a totally non-political basis. This is illustrated by the range of senior political figures that have accepted the appointment of Vice President of the Association. One Vice President from the main Westminster party of the day is also elected to act as President and head the Association.
|