Tourism is worth an estimated £127 billion to the UK economy. The tourist guiding industry has been decimated by the impact of the pandemic. It is likely that our Blue Badge Tourist Guides will lose most of their work this year. However, we continue to take a positive view and many of our guides have launched virtual tours, blogs and talks via social media platforms #LondonTogether.
We pride ourselves on being the best guides and we’ll bounce back, introducing a resurgent tourist market to all that our wonderful island nation has to offer.
Marilyn Collis, President, Institute of Tourist Guiding
Editor's reply
Dear Ed
Tourism is badly hit by Covid-19. The World Travel & Tourism Council has warned that without government intervention 75 million jobs could be lost globally. But, like the Blue Badge Tourist Guides, the industry is keeping the spirit of travel alive. From hotels giving away future stays for Coivd charity donations, to digital wellness retreats, virtual safaris and classes with hotel chefs, the industry is fighting back.
We’ll shortly be relaunching Travel on standard.co.uk, talking to hoteliers, giving destination inspiration and offering bucket-list ideas. Because, when it’s safe, we’ll all be back out there again.
Suzannah Ramsdale, Travel Editor
At 84, Keir relief
I’ve been a Labour man all my life. I fondly recall Clement Attlee’s great government, bringing us the NHS we now rely on. Aged 84, though, I’ve wondered if I’ll live to see another Labour government. I knew Jeremy Corbyn would never win an election. His supporters are middle-class Utopians who think the working class are really Left-wing. They are not, and it is thanks to Corbyn we have another Tory government. Having let my Labour membership lapse, I recently rejoined so I could vote for Keir Starmer. I am delighted he won.
Eddie Linden
