Suffolk tourism businesses warn rising costs and policy uncertainty are putting pressure on the sector
We spoke to Suffolk Coast Destination Management Organisation
Tourism businesses on the Suffolk coast say rising costs, policy uncertainty and staffing shortages are placing increasing pressure on the industry.
Jess Brown, manager of the Suffolk Coast Destination Management Organisation (DMO), said many businesses are having to rethink how they operate as financial pressures grow.
She said operators are constantly reviewing how they can reduce costs in order to remain sustainable.
“Businesses are constantly thinking about the best ways to operate their business, to reduce operating costs,” she said.
“That might be looking at automated systems or reducing the amount of staff, which obviously massively affects tourism businesses.”
Brown said many tourism operators in the region are small or family-run businesses, which can make financial pressures particularly challenging.
“Lots of the businesses in this area are small businesses, they might be family-run businesses and that is really difficult,” she said.
She said a number of national policy discussions were also creating uncertainty within the sector.
“Whether that’s thinking about national insurance or operational costs or the idea of tourism tax, there’s lots of different areas that are coming into play,” she said.
“If you are already in a position where you are concerned about your bottom line, then obviously those things are going to add to the load.”
Brown said challenges facing the industry are rarely caused by a single issue, but instead come from multiple pressures building at the same time.
“It’s not just one thing that creates challenges across the board,” she said.
Workforce shortages also remain a key issue for tourism businesses in the area.
Brown said many businesses rely on seasonal workers, including students and young people, but recruiting staff can be difficult in rural areas.
“Workforce is definitely a challenge for this area,” she said.
“The busier that they get, the more people they need, but often they’re recruiting students or young people and then we have a challenge with transport and getting to places.”
She added that businesses need to remain flexible in order to adapt to changing conditions.
“They need to be adaptable and they need to be able to change with the tide,” she said.
“That can be really tricky.”
Tourism plays a significant role in the Suffolk coast economy, supporting a large number of small and independent businesses across the region.