It is ironic that in the association’s centenary year the government has introduced so many fiscal measures that have had a negative impact on the hospitality industry.

These includes the abolition of the Hotel Buildings Allowance; increasing small companies rate of corporation tax from 19p to 22p; introducing a new rate of capital gains tax and abolishing taper relief - not to mention reducing capital allowances on general plant and machinery from 25 per cent to 20 per cent or 10 per cent.

The hospitality industry’s value to the UK economy and the country’s regional economies is without question. Yet government measures seem designed to ignore this contribution and to make life needlessly more difficult for operators, particularly independent owners, who wish to invest further in their business.

It is difficult to estimate how much the measures will cost the hospitality industry but the Hotel Buildings Allowance alone is worth £255m per annum. So, given the size of our industry, the Chancellor will be taking some £750m out of hotels, restaurants and other hospitality businesses. Unfortunately, it doesn’t stop there - some of these measures are retrospective.

With 2008 and 2009 now years of some economic uncertainty, it is certainly not the time to introduce measures that damage investment. It is a curious way to support an industry that must, in the government’s own words, ‘drive up the quality in accommodation.’ Joined up government thinking this is not.

I am determined to push the whole of the tourism, hospitality and leisure industry further up the political agenda. Through positive lobbying, we must make government and the general public fully aware of the industry’s huge contribution to the economic and social life of the country.

Our centenary year has helped to move this understanding forward, but we must never relent.