Investigating Leisure And Tourism.

• Catering

Barnet has catering amenities from almost every region in the world! All of the catering facilities are located in the private sector.

• Truva Restaurant in Golders Green specializes in Turkish food such as kebabs, salad and rice dishes. Xian Restaurant in North Finchley that serves cuisine from the Xian provenience in China.
• Pizza Hut which is a multinational chain of pizzerias has a branch in North Finchley.
• Rani Restaurant in Finchley Central serves vegetarian Indian food.
• Tesco Coffee Shop inside Tesco’s Supermarket in Frien Barnet is run and operated by Tesco’s and sells a wide and reasonably priced selection of food and drinks.

Description of the tourism industries available in Barnet

Due to Barnet’s large population the tourism industries are extensive and cater for every type of clientele. I will now attempt to give you a brief glimpse into the tourism industries available in Barnet, giving five examples of organizations for each component of the tourism industry, and providing their location on a map of Barnet (see below).

The Tourism Components

• Travel Agents

Barnet has numerous Travel Agents, all of which are in the private sector.  

• Thomas Cook in North Finchley is part of a multinational chain and provides worldwide travel, car hire, airport parking, bureau de exchange, and travel insurance.
• Preston Travel also based in North Finchley is an independent travel agency that specializes in local, European and worldwide destinations, and is one of the few travel agents in the area that sells nationwide and European coach and train tickets.
• Another North Finchley travel agency is Going Places who are a nationwide chain and have been operating for over two decades.
• Barnet Travel in Finchley Central is an independent travel agency that primarily caters for European and Worldwide package holidays.
• Lunn Poly which is the United Kingdoms leading travel agency has a branch in High Barnet. 

• Tour Operators

Barnet is home to many Tour Operators, like the Travel Agents, are all located within the private sector.

• Okavango Tours and Holidays in Finchley Central offers tailor-made holidays to Southern and East Africa for safaris, horse riding, canoeing and game activities.
• Peltours also in Finchley Central was established in 1926, making them one of Barnet’s oldest Tour Operators, they specialize in Worldwide destinations.
• Expressions Holidays in Hampstead was established over a decade ago and specializes in holidays to France, Italy and the Caribbean.
• Libra Holidays that is one of the most well-known tour operators nationwide has a branch in High Barnet and specializes in holidays to Cyprus, Greece, Egypt, Portugal and Spain.
• Sharon Travel in Golders Green specializes in flights and holidays to Israel.

• Tourist Information and Guiding Services

In comparison to most London boroughs, Barnet is large and vast and should have plenty of tourist information and guiding services available; however there is only one organization in Barnet that are geared to informing and guiding the tourist while he/she is staying here.

• The Barnet Town Hall in High Barnet, which is a public initiative, provides plenty of information on accommodation, catering, attractions, services, activities, facilities, and amenities in Barnet.

There are many tourist information and guiding businesses based in the “W” (Westminster) post code area. Good examples of tourist information in this area are:

• English Tourism Council in W6 (Thames Tower), which is a public organization, aimed to aid and assist any tourists need within the whole of England.
• Star Tour in W2 (Queensway), which is privately run, provide free-of-charge leaflets and assistance for accommodation, catering and attractions in Westminster, they also offer a guiding service, providing tours of London and its main attractions.

Well established and recognized guiding services also based in Westminster are:

• British Tours in W1 (West End),), which is privately run, were established in 1958, all of their guides are acclaimed, they provide all of the “standard” tours e.g. main attractions of London and Thames River cruise, their tours are spoken in many different languages English, French, German, Spanish and Japanese.  
• The Big Bus Company, which is privately run,  in SW1 (Buckingham Palace) operate guided tours from an open-top double decker bus, they offer guided tours throughout the whole of central London, and offer a simple “hop on hop off” policy, so the person is welcome to hop off the bus and then hop on another when he/she is ready!  

 

• Accommodation and Catering

Barnet has plenty of organizations geared to accommodate and cater. Good examples of accommodation, all of which are in the private sector.  

• Cherry Tree House in East Finchley is a family run guesthouse that provides en suite rooms with breakfast included.
• Regent Lodge Hotel in Finchley Central is a 2* establishment that provides large en suite rooms, tea and coffee, TV, meeting room, and free parking.
• King Solomon Hotel in Golders Green is a 2* hotel provides en suite rooms, TV, telephone, tea and coffee, and breakfast.
• Holiday Inn Hotel in Brent Cross is a 4* hotel that offers en suite rooms, restaurant, bar, conference rooms, parking, tourist information, hotel safe, continental breakfast, in room movies, voice mail, 24 hour security, coffee tea maker, TV in rooms, data ports, non smoking rooms, air conditioning, wake up service, mini bar in room, room service, hair dryer, newspapers and TV.
• Comfort Inn Hotel in North Finchley provides 3* accommodation, with en suite rooms, TV room, telephone, tea and coffee maker, and English breakfast.

Visitor Attractions

Barnet hosts many tourist visitor attractions.

• Publicly run Avenue House in Finchley Central, has attractive grounds. The former home of the Stephens family, it contains a unique collection which brings the history of the family and the development of ink to life.
• Barnet Museum in High Barnet is publicly run and has collections and exhibits including archaeology, costume, fine art, coins and medals.
• Many people come nationwide to see Brent Cross Shopping Centre in Brent Cross, it’s the Untied Kingdoms oldest indoor shopping centre est. 1976, and it has 110 stores, cafes, and restaurants. Brent Cross also holds special events and events during the main holidays and at selected times of the year.
• The publicly run Royal Air Force Museum (RAF) in Hendon houses over 200 full sized aircraft and attracts 1000’s of visitors through its doors each year.
• Another public museum is the Church Farmhouse Museum in Hendon that is a local Victorian period museum. College Farm in Finchley Central is one of Barnet’s oldest voluntary community farms.  

Transportation

Barnet has a diverse range of transportation industries that operate in the public and private sectors.

• Arriva London North & First Buses are publicly run bus services from North Finchley bus garage; they offer transportation to every part of North London.  
• Woodside Park Underground Station in North Finchley is a publicly run service offering direct tube links to every station on the Northern Line.
• The privately run National Express is the United Kingdoms only scheduled coach service offering nationwide and travel has a branch in Golders Green.
• Kenwood Car Service is privately run and well-established mini cab service in North Finchley.
• Great North Cars is privately run and has been offering a mini cab service to Finchley Central for well over a decade.

End Of Question Two

Q 3. In your investigation into the types of leisure and tourism facilities available in your chosen area, state clearly whether these facilities are in the Public, Private and Voluntary Sector.

3 A. Public, Private and Voluntary Sectors For The Facilities In Barnet

The Leisure Components

The Tourism Components

End Of Question Three

Q 4. Give an accurate description of at least three links between leisure and tourism in your area.

I will base my description of the links between leisure and tourism in Barnet by using the following examples of facilities in Barnet:

1. Two Sports centers: David Lloyd (North Finchley, N12) and Fitness First (North Finchley, N12).

2. Two Travel Agents: Thomas Cook (North Finchley, N12) and First Choice (North Finchley, N12).

• Both of these facilities are in the Sports and Physical Recreation Component (leisure).
• Both of these facilities belong to the Private Sector.
• Both of these facilities have catering amenities, which is part of the Catering Component (leisure). (David Lloyd operates its own café, whereas Fitness First has a beverage bar).
• Both of these facilities offer classes especially designed for children, which is part of the Children’s Play Activities Component (leisure).
• Both are Visitor Attractions because they are used by locals and tourists, which is part of the Visitor Attractions Component (leisure).
• Both offer information on tourist activities, facilities and amenities in Barnet, which is part of the Tourist Information and Guiding Services Component (tourism).
• David Lloyd offers outdoor pursuits at selected times of the year, which is a part of the Countryside Recreation Component (leisure)
• David Lloyd has a small gallery for local artists, which is part of the Arts & Entertainment Component (leisure).
• David Lloyd and Fitness First are both privately run organizations (which is part of the private sector); however, they both regularly endorse and promote local public sports events, which is part of the Sports and Physical Recreation Component (leisure).
• To access these facilities you may need a form of transportation e.g. bus, train, minicab, which is part of the Transportation Component (tourism). Transportation can either be Public (e.g. London Buses or London Underground) or Private (e.g. Car or Minicab).

1. Thomas Cook and First Choice

• Both of these facilities are part of the Travel Agents Component (tourism).
• Both of these facilities belong to the Private Sector.
• Both of these facilities offer tickets with major transportation providers (e.g. rail, coach, airplane), which is part of the Transportation Component (tourism).
• Thomas Cook provides a tour guiding service, which is part of the Tourist Information and Guiding Services Component (tourism).
• Both offer tickets for visitor attractions, which is part of the Visitor Attractions Component (leisure and tourism).
• Both offer information and holidays in the United Kingdom’s countryside and in national natural attractions (e.g. the Lake District), which is part of the Countryside Recreation Component (leisure).
• Both offer accommodation services, which is part of the Accommodation and Catering Component (tourism).
• Both offer information on catering services, which is part of the Catering Component (leisure).
• Both offer tickets to for major sporting events, which is part of the Sports and Physical Recreation Component (leisure).
• To access these facilities you may need a form of transportation e.g. bus, train, minicab, which is part of the Transportation Component (tourism). Transportation can either be Public or Private.

End Of Question Four

Part 2 Components Of The Leisure And Tourism Industry

Q 5. The Leisure industry is made up of Seven Components and the tourism industry is made up of Six. For each component, choose two examples and match them to its respective sector (Public, Private and Voluntary). You also need to clearly state what activities and facilities they offer. Present your information in a table format (refer to “what you have to learn” in the specs). Try and give a balanced selection for the three different sectors.

A 5. I will now give a detailed description of the products and services that two organizations from each component of the leisure and tourism industries offer to local people and visitors. I will include their names and addresses. I will display this information in a table using the headings: component, name of organization, sector, facilities and main activities.

The Leisure Industries

The Tourism Industries

.

End Of Question Five

Q.6. Choose two major facilities from the leisure and tourism industry in your area and give a clear description of at least two major facilities using correct technical terms (2 organizations with name and address). In addition, give a detailed description of the products and services they (the two major facilities) provide to the local community and customers.

I will attempt to compare and contrast the products and services offered by two organizations from two components of the tourism and leisure industries offer to the local community and customers; I will include the organization names and addresses.

The Leisure Component        

The Tourism Component        

End Of Question Six

The Distinction Criteria

Questions 7-8

Q.7. Finally, give a detailed explanation of how the leisure and tourism facilities in Barnet could work together to improve their products and services they provide

There are many ways the leisure and tourism facilities in Barnet could join forces to improve the products and facilities they provide.

The major leisure facilities in Barnet, i.e. David Lloyd and Fitness First could provide tickets (possibly subsidized and discounted) to tour operators and travel agents in the area, i.e. Thomas Cook and First Choice to sell onto their customers. This could not only improve the travel agents and tour operator’s revenue, but would also bring in new clientele into the leisure facilities that may have not considered or known about them before, and if these facilities get more clientele that means increased revenues for them as well, which should lead to an improvement of their facilities.  

Once the private leisure and tourism facilities have exhausted their equipment, and have purchased new equipment, they could sell on their old equipment at reduced prices to the public services in the area. Especially in the case of the leisure facilities this would have great benefits, i.e. David Lloyd selling their equipment to Copthall Sports Centre.

Tourism overall is decreasing in Barnet, primarily due to council neglect (not publicizing Barnet enough), lack of facilities and amenities. The Tourism and Leisure facilities should join forces, to make a campaign, and successfully run it, to gain interest in the boroughs. Interest would lead to increased revenue, which would lead to improved products and services all round.  

The Tourism and Leisure industries in Barnet could form a pact to actively endorse and sponsor each other during events and promotions, this could gain further consumer interest in those that are endorsing and sponsoring as well as the actual promotion or event. This could as well be positive for the borough, as it would be seen as a place that conducts fair and friendly business, and would make a visitor want to return and invest here (especially within the leisure and tourism industries).

Finally, the Tourism and Leisure industries in Barnet could do more to train and educate young people for their companies, young people could bring new ideas and new agendas, and this could bring a positive influence and improvements on the products and services these industries, and give them a bright future in Barnet.

End Of Question Seven

Q. 8. Lastly identify any gaps in the products and services provided and make recommendations on how they could improve these facilities.

There has been a quite an apparent gap in the tourism and leisure facilities available in Barnet for the “Youth” (ages 12-19) segment of the population in Barnet for many years. This could be amended by providing more leisure and tourism facilities geared to them, by returning more publicly run leisure centers, youth community centers, and general places of interest for them. These of course, could also be run privately run, but these sectors could be privately run as well, but at realistic prices, which youths could afford.

More could be done in the tourism industry to “buck up” local interests. For example, instead of a local travel agent selling a ticket to an out of borough attraction, they should do more to sell and gain interest in local attractions in the borough, therefore keeping more revenue in, which would allow this borough to economically grow.

There needs to be increased services within the tourist information and guiding services industries, this could be improved by a voluntary organization being set up to gear and inform the tourist on their visit to Barnet. There could also be an interest in the private sector, as there is not much competition in Barnet, informing and guiding the tourist could be a very lucrative and profitable business.

Lastly, more needs to be done to inform and educate the local about the products and services available in Barnet, the local council should run a campaign, which is cheap and effective, to inform and regain interest in local leisure and tourism products and services that the local may have never heard or forgotten about.

End Of Question Eight

END

GVNQ Leisure and Tourism

Portfolio Assignment

Unit One: Investigating Leisure And Tourism