UK’s Biggest New Tourist Attraction Set to Boost Hospitality Industry

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Last month, it was announced that the government has given the green light to plans to build Europe’s first Universal Studios theme park, with the project set for completion in 2031. 

The multi-billion-pound theme park will be located on a 476-acre site in rural Bedfordshire and is projected to create around 28,000 jobs – with a large amount coming from the hospitality industry to cater for the multiple restaurants, hotels and leisure venues on site. 

The Government has backed the plans, stating that the UK version of Universal Studios will create over £50 billion for the economy by 2055, bringing in around 8.5 million visitors each year.  

Of course, the knock-on effect for hospitality businesses in Bedfordshire, London and the surrounding areas will be huge. What’s more, this influx of visitors will impact restaurants, hotels, pubs and leisure venues across the whole country, as tourists from overseas extend their stays to experience what the rest of the UK has to offer.  

As the industry continues to grow and hotel occupancy surpasses previous levels, we are looking at a major boost for hospitality venues in the coming years. So, what measures can management put in place over the next five years to prepare for this expected flood of visitors? 

Here, we outline five ways hospitality businesses can optimise their operations to accommodate an increase in demand.  

#1. Staffing

Keeping staff happy, engaged and motivated whilst avoiding burn-out is key for efficient service during busy periods.  

With theme park entry and other forms of tourism typically peaking during the summer months, hiring additional seasonal staff, along with a clear and fair rota, will help manage expectations and maintain a high standard of service for customers. Enhancing staff morale with free meals, social events, and a friendly work environment will also aid in long-term staff retention in the coming years, enabling hospitality businesses to build strong and effective teams. 

#2. Operational Efficiency

Operational efficiency involves optimising internal processes to streamline operations,  reduce waste and deliver high-value guest experiences while controlling costs.  

Without an effective stock take, hospitality businesses can face a range of operational hurdles. Inventory management is often a lengthy and dreaded task for kitchen and bar staff, with stock inaccuracies being common and easily made mistakes. These issues can lead to high food and beverage wastage, over-ordering, and ultimately, unnecessary additional costs. 

By automating these processes, accurate and seamless stock take can become the beating heart of an effective hospitality operation. With inventory management software, chefs can use real-time data to assess stock levels and design new dishes to use up food that would typically go to waste.  

Accurate stock levels result in accurate orders. With efficient systems in place, staff know what to order, how much, and when, based on real-time and forecasted stock levels, enabling your hospitality business to better cater for busy periods. 

Another factor to consider is automating the entire procurement process. From requisition to final payment, a Purchase-to-Pay (P2P) system can significantly enhance operational efficiency by automating routine tasks such as generating purchase orders, routing approvals, matching invoices, and processing payments.  

Reducing the reliance on manual entry not only accelerates cycle times but also minimises errors and allows staff to focus on delivering excellent guest experiences, enabling hospitality businesses to run more efficiently and cost-effectively.  

What’s more, automated P2P systems enhance visibility and control over your spending. Real-time dashboards and reporting tools give procurement and finance teams instant access to purchasing data, allowing them to track budgets, monitor vendor performance and identify areas to make cost savings.  

#3. Supply chain management

Saving time is essential for businesses looking to improve their operations. And who has time for multiple calls, texts and emails to different suppliers each day? 

An increase in visitors means an increase in orders, so ensuring your supply chain is slick will lead to more efficient purchasing, stronger supplier relationships and of course, happier kitchen staff! 

Gaining better control and visibility over your supply chain through smart solutions such as Kitchen CUT’s specialist procurement software helps chefs to see all suppliers in one place, track deliveries, compare costs and view inventory reports. A seamless ordering process will free up time and manpower to boost profits.  

#4. Marketing and reporting

What makes your business stand out to tourists? Whether it’s exotic food, super quick service, a central location or a niche theme, marketing your restaurant, pub, hotel or leisure venue will be key to standing out from the crowd. 

From regular social posts to digital advertising, hospitality businesses can leverage marketing tactics to reach UK residents and tourists from overseas. Through in-depth reporting, managers can identify target audiences and assess the reach and engagement of marketing activities to achieve the best results. 

As well as marketing activity, data can drive decision-making across all areas of a hospitality business. From live costing and revenue forecasting to recipe and menu planning, intelligent reporting software can change the game for hospitality bosses, giving them real insight into spending trends, successful processes, popular dishes and the waste they create, and the profitability of their operations. 

#5. Technology

The latest research shows that Gen Z is ditching wallets for phone payments and prefers QR code ordering to physical menus. So, catering to the digital generation has never been more important as they become some of the most influential hospitality consumers. 

Kitchen CUT works alongside a host of payment solution integrations, designed to make digital payments easier and faster – perfect for on-the-go tourists. 

With payments made quick and easy, ordering should be too. Specialist digital menu software enables restaurants to share up-to-date allergen, nutritional, CO2 and calorie information directly on a website or QR code, making choosing a dish simpler than ever. Keeping guests with allergies safe and enabling customers to make informed choices is a sure way to help your restaurant stand out. 

Arm your chefs with the ability to update dishes and prices based on factors such as seasons, food trends and stock-take, to keep things fresh and reduce waste whilst boosting your bottom line. 

To conclude … 

With Universal Studios set to make big waves for the tourism industry in the UK, it’s never been a better time to get your operations in order to meet the inevitable increase in demand for food, drinks and accommodation that will come with it. 

With smart software and effective processes, hospitality businesses can increase their efficiencies to reap the benefits on the horizon.