THE tourist industry in North Yorkshire could be hit by a skills crisis, an MP has warned.
Vale of York MP Anne McIntosh made the grim prediction at a fringe event at the Conservative Party conference in Blackpool.
Speaking at an event hosted by regional development agency bosses, she said cafe, restaurant and shop managers had privately warned of recruitment problems.
They fear school leavers do not have the literacy, numerary or personal
schools to work in the front line with the public.
Ms McIntosh said the problem had gone unnoticed because of the recent downturn in the tourism sector.
But she told the fringe event tourism numbers would soon recover in cities such as York -and the service sector could face a recruitment headache.
She said politicians and Yorkshire Forward must work together to ensure school leavers have the skills needed to work in tourism.
Updated: 10:50 Tuesday, October 07, 2003
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