1. FOUNDATION

The Tourism Consultants Network was established in 1989, under the name of the Tourism Society Consultants Group, with the aim of providing a focus of interest for professional tourism consultants who were members of the Tourism Society. Its name was modified to the Tourism Consultants Network in 2010

2. AIMS, OBJECTIVES AND CORE ACTIVITIES OF THE TCN

2.1 AIMS

• Professional Reputation: To enhance and promote the profile, reputation, and professional standards of, and business opportunities for, members of the Tourism Consultants Network (TCN).
• Membership Resource: To provide a useful resource for members, in terms of information, market intelligence, activities, events and business opportunities.
• Client Reference Directory: To provide a reference source for potential clients seeking to employ a consultant.

2.2 OBJECTIVES

1. Business Opportunities: To offer TCN members access to new business and networking opportunities.
2. Member Promotion: To actively promote the quality and range of members’ expertise and experience.
3. Professional Integrity: To promote the highest standards of professionalism and integrity among TCN members and provide any feasible and credible forms of accreditation.
4. Networking: To open new opportunities for members and share expertise by seeking association with like-minded membership organisations, in the UK and overseas.
5. Intelligence Sharing: To provide a forum for discussion of important topics or developments in the tourism industry likely to affect members’ interests and communicate members’ views to the appropriate audience.
6. Professional Development: To offer members opportunities for professional development and sharing of expertise, and to provide access to relevant professional services and benefits.

2.3 CORE ACTIVITIES

Providing services and opportunities, exclusively for the benefit of TCN members, which are organised on a voluntary basis by TCN committee members with the support, as needed, of the Tourism Society management administration, including:

1. Website: Maintenance and marketing of a dedicated TCN section on the Tourism Society website, offering online access to a database of individual members’ skills and contact details.
2. Communications: Production of a newsletter (TCN News) and circulation to members by email of business alerts and consultancy opportunities from relevant private and public sector sources.
3. Meetings and Networking: Organisation of discussion meetings and networking events;
4. Industry Liaison: Improving the profile and public recognition of the TCN through business briefings and meetings. Representing members’ interests wherever and whenever appropriate.
5. Code of Conduct: Maintenance and promotion of a professional code of ethics.
6. Guidance to Potential Clients: Provision of guidance to potential customers on how to select and commission a consultant.
7. Membership Development: Growing and maintaining membership numbers and improving the benefits for the membership.

3. MEMBERSHIP

• Full Membership is open to members of the Tourism Society who can meet the specific requirements of full membership, including experience of tourism consultancy and provide sufficient evidence of such experience.
• New members must sign the TCN Declaration of Good Practice and pay the annual additional TCN subscription.
• Associate Membership (as a route towards Full Membership) is open to members of the Tourism Society who are aspiring consultants working in the tourism/visitor economy sector, but who do not yet meet the criteria for Full Membership. Specific criteria also apply to associate membership.
• All membership applications will be considered by the TCN Committee, whose approval is required to authorise any new full or associate members,

4. SUBSCRIPTION

The TCN subscription shall be determined every year at its AGM.

5. THE COMMITTEE

5.1 The operation of the TCN shall be managed by an elected committee.

5.2 Service on the committee is voluntary and unpaid.

5.3 Members of the committee are elected from within the TCN membership at the AGM. A third (minimum two) retire each year but are eligible for re-election.

5.4 There shall be a minimum of four, and a maximum of eight, elected members on the committee.

5.5 The committee also has the power to co-opt a further two members.

5.6 Nominations will be sought from the membership before the AGM and be proposed by a full member of the TCN with the nominee’s consent.

5.7 All members of the committee will have equal rights on the committee with the Chair having a casting vote in the event of a split decision.

5.8 The Committee will meet at least four times a year, in person or online as is most convenient.

6. OFFICERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COMMITTEE

6.1 The Chair (or appointed nominee) will be co-opted to the Tourism Society Board as an ex-officio member.

6.2 The Chair will be elected by, and from within, the committee.

6.3 The Chair will be elected for a period of three years in the first instance and will be eligible for re-election, subject to the consent of the committee.

6.4 An Hon. Sec and an Hon. Treasurer will be elected by, and from within, the committee, for a period of one year to be renewed every year at the first committee meeting following the AGM.

6.5 The responsibilities of the TCN will be divided amongst members of the committee. The division of responsibilities will not preclude non-committee members volunteering to help with specific tasks such as the organisation of meetings.

7. FINANCE

The TCN will:

7.1 Levy subscriptions from its members.

7.2 Organise events and levy a charge for the events.

7.3 Dispose of its surplus income in accordance with its stated objectives and in accordance with generally agreed procedures governing the TCN.

Other Financial Matters

7.4 The TCN will have the right to sub-contract administrative arrangements as agreed by the TCN Committee.  Currently this work is carried out on behalf of the TCN by the TS’s appointed sub-contractor. TCN will pay an annual sum to any such appointed sub-contractor, or to the TS where appropriate, to cover all administrative work carried out on its behalf. This sum will be reviewed annually by TCN with the sub-contractor/TS Executive, as appropriate.

7.5 Funds collected from subscriptions, events or other sources will be held in TCN’s bank account.

7.6 Any subscription fees collected on behalf of TCN by TS will be transferred to TCN’s account every six months, unless otherwise agreed.

7.7 The TCN committee will prepare an annual financial statement for presentation to TCN members at its AGM, showing details of the past year’s income, expenditure and the current balance.

7.8 The TCN Treasurer will prepare a financial update to present at each committee meeting, showing -

• Actuals: for the relevant period;
• Projected liabilities: projected income, expenditure, and balance to end of the financial year.

8. BUSINESS LINKS

8.1 The TCN will maintain links with other relevant professional or business organisations, in pursuit of professional cooperation and members’ interests.

8.2 The TCN may choose, subject to Committee approval, to become a member of other appropriate professional or business organisations

9. REPORTING

• AGM: An Annual General Meeting will be held every year, at the same time as, or within one month of, the Tourism Society AGM.
• Annual Report: An Annual Report of the TCN’s activities will be presented to the Tourism Society and circulated to members, together with a Financial Statement.
• Minutes: Minutes of all Committee meetings will be taken and made available to members. The Committee reserves the right to exercise discretion with the distribution of minutes should their content be considered sensitive or to require confidentiality.
• Constitution and Guidelines: This Constitution and Guidelines document will be reviewed as considered appropriate by the committee annually prior to the TCN AGM, at which any proposed amendments may be considered.
• Amendments: Further amendments may be considered and implemented at any other time, subject to membership approval.