With the summer season almost over, now is the time to look ahead.

The pound, still recovering against the dollar and the euro, has helped to ensure that Britain offers good value this year. True, visitors from the US were down significantly, but Britain remains popular for Europeans - and, just as important, to the domestic holiday-maker.

It's too early to judge whether the 2009 season has been a success but, in view of the recession and rising unemployment, it's likely that Britain's hospitality industry has survived the crunch in much better state than some forecasters feared a year ago. The success of the various sectors of the industry may have been patchy, with some emerging more successful than others, but there have been no disasters..

But what, now, of the future?

Thirty years ago, the industry was dominated by the summer holiday June-September business. Since then, it's extended the season hugely though shorter leisure breaks (now worth nearly £6bn a year) and through the growth in corporate and meetings business (now worth almost £4.5bn) In fact, the short holiday market is now bigger than the long holiday market with the business market is not far behind..

How do we keep growing all these major sectors in the face of a continuing recession, unemployment that's forecast to reach 3m and rising taxes and reduced public spending?

Can we continue to rely on the retired population spending money on holidays away from home - long or short - if their income is being squeezed? How do we encourage businesses to spend more on corporate travel and on meetings and conferences? How can we persuade the average family that Britain's hospitality industry still represents good value when the budget airline industry continues to promote overseas travel so aggressively?

Looking ahead, the challenges are as great now as they were a year ago when the industry stared into the face of the biggest recession for a generation. Quick action then helped hoteliers and restaurateurs to ride the storm. Costs were cut, staff numbers were pruned, special deals and offers were put in place. The result? Footfall increased, even at the expense of margin and profit.

For the next six months, there must be more of the same.

The recession is not yet over. In the next few months, incomes will be cut by rises in taxes, VAT and duties. Wages (except for a lucky few) will be kept down - even frozen. Public spending will be cut back whichever government wins power next June. Spend by members of the public will remain under pressure though, thankfully, eating-out and holidays are now regarded more as an essential spend than a non-essential..

But hospitality will have to work as hard as ever to win its share of whatever spend is available. Its record so far this year has been good. It has successfully ridden the storm of the recession with relatively few casualties. Industry insolvencies are light. Profits may be down but businesses have survived and new hotels are still opening.

Its response to the recession so far has been effective but we have another year or so before recovery really takes hold.

In the next year, as always, inspired marketing, sharp management and the delivery of outstanding value will remain the key to success.

With the future in mind, I would also like to announce that I will be leaving the British Hospitality Association in July 2010. By the time of the general election, I will have been Chief Executive of the Association for over ten years. The election of the new government is an appropriate time for me to step down and hand over the reins.

I will still play an active part in the industry and will remain as Chairman of the Hospitality Skills Academy and as president of Hospitality Action.

The last ten years have been immensely rewarding and challenging as the hospitality industry has developed a greater role within the UK economy. I am positive that the industry will continue to expand over the next 10 years and will be as successful as ever.