THE LAST FEATHER-BEDDED INDUSTRY - GOVERNMENT, POLITICS AND THE HOSPITALITY-INDUSTRY DURING AND AFTER THE 1992-GENERAL-ELECTION

This paper examines political debate and rhetoric attendant on those i ssues perceived as germane to the hospitality sector by industry opera tors at the time of the 1992 UK General Election. By extensive use of secondary, mainly journalistic, sources, an analysis of such issues is undertaken, located in the specific context of the various conservati ve ideologies that are shown to be associated with the hospitality ind ustry. The paper's main theme is that far from endorsing a commitment to the agenda of the Conservative government, the hospitality particul ar economic privileges based on a form of protectionist corporatism. I t is concluded that rather than representing a model of the vanguard o f free-market culture, the hospitality maintenance of economic privile ge rather than offering a commitment to economic liberalism. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd