BRITAIN'S first jobs fair for tourism, retail and leisure will be held in York next month.Employers large and small will be recruiting for part-time, full-time, seasonal and trainee positions at the Merchant Adventurers' Hall, Fossgate, a venue offered free to the organisers, York Tourism Training.There will also be careers advice for school leavers, college and university graduates and adults wanting a change or to start new careers.Called Jobs in York '98, the free-entry fair on Thursday, March 5, has the backing of organisations from 10 sectors - retail, leisure, financial services, entertainment, tourist attractions, hotel and catering, language schools, recreation and sport, travel trade and transport.That alone demonstrates the aim of the event - to show the surprising range of tourism-related jobs and to dispel the myth that the tourism industry consists of boring work with low pay for long hours.It is a fightback from the City of York's tourism businesses which often find it hard to attract the best recruits because of these misunderstandings, especially about the career opportunities available.Sarah Hudspith, of York Tourism Training, said: "We need to get the message across to people, young and old, that jobs in these tourism sectors are great."We want York to become internationally acclaimed as giving world class service to our visitors. We can only do that if we are attracting top quality people at all levels.""Research carried out by the York Tourism Bureau found that those working in tourism in the city gave a very positive report. A common observation was that people on holiday or on a night out tended to be in good mood, making for a happy and upbeat working atmosphere.At the fair, which starts at 11am and finishes at 8pm on March 5, students and employees will parade in the Merchant Adventurers' Hall, wearing "Ask me" badges to encourage discussion about their jobs or courses.

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