PAPER D

Purpose : For Noting

Committee :    TOURISM PARTNERSHIP

Date :              29 NOVEMBER 2001

Title :              TOURISM INFORMATION SYSTEM - BRIEFING PAPER

REPORT OF THE STRATEGIC DIRECTOR FOR FINANCE AND INFORMATION AND COUNTRY TREASURER

SUMMARY/PURPOSE

The Tourism Service is perceived to be making less progress on the replacement of its existing core information system than perhaps ought to be the case and the Tourism Partnership has asked for a briefing paper on the situation. This paper addresses that requirement and takes account of the outcome of the meeting of the Project Board on 22 November.

BACKGROUND

The Tourism Service is currently running its core services on an old and out-dated information system (Integra) and there is a general consensus on the need to replace this with something more up-to-date.

WHERE ARE WE NOW

The process of evaluating a replacement system has been proceeding for some while with four systems being evaluated:-

▪an updated Integra system

▪the Hampshire VISIT system

▪TIM 4

▪Carrier

The Project Board led by Tim Addison, Head of Tourism, has now narrowed the choice to a single preferred supplier.

There remains a significant amount of work to be carried out before the project can proceed – this is set out in the paragraph headed ‘The way forward’ later in the report.

What is important is that the project is properly processed and tested at each stage and that a robust business case and implementation plan exists. It would be dangerous to proceed both from an IT and business viewpoint without ensuring that the chosen system delivers the benefits it purports to do at an acceptable cost. Verification of those benefits and the capabilities of the system is part of the way forward.

The assessment of the capability of the existing network to handle the new system will be part of the verification process.

THE WAY FORWARD

The Project Board agreed at a meeting on the 22 November that the Tourism Service should now begin work on developing a Business Case which looks at the various available options and which spells out the costs and benefits of each approach. Work on this has begun.

In addition, there is still a substantial amount of work to be carried out on the project before implementation can safely begin and this may be summarised as follows :

           ∙          Detailed contract negotiations with the preferred supplier

           ∙          As part of that process, identification and costing of all other hardware, software, network and other requirements

           ∙          Development of a detailed implementation plan, to include any business process changes, training requirements, data migration, parallel running etc

           ∙          Development of Tourism Service related process changes and requirements

           ∙          Development of member (hotelier) related process changes and requirements

           ∙          Proper and detailed identification of the financial and non-financial benefits anticipated

           ∙          Development of a comprehensive and fully costed business case

           ∙          Identification of appropriate sources of funding for any financial shortfalls

           ∙          Obtain necessary approvals and funding

           ∙          Award of contract

           ∙          Manage the implementation and benefits realisation processes

BACKGROUND PAPERS

None

CONTACT DETAILS

Contact Point : John Pulsford 823601

                                                                             JOHN PULSFORD

                                                                              Strategic Director

                                                                         Finance and Information