Employers who wish to take advantage of the business opportunities arising from the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics Games have been urged to act now rather than wait until the last minute.

Bruce Dewar, chief executive of 2010 Legacies Now, the organisation tasked with creating a lasting legacy from the recent Winter Olympics in Vancouver, urged employers to do their planning and their recruiting now. “The pressure will increase hugely with one year to go,” he warned. 

Dewar told employers and training providers at the launching of the ‘State of the Nation Report 2010’ into the UK hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism industries that those employers that didn’t take action now faced losing out.

“Three out of 10 businesses (in Vancouver) did not reach the full complement of staff required, and this led to huge amounts of overtime,” he said.