Protecting Scotland's tourism sector

By Malcolm Roughead OBE, Chief Executive at VisitScotland

The current concerns around the cost of living and of doing business are a major new challenge for Scottish tourism, particularly as the industry is still recovering from the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Many businesses are facing difficult decisions and are having to consider how they adapt their operations to manage increasing costs. It's clear the coming months will be very hard. 

We’re committed to supporting industry throughout the situation, using our VisitScotland.org website to offer advice and guidance that will benefit tourism and event businesses in the short term but also allow them to build a more sustainable future.  

Next week (26 September – 2 October) marks Scotland’s Climate Week, an opportunity to consider how we tackle climate change. I know that for many the immediate future is rightly the priority but if we are to weather this new economic storm, it's important we consider the long term too.  

Climate change is one of the greatest threats facing Scotland’s tourism and events industry. Without action we stand to lose the natural assets that make our country so special and attract so many visitors to our shores. Ultimately, the actions we take today will be vital if we are to protect, preserve and grow Scottish tourism for future generations. 

Sustainability will play a key role in the future success of Scotland, that is evident from its inclusion in the Scottish Government’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation and Outlook 2030. 

Our tourism and events industry is resilient and is taking seriously the duty of care we have to protect the natural, social and cultural assets which are so vital to Scotland’s brand and its future prosperity. I firmly believe that embracing responsible tourism and events makes our country a better place to live and visit.  

Increasingly, visitors are becoming more mindful of their impacts on the world around them, both socially and environmentally.  

There is a unique opportunity for businesses to make it easier for visitors to choose a more sustainable holiday, so it becomes the norm and isn’t something that they have to seek out. For industry, tackling climate change can not only reduce costs in the long-term and build resilience, but also help meet increasing consumer demand for responsible and sustainably focused businesses. 

What is hugely encouraging is that despite the significant challenges the industry is facing many have shown a commitment to improving sustainability, prioritising responsible tourism in their own recovery plans.  

Our aim is to build on this, particularly in the current climate, and bring the entire industry on this journey, making sure we provide the right support and advice to businesses so they can consider their own impacts. 

This is why when we’ve been creating resources to help businesses with the cost of doing business, we’ve included practical tips which can both help save money and make operations environmentally sustainable too. 

Our sustainable fact sheets offer businesses advice and guidance to make changes that could bring both financial and environmental benefits down the line. These can be as simple as the installation of automatic lighting or LED lighting, to draft proofing and energy audits.  

Through Destination Net Zero, which is a partnership programme between VisitScotland and Scotland’s enterprise agencies, we are engaging directly with the industry on its transition to net zero. The programme was part of the Scottish Government’s COVID-19 tourism recovery plans and included a EV Charge Point Fund to help tourism businesses install charge points to expand the network in Scotland.  It also included initiatives to help destinations develop a climate action plan, reduce food waste, and allow sustainable tourism certification scheme providers to offer discounted membership. The schemes have proved popular which reflects the desire by the industry to make that change and support ambitions to make Scotland a leading destination for responsible tourism.  

By working together, we can ensure the sustainable and long-term recovery of one of Scotland’s most valuable industries.