The tenacity of Scottish tourism

By Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive, VisitScotland?

It might not feel like it quite yet, if the weather is anything to go by, but summer will soon be in full swing as the schools break up and the holidays get under way.

Already, it has been brilliant to welcome international visitors back in the country and see major events being held again over the past few weeks.

After an unprecedented couple of years for tourism and events, it’s fair to say we’re all ready for a more positive year and I’m pleased to say that the early signs are encouraging.

Consumers are more confident now than previously that the worst has passed in relation to COVID-19 and more UK residents expect to take an overnight domestic trip between June and September than in 2021.

The latest sentiment tracker for Scotland shows that a greater proportion of people are still preferring to take an overnight trip in the UK, compared with overseas, and this is particularly true for older residents.

But the move towards recovery is not consistent. Outdoor attractions are recovering more quickly than indoor ones and some rural areas are proving more popular than some of our cities.

We know that a lot of businesses are experiencing a shortage of workers, and this continues to be a challenge for our industry, and others. Some businesses have reduced their opening times and changed the way they run because of this. Many also still have covid-related safety measures in place.

At the same time, the cost of living is also concern for many UK residents and this may affect how people choose to travel and spend their money this summer. ?

It’s important these challenges do not restrict progress as we move towards our long-term recovery and the ambitions of our national tourism strategy, Outlook 2030.

We’ve been working with partners from the Scottish Tourism Emergency Response Group (STERG), like Skills Development Scotland and Scottish Enterprise, to develop skills and talent and promote the industry as a career of choice.

This week, the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions (ASVA) launched a recruitment video to shine a spotlight on the career opportunities on offer.

We’ve been running our own “Working in Tourism” series of videos, showing the diverse range of jobs within the industry. Hear from Sarah Heward, restaurateur, why hospitality and tourism is an?exciting?sector?to work in and?"never boring".

We're also encouraging people who work across the sector to share your stories using #LoveWhatYouDo.

As ever, people across Scotland can show their support for tourism and events. We’re asking visitors to “know before they go”, ensuring they have pre-booked where necessary and remain mindful that staff shortages may impact services.

While these are challenges, there is much to celebrate and look forward to, especially with the return of flagship events like the Edinburgh Festivals this summer.

This year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival will continue our celebration of the Year of Stories with a packed programme which was unveiled last week.

Sessions supported by our EventScotland team include events with Alexander McCall Smith, Val McDermid and Louise Welsh, among many others.

This weekend sees a brilliant, free festival in the heart of Glasgow’s west end as the free-to-access Dandelion Festival Glasgow takes place with music, performances, workshops and food.

And next month, a summer of golf will tee off at the Renaissance Club in East Lothian when the Genesis Scottish Open hosts a formidable world class field, followed by the 150th Open in St Andrews. These events will mark the start of an action-packed five weeks of golf with Scotland playing host to some of the world’s best male and female golfers with fans from around the world.

It’s great to see Scotland on the international stage again and we’re ready to build on this interest to ensure we are front and centre for overseas visitors planning a trip abroad.