This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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VisitScotland relocation decided
18/12/2003
VisitScotland will move to a new
location in Edinburgh when the lease on its existing
building expires.
In line with the Executive's relocation policy
VisitScotland was required to look at alternative options
for relocation.
Tourism Minister Frank McAveety today
announced the move, following a full appraisal on each of
the 10 short listed options earmarked as potential
locations for VisitScotland. After consideration, Ministers
agreed that in this case, the time was not right to
relocate the organisation.
Mr McAveety said:
"We were clear that any other decision would be too
disruptive given the major restructuring which has taken
place at VisitScotland over the past two years, and the
need to maintain the tourism sector's momentum of recovery
from the difficulties of 2001. However, some parts
of VisitScotland currently based in
Edinburghwill in due course be identified for relocation
following the Ministerial Tourism Working Group's
forthcoming report.
"VisitScotland will also work within theJobAcademyarrangements being developed byEdinburghCityand SEEL for getting people who are economically
inactive back into the labour market.
"VisitScotland has achieved a great
deal during the last two years, and I look forward to its
building on the successes achieved in that period."
The lease on VisitScotland's present headquarters
inEdinburghexpires in March 2005.
Under the Executive's relocation policy,
VisitScotland was required to look at alternative options
for relocation. Ministers initially approved a
shortlist of 10 options;
Glasgow,Edinburgh,Dundee,Fife,Falkirk,Stirling,West Lothian,North Lanarkshireand Inverclyde.Invernesswas also included as VisitScotland already has an
office there.
A full option appraisal was carried out on each of
these options, and a submission put to Ministers by the
VisitScotland board. After considering all aspects
of the issue, Ministers agreed that remaining in the
Edinburgharea would be the best option in the case of
VisitScotland.
Tourism is one ofScotland's biggest business sectors, worth £4.5 billion a
year to the economy and employing 8% of the labour
force. Edinburgh accounts for a large proportion of
that economic activity.