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Scottish Tourism: The Next Decade
Tourism Strategy Group
Patricia Ferguson
Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport (Chair)
Peter Taylor
Scottish Tourism Forum and Pride and Passion
Peter Lederer
VisitScotland
Sir John Ward
Scottish Enterprise
William Roe
Highlands and Islands Enterprise
Councillor Pat Watters
COSLA
Tom Brock
Tourism Environment Forum and
Scottish Seabird Centre
Geoff Fenlon
People 1st and EICC
David McHattie
People 1st
Graham Drew
Springboard Scotland
Bob Kinnaird
Tourism Innovation Group and
Cairngorm Mountain
Catherine Tuff
TFC Food Services
David Govan
Nevisrange
John Mason
Scottish Executive
John Brown
Scottish Executive
Mairi Macpherson
Scottish Executive
Kirsten Davidson
Scottish Executive
Tourism is one of the world's biggest and most resilient business sectors. Despite little growth during 2001-2003 because of 9/11 and SARS, tourism bounced back across the world in 2004 with 10% growth. The World Tourism Organisation expects global growth to run at 4-5% a year long term. In Scotland, tourism is also growing, particularly from overseas markets. Hotel room occupancy is at record levels, and tourism is now one of Scotland's most vibrant sectors, helped by an explosion of visitors from European countries.
But tourism is changing. China swapped places in 2004 with Italy as the fourth most popular world tourism destination. Destinations are reinventing themselves, moving up market and offering memorable holiday experiences. Consumers are moving from having one long holiday to several short breaks, often city-based and sourced over the internet. There's increased demand for breaks linked to health (so more demand for activity breaks), well-being (more demand for spa and other pampering experiences), hedonism (more demand for retail, extreme activities and having fun) and extended education (more demand for environmental, historical and cultural experiences), within a unique and authentic experience. So if we want to continue to grow tourism in Scotland, we must develop and change what we offer our visitors over the next decade.
In 2000, the Scottish Executive published a "New Strategy for Scottish Tourism", and then in 2002 a "Tourism Framework for Action 2002-2005". Good progress has been made against the aims of the Strategy, but it's now time for another look at what the market's telling us. This document isn't just another government strategy though. It's the result of real collaboration with the private sector throughout 2005. It takes a fresh look at what's happening in tourism markets, both globally and in Scotland, and how the tourism market might change over the next decade. It sets out what tourism and hospitality businesses, related sectors like transport and retail, and the public sector agencies which support them, need to do to keep Scottish tourism growing sustainably in that changing market. Most importantly it stresses that we can't stand still - unless we grow our tourism sector, we'll lose it to the competition.
A document like this can't predict exactly what Scottish tourism will look like in 10 years' time, just as the 2000 Strategy could not have predicted the immense impact of September 11 a year later. What this Framework for Change does do is to use research about what's happening on the ground now to map out some developments that are very likely to take place. It emphasises the need for business leadership and entrepreneurial attitudes, for product development and innovation which focuses on the customer, for building the capability of our people. That's how we will give every one of our visitors to Scotland a welcome that will exceed their high expectations - and turn each one of them into a lifetime ambassador for Scotland. We want Scotland to be one of the world's foremost tourism destinations by 2015. That's our ambition, and we want it to motivate everyone in Scotland, because tourism is everyone's business. We hope you'll find something in this document that will give you ideas about how your business or organisation can contribute even more to the continuing success of one of Scotland's most important business sectors.
Patricia Ferguson MSP
Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport
Chair of the Tourism Strategy Group
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