Common Sense to boost Scotland’s vital tourism industry

Scottish Conservatives want to grow Scotland's vital tourism industry.

Speaking outside the Tourist Information Centre in St Andrews, Murdo Fraser, Scottish Conservative Deputy Leader, said:

"The tourism industry is vital to Scotland's economy – it employs over 200,000 people the length and breadth of our country and tourists currently spend over £4bn a year to sample our delights.

"A growth ambition was set by the industry and the Labour/Lib Dem Scottish Executive in 2005 to grow the revenue from Scottish tourism by 50% over ten years. We are now past the halfway point, with zero growth. Action is needed now.

"Tourism training in Scotland currently involves over 400 courses provided by 40 different institutions. We will establish a private sector group to deliver a wholesale rationalisation, creating a smaller number of industry-approved courses provided by fewer providers.

"Investment is needed to improve the fabric of the industry, yet many tourism businesses are struggling to raise finance at the moment. So we will investigate the viability of a Scottish Tourism Investment Bank, based on the Austrian model.

"We will lead development of a 'Year- Round Tourism Strategy'. This will help ensure that tourism businesses make a continuous contribution to their local economies and will make employment in the industry more stable and rewarding, which will in turn raise the calibre of entrants and encourage the retention and development of staff.

"Tourist Information Centres, like this one here in St Andrews, play a crucial role in promoting Scotland. That's why we will retain the current number of centres, although to achieve this some centres may have to share premises with other organisations.

"It is common sense to nurture and grow Scotland's vital tourism industry and that is exactly what Scottish Conservatives will do. Every voter in every seat in every region of Scotland can use the peach ballot paper to vote for these common sense policies on May 5th."

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