Scotland and Tourism

[Adventurelife]

Anyone spot something obviously wrong with this article from the

BBC

 

[Former Member 1]

It's actually probably very accurate....

A record £63.5m was generated in Scotland through tourism last year, according to VisitScotland.

The agency said a drive to encourage people to visit during the quieter tourist months brought in £17m more than the previous year.

Could this possibly mean that the Mandarins at visit Scotland managed to 'generate' (read "syphon off ) £63.5M for themselves and their mates? And that the Winter campaign was particularly lucrative for them?

The figure came despite the number of tourists visiting Scotland last year dropping by more than a million.

The figures for 2008 also revealed spending was down, with a big cut in business tourism.

But despite the fat cats doing particularly well the actual tourist industry (which, after all, isn't something VisitScotland & Co give two hoots about) continues to suffer....

Yup! Something obviously wrong right enough...

 

[Boxby]

Or, it could mean that £63.5m was paid by tourists, most of it to the travel companies getting them here, and that when they got here they didn't actually have that much left to spend

 

[Former Member 1]

Or, it could mean that £63.5m was paid by tourists, most of it to the travel companies getting them here, and that when they got here they didn't actually have that much left to spend

If only that were so.... at least some of the folk working for the airlines would be getting a living....

In all honesty I think these figures reflect the contempt which our political overlords have for the people they're supposed to serve... We're supposed to swallow this B.S. But they haven't even got the basic wit to publish numbers that even add up!!!

Historically Scottish Enterprise (the old SDA) and Visit Scotland (the old STB) are two of the most spectacularly useless quangos that have ever existed. I don't think anyone with a shred of honesty or competence has ever or would ever work for them. And they should both be shut down tomorrow, with their SMT's banished to where they belong; i.e sweeping the F**king streets of Edinburgh for 20p above minimum wage!

What was this 'homecoming' crap supposed to be all about?? I've relatives in Asia, the Americas and Europe; friends and colleagues in Australia, New Zeland and (again) the Americas in the shape of the U.S......

NOBODY I've spoken to understood what the sparse advertising they seen was all about... As a Scot living here, I certainly can't tell them! It's a legend in the minds of the tossers who pulled it out of thin air as far as I can see!

And as for the state of the place!!!.... What is normally one of the highlights of my year in both professional and personal terms, the Edinburgh Festival, will be a complete wash-out this year.... the Americans were pretty pissed off by last year's shambles. And when the scouts came over to recce the place in March/April they saw the state of the place and just said no!

 

[Boxby]

I like the way that the homecoming has concentrated on only a selection of those living overseas with Scottish Heritage, and that great big important sectors have been overlooked because the history behind doesn't sit quite so easily.

The homecoming has resulted in major losses of local facilities in our Council area. Apparently teaching children to swim is a lot less important than "celebrating" Robert Burns.

Why don't they realise that tourism is based in the here and now. People may think about coming because of history, but they DECIDE to come based on what Scotland is now, places to stay, things to do, facilities, costs etc. Our local councillors asked what they could do to boast tourism in our town, the answer was try supporting a long term sustainable community. If the locals are unhappy being here, doesn't seem a lot of reason for tourists to visit.

They have it all so ar8e about tit.