Issue - meetings

David Adams-McGilp, VisitScotland Regional Director, Argyll and the Isles, and Cathy Craig, CEO Argyll and the Isles Tourism Co-operative, gave a presentation to the CPP MC on the VisitScotland Action Plan and the current state of tourism in Argyll and Bute. David and Cathy sit on the Strategic Tourism Partnership for the area, with two other representatives from Argyll and Bute Council and Highland and Islands Enterprise.

David explained the outcomes of the national plan are across four strategic outcomes:

-          SPREAD includes easing visitor number pressure in certain areas and encouraging/promoting visitors to areas with more capacity and looking at extending the tradition visitor season. There is work ongoing on how to measure how successful this strategy will be and David noted that Scottish tourism is still in a post Covid recovery and growth phase.

-          SPEND covers public and private investment in our tourism facilities, destinations and experiences to improve visitor experience in Argyll and Bute.

-          SUSTAINABILITY is a key part of the action plan and the current Scottish Government Tourism strategy and the National Strategy For Economic Transformation (NSET) both share a commitment to destination net zero.

-          SATISFACTION looks at ensuring positive local attitudes to area tourism using community engagement, visitor management, the rural tourism infrastructure fund and industry / tourist satisfaction. It is important that communities do not have development imposed upon them but that they are part of the planning to make the most of local assets.

Cathy gave an overview of the current tourism industry in Argyll and Bute. The value of the local tourism market has not recovered post pandemic with visitor numbers down and continued negative effect to local businesses. The 2023 visitor survey is currently underway and although tourism is making good process, this year’s market is looking to be more depressed than last year, with over half of business surveyed in the area saying they are struggling financially.

Local tourism opportunities include maritime and coastal tourism, activity and wellbeing outdoors, community focused experiences, online discoverability and bookability and green business development. In 2023 a new area tourism website was launched and there have been various marketing campaigns to attract visitors to the area, especially to boost low visitor numbers in Mid Argyll and Kintyre. Cathy also advise that visitor numbers to the area from North America is strong, they spend 2 - 3 times more per head in the area than UK travellers, but the day trip market is still down. Recruitment of staff within businesses in Argyll and Bute remains a critical challenge.

On positive note, interest in our area is high and funding from Highlands and Islands Enterprise has enabled the recruitment of a travel trade expert who has represented Argyll and Bute at national exhibitions and secured sign up by 21 new travel operators to add Argyll and Bute destinations to their itineraries.

David and Cathy said they would be happy to be contacted by any partners that would like more information on this matter. Joe thanked them for their presentation and agreed it is a very challenging time for local businesses.

Takki agreed tourism is a critical industry for Argyll and Bute and was keen to ensure that strategic planning around tourism included discussion with partners around infrastructure, roads and emergency services etc. for the mainland and island destinations. David ensured him that was already the case and that local authorities, and aspirations of communities, play a key role in strategic tourism planning. Morag added that she was already working with David and Cathy to align tourism into developing economic strategy and that engagement with Fergus Murray and Ishabel Bremner would be helpful to include a joined up approach to this in the ABOIP.

ACTION - CPP team to discuss inclusion of tourism strategy in the ABOIP.