As the reopening of tourism approaches on the 26th April, VisitScotland Regional Leadership Director Paula Ward talks about the opportunity to reset tourism in a safe and responsible way, and why considering the welfare of communities across the South of Scotland is as important as valuing the needs of visitors.
Paula said: “The 26th April is a date we have been waiting for, for a long time. It marks the return of the tourism industry in the south of Scotland, with the reopening of visitor attractions, more freedom to travel and the return of hospitality (subject to restrictions). It has been a long, hard year for our industry, one that some will not make it back from.
“In the last few months, VisitScotland moved its focus from marketing to delivering immediate and much-needed financial support to tourism and hospitality businesses but now it’s time to get back to business – to support our industry through strategic and tactical marketing campaigns, designed to deliver much needed visitors back to our towns, villages and hamlets where the revenues they bring sustain our fragile communities.
“As we start to welcome back visitors to our communities, we continue to focus on the recovery of the industry, building a destination and visitor experience which allows tourism to thrive now and in the future. We know from last year that as restrictions began to ease, there was a real desire from Scots and our near neighbours in the north of England to explore their own country and the wider Borderlands region which we hope to see repeated this summer.
“The Scottish Borders and Dumfries & Galloway offer the perfect destination for exploring the great outdoors – wide open spaces, an abundance of forests, lakes and coastlines for cycling, walking, and taking part in other outdoor activities. The region is also popular with campers and motorhome holidaymakers – we saw last year that caravan and camp sites across the region were particularly busy.
“With this however, as we saw last year at some locations throughout the region, pressure was put on the local environments and communities. Some visitors hadn’t planned ahead, not appreciating how high demand would be and this left gaps in the preparation required to secure a campsite or hotel or self-catering property. We saw a significant rise in littering and also inappropriate use of the landscapes as outdoor toilets. In the run up to re-opening we’ve been working hard on a TEAM South approach with our partners. The Visitor Management Group, expertly led by Lee Seton of Dumfries & Galloway Council includes South of Scotland Enterprise, South of Scotland Destination Alliance, NatureScot and both Local Authorities will ensure that we adopt a coordinated approach to the management of those areas popular with visitors. As well as ensuring that there are adequate facilities in areas like St Abbs, Grey Mare’s Tail and Galloway Forest Park, it’s also about educating people about how to enjoy our fantastic country responsibly. Our natural resources are hugely important to communities and visitors alike and should be protected. With the restart of tourism, we have a unique opportunity to positively engage audiences, helping them to enjoy the outdoors responsibly and enabling them to aid the recovery of our rural economy.
“To ensure we maintain our stunning landscapes, we must ensure we protect, respect and enjoy our countryside and cities responsibly by asking people to leave no physical trace of their visit. We have once again worked in partnership with the South of Scotland Destination Alliance on the Twinned with Tourism campaign to help reassure local communities that tourism businesses are reopening safely and respectfully and that communities in turn can help businesses welcome visitors back.
“Our tourism industry needs us now more than ever – not only is a day trip or staycation the perfect antidote after lockdown, but it will help support our industry and rebuild this vital part of the economy. The recent figures published by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions for 2020 are a stark reminder of the impact on the industry, not only for indoor attractions but for those outdoor locations as well. Across the south of Scotland, many visitor attractions saw their visitor numbers decline by 80 to 90% in some instances.
“For anyone looking for information on what is open, or looking for a hidden gem to discover in their local area, I would encourage them to visit their local iCentre. Our iCentres in Dumfries and Jedburgh will reopen from 26th April and our staff will be more than happy to help with your questions.
“I am so incredibly proud of our tourism and hospitality businesses and operators. They are the perfect example of entrepreneurial spirit – they have not given up because of what the virus has thrown at them. They have shown incredible flexibility, they’ve embraced new operating procedures to ensure that their places of business adhere to strict health and safety guidance and at the same time they continue to offer a fantastic experience.
“In 2021 and in the years to come there is much to look forward to and celebrate about our great region. We recently saw the spectacular launch of the 250th anniversary celebrations of Sir Walter Scott in March, the opening of the Great Tapestry of Scotland later this year, and with the recent signing of the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal and the ongoing projects of the South of Scotland Enterprise Agency, the region is set for significant investment.
“There has been a renewed commitment to the south of Scotland in the past three years and we saw the tourism sector achieve its strongest year on year growth between 2015 and 2019. We can’t just flick a switch and get back to this. But we’re in the best possible place to do this and we look forward to bringing you more news of the See South Scotland campaign in due course.
“Tourism is a force for good and if managed responsibly, sustains communities in every corner of Scotland, creating jobs, tackling depopulation and improving the wellbeing of everyone who experiences it.”
