Tourism and Hospitality Industry Leadership Group minutes: August 2024

Attendees and apologies

Chair

• Marc Crothall, Scottish Tourism Alliance

Attendees

• Aileen Crawford*, Glasgow Life
• Andrea Nicholas*, Green Tourism
• Anna Miller, Highlands and Islands Enterprise
• Barbara Smith*, Industry expert
• Benjamin Carey*, Carey Tourism
• Calum Ross* (online), Loch Melfort Hotel
• Carron Tobin*, Rural Dimensions
• Chris Greenwood*, Moffat Centre
• Debbie Johnson* (online), IHG Hotel and Resorts
• Bryan Simpson, Unite the Union
• Joss Croft* (online), UKInbound

Apologies

• Carolyn Churchill, VisitScotland
• Judy Rae*, OnFife Cultural Trust
• Karen Jackson, South of Scotland Enterprise
• Derek Shaw, Scottish Enterprise
• Kevin Fallon, Scottish Government
• Paul McCafferty, Scottish Enterprise
• Richard Lochhead, Minister for Business
• Frances Pacitti, Scottish Government

Attending

• Beth Thoms, VisitScotland
• Caroline Cantin, Scottish Government
• Suzie Stewart (online), Scottish Government 
• John Coghill, Scottish Government
• Mark Rowley (online), South of Scottish Enterprise

*ILG industry members attend in an individual capacity and do not represent a business or organisation

Items and actions

Co-Chair welcome  

• apologies noted (see above) 
• June meeting minutes approved
• VisitScotland to follow up on expenses point previously raised
• due to competing pressures with ASVA work, Michael Golding (MG) will stand down from the group after this meeting. Marc Crothall (MC) thanked MG for his contribution to the group
• MC reiterated deadline of 4 September to pick up with VisitScotland and Scottish Government analysts regarding indicator set
• MC updated that the programme for the symposium is near finalised and VisitScotland is assisting in creating a video for THILG to share insights into the sector, SO2030 and the work of the group

Community Led Tourism (CLT) Mission 

Carron Tobin (CT) delivered short presentation updating members on what has changed in relation to the mission paper:

• recalibrating tourism is the heart of the Mission; evaluation and measurement is a key element to achieving this and tracking progress
• opportunity in Scotland in particular relating to community empowerment. This is unique to Scotland and a chance to show leadership. UNSDG in the Mission is an opportunity to showcase global leadership
• OSCR – there is a need to recognise that community led tourism is a charitable purpose. Tourism is viewed as commercial
• 12 game changing actions set out in the paper which members are being asked to champion and approve
• industry recognised attractions, accommodation and facilities are Thistle winners and community led tourism in action

Discussion followed with the following points raised:

• MC agreed that CLT as an important element and ensuring mindset shift could counter the negative tourism sentiment
• Barbara Smith (BS) highlighted that three to four biggest issues in industry are linked to community reputation, recruitment crisis, lack of investment, accommodation
• Benjamin Carey (BC) highlighted the Glasgow Declaration has five pathways - one of these is measurement- we are not currently measuring communities due to challenge of resourcing and measuring. Resourcing of this needs to be driven by investment
• Kat Brogan (KB) commented that CLT already exists organically in Scotland, ground up. This is the most powerful guarantee of success. Acknowledge, value, celebrate, monitor and support these success stories. Highlighted Edinburgh B Corp funding
• Rob Dickson (RD) highlighted that the leadership space is required here which will be heightened in context of tourism autumn conference season. There is a greater awareness of community tourism e.g. levy funding for community tourism. Keen to see where the measurement point can be built on as evidence and solid information will help promote a rounded conversation
• Joshua Ryan-Saha (JRS) highlighted the visitor levy with opportunities for community (2% participatory budgeting). Potential for the THILG to influence the levy spend. There is a hyperlocal issue with visitor management hot spots. Specific site management of key areas needed
• Anna Miller (AM) referenced the HIE approach of viewing community entity and business equally in terms of funding distribution. Around a quarter of tourism funding is toward social enterprises. HIE have a policy presumption toward community benefit – recognising those that are giving back to the community
• KB agreed with JRS - cannot underestimate the power of the micro. What benefits locals will benefit visitors alike. BCorp is very robust and thorough but good to set the bar this high.
• Leon Thompson (LT) said this is a good time to get this in front of decision makers, and as public sector withdraws from some areas, what is scope for communities to fill gaps
• BC highlighted that SCOTO has no specific funding, so we now need to know who owns the actions outlined
• MC updated that the papers bring together a set of recommendations and are designed to bring forward ideas; however, appreciated we can’t deliver aspects without specific resource
• RD outlined that the recommendations have support – getting to this point has been an important step. VisitScotland’s activity will develop in line with missions and there is an opportunity to influence SG in some of this space too
• MC agreed that we must give consideration around how we progress and move forward in relation to the position with SG
• Calum Ross (CR) said that endorsing mission should be a signal to agencies as collective of importance of CLT

Net zero mission

AN updated on the mission and key questions being asked of the group:

• the mission is now defined as a pathway for Scottish tourism; a baseline carbon footprint for the sector is at the core of the Mission
• as a group ILG can influence and impact in business contacts, so can begin to consider the key networks to reach
• research needs to happen in first instance and Climate Xchange (SG’s resource to commission research) is a possible route to support with this
• short to medium term aim is getting baseline – key questions for THILG: 
  • are there other individuals or organisations missing for engagement?
  • what is happening in Scotland and outwith?
  • any steps missed?

Each group discussed in small groups and fed back as follows:

• changing what we are measuring is needed to effect change
• aviation is vital for connectivity as an island – it’s about behaviour change of visitors and elongated stays
• all ILGs looking at decarbonising but they are in different sectors from us
• research institutions – universities are important to add to the list of stakeholders. Also consider role of Scottish Business Climate Collaboration
• data sharing and access to data is a key issue – can share learnings from HIE
• one key principle should be how we best influence with what we have
• an early step is prioritising the stakeholders. Can VisitScotland be a key ally in this mission given their role

Action: Net zero subgroup to pick up next steps on the mission in relation to Climate Xchange.

Fair work inquiry discussion

RD summed up the paper on the fair work inquiry recommendations:

• convention has concluded work; on 24 Sept the recommendations proposed will be launched at Murrayfield - link to launch event to be circulated
• response will be considered in full in due course. THILG and industry thinking is important to the SG response to the recommendations - this will come much later than September

Key points raised were:

• broad support for the outcomes being sought and fair work principles
• having a resource may be a challenge given the structure of the ILG
• agile navigation of this required and detailed work required to input on next steps and identify best way of achieving outcomes sought
• concerns about these recommendations focusing the THILG onto one mission area too closely. Would want to see this level of support and intervention mirrored for other four missions 
• not all of the analysis in the inquiry paper is relevant to tourism
• need to target less progressive businesses, while also showcasing good work and celebrating it - make more of the progressive businesses

MC concluded the discussion 

• points will be shared back to SG
• next steps to be confirmed, but THILG will continue to play role in SG’s consideration of the recommendations

Data and technology empowerment: deep dive workshop

• JRS highlighted the three key areas of the mission paper – Data, Technology and AI
• key next steps in relation to the mission are what we should be doing next as leadership actions and seeking agreement on messaging
• for SMEs data can be a hugely powerful tool and enabler
• administrative data points coming in future – via vsitor levy and short term lets – may bring in new data sets
• a brief look at best practice in relation to data partnerships:
  • Canada – freely accessible month lag live data
  • South Korea – a partnership between data providers, universities, govt
  • London – partnership approach of London High Street data service – Mastercard data showing spend and financial data

JRS outlined a workshop exercise to encourage the group to think about data in relation to challenges around visitor management. The exercise asked how data / technology could enable change - remembering technology enables but doesn’t drive change.

The following points were raised: 

• there are companies that do dispersal well, e.g. Vox – providing data to attractions to encourage people to different estates
• people want to go to honeypot sites, so the key question is how we manage that
• data is a step up from anecdotal which can only do so much – but insight is needed to understand
• data enables longer term planning. But getting real time data is also a valuable for more immediate responses to dispersal challenges
• understanding our visitors in even more detail useful for both businesses and communities
• data of this type could be valuable to inform changes in legislation

JRS summed up next steps:

• make initial contact with partners to convene the data group
• develop messaging
• importance of changing culture of business to share information and data

Action: BT to follow up with mission leads regarding messaging.

Any other business and closing 

• MC highlighted the mission reports which were circulated with the papers
• CG mentioned that mapping across the missions would be a useful next step