Paisley is on the map for tourism

Secret Collection event brings together industry chiefs

Tourism chiefs met up with business bosses in Paisley to put the town in the spotlight.

VisitScotland and Renfrewshire Council organised a Renfrewshire Tourism Networking event at the Secret Collection in the High Street.

The event at the store – where Paisley Museum keeps some of its treasures – aimed to give people in the business community the chance to meet the VisitScotland team, as well as to get chatting to like- minded people in tourism.

Gordon Smith, VisitScotland regional director, said: “This was a fantastic event where Renfrewshire’s tourism industry came together and shared knowledge and ideas with like-minded businesses.

“It was great for Andrew McKean of Renfrewshire Council and I to talk about what VisitScotland and Renfrewshire Council are doing to support tourism in the area, as well as discuss ways the industry can work together most effectively.

“Partnership and collaboration is at the heart of Scottish tourism and VisitScotland works with local industry to develop and deliver innovative initiatives that grow the visitor economy.”

The recent UK City of Culture 2021 bid is being looked upon as still having positive aspects for the town, even though the title went elsewhere.

And this week’s event also allowed tourism businesses to get a better understanding of VisitScotland and Renfrewshire Council’s activities in the area.

VisitScotland runs similar networking events to the Paisley one all over the country and they are seen as a chance for local industries to come together and meet like-minded people.

A big event coming up is the Year of the Young People in Paisley.

This will be a chance for the tourist industry to look at young people’s talents and what they can do.

It will also be chance to put paid to the misconception that careers in the tourism industry, especially for young people, just involve working in restaurants, bars and hotels.

Events coming up in Renfrewshire this year that young people can get involved in will include Write Here, Write Now, which is a songwriting, poetry event.

There will also be Future Proof, the National Theatre of Scotland’s performing arts festival, which will see Paisley hosting one of the events.

To find o u t m o re visit www.visitscotland.com