Scotland must do more to attract today’s tech-savvy traveller

Between the Lines Julie Grieve

News that Edinburgh Airport has signed a memorandum of understanding with Beijing Capital International Airport brings the prospect of direct flights from China to the Scottish capital ever closer. With a non-stop route in place, we can expect the number of Chinese visitors to rise even further than the 160,000 welcomed to Edinburgh last year. For the local travel industry it is a massive boost. China is a very influential, high spending market. The Destination Leaders Programme has already laid the foundations, and at the heart of this strategy is the need to deliver a local experience in a way that is relevant to today’s traveller. Worldwide, holidaymakers turn constantly to their smartphones and tablets: tech-savvy, they want seamless booking – to check-in, free in-room wifi and instant access to information. Visitscotland’s 2015/16 visitor survey found that when choosing a holiday, 63 per cent sought out online travel reviews to help them decide upon a destination, while the Edinburgh Tourism Action Group in its China-ready report found that 75 per cent of Chinese travellers rely on blogs, websites and social media platforms to make their choice. What is of growing importance for a great holiday experience, however, is local knowledge. Travellers value personal recommendations and guidance above all else, and technology gives us the opportunity to curate and offer this. Uploading and sharing an insiders’ guide to Edinburgh through pictures, stories and videos is easy. Unquestionably, there is a very clear link between digital communication and visitor experience and one which still needs to be developed across the tourism industry. The best customer experience we can hope to offer the growing numbers of Chinese visitors is not simply a matter of traditional, personal interaction and face-toface service. Being customer focused in the travel sector today means having an understanding of customer needs, being able to facilitate this and presenting it in a compelling way through online content and the proliferation of social media platforms. Technology is the enabler for bringing an authentic, local and relevant experience to today’s traveller. For the Chinese market, it will be essential.