Tourism is a boon to Edinburgh and a ban on Old Town hotels would be wrong

Let me declare an interest. I have been involved in tourism for more than 30 years and I am passionate about the wonderful city that is Edinburgh. I also have a huge respect for Terry Levinthal, who was an excellent secretary of the Cockburn Association in the 90s and who I’m sure will be just as successful as director.

However, I must take issue with the stand taken against tourism development in The Scotsman (“Ban on new hotels urged for capital’s Old Town”, 11 May). This is a completely unnecessary response to the challenges tourism can present in the nation’s Capital. Indeed, tourism has benefited Edinburgh’s Old Town and heritage, not harmed it, as the demand suggests.

I never felt more proud as an Edinburgh citizen than when attending the edinburgh tourism Action Group Conference earlier this year. I was particularly struck by the presentation by Nick Finnigan, who runs Edinburgh Castle, which now attracts two million plus visitors.

Nick described a robust range of measures being taken to tackle what is, at times, the most congested part of our tourism industry. But he also pointed to the huge benefits gained by the income from tourism and how it contributes to protecting and improving Historic Scotland’s estate across Scotland. Locally this includes Craigmillar Castle. Situated in a regeneration area, it’s exactly the kind of place where we should be encouraging tourism to spread and thrive.

Far from harming heritage, tourism helps to protect it by bringing resources that otherwise would not exist. Edinburgh performs a similar role for Scotland. Nearly two thirds (65 per cent) of visitors to the city go on to visit other parts of Scotland. Those tourists, and the income they bring, supports public services, jobs and helps transform lives the length and breadth of the country. Of city centre residents, 96 per cent are happy with the city as a place to live, and 92 per cent are happy with their neighbourhood as a place to live. Indeed, satisfaction levels across Edinburgh have been the highest for some time. As tourism has grown, so has satisfaction with life in what is widely accepted as one of the finest cities in the world.

I’m all for evidence-based policy, but the facts are that tourism is of huge benefit to Edinburgh and it should continue to be supported. DONALD ANDERSON The Spinney, Edinburgh