Locals to get a bigger say in Edinburgh’s tourism vision
● Pledge to put people, place and planet first in industry blueprint
A radical rethink on the future of tourism in Edinburgh will give its citizens more of a say in how the industry is managed and promoted around the world in the wake of growing concerns over the impact of “overtourism” on the Scottish capital, it has been claimed.
City leaders pledged to “put people, place and planet first” by spreading its footprint more across the city, making industry leaders more “accountable” to local residents and ensuring visitor spending is “retained within the local economy.”
Tourism chiefs said the new ten-year strategy, which was instigated by the industry and the city council more than a year ago, is aimed at ensuring tourism is seen as “a benefit, not a burden” by taxpayers.
The blueprint – published following a string of controversies about Edinburgh’s world-famous winter festivals – will see a significant shift in emphasis “from driving growth to managing growth”.
The tourists of the future will be asked to help reduce the environmental impact of their visit, there will be a new emphasis on promoting the use of local suppliers and selling Scottish-made products, and the sector will be tasked with properly “measuring and mitigating” its environmental impact for the first time.
Other pledges include ensuring that the city’s built heritage and natural environment is “cherished and cared for as a fundamental aspect of the city’s character, and that Edinburgh remains an authentic “living, working city”.
The ten-year vision is expected to lead to a shake-up of how the industry in Edinburgh is overseen and the creation of a new body which will tackle problems and challenges while “ensuring effective resident engagement.”
The new blueprint describes Edinburgh’s tourism industry, which currently supports 33,000 jobs, as “one of the biggest success stories”, with a 54 per cent increase in overseas visitors over the last decade and the number of domestic visitors up by almost a third.
However, Edinburgh was named a global overtourism hotspot last year, alongside Amsterdam, Rome, Venice and Barcelona.
City council leader Adam Mcvey said: “We have big ambitions for the future and we’re working with our partners to shift focus from promoting to better managing Edinburgh so we put people, place and planet first.
“This ten-year plan is the blueprint for striking a much better balance between the needs of the city, visitors and residents.”
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