Tourism bodies resign from ‘not fit for purpose’ working group

The future of the Scottish Government’s working group on short-term lets is facing an uncertain future after several of Scotland’s leading tourism organisations resigned from the group, writes Colin Smeeton.

Describing the group as ‘not fit for purpose’ and accusing it of failing to ‘fulfil its remit,’ representatives of the Association of Scotland’s SelfCaterers, Airbnb, the Scottish B&B Association, and the UK Short Term Accommodation Association, quit the group en masse.

Earlier this year, the Scottish Government withdrew its licensing proposals ahead of the election and they committed to respond to stakeholder concerns through the working group.

However, the tourism bodies feel that this has not happened and that there is a lack of significant changes in the legislation which will impact traditional self-catering businesses and B&Bs, as well as homesharers. The proposed legislation has angered those affected even further as additional provisions have been added to the legislation which will now also impact some guest houses. Chief executive of the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers, Fiona Campbell, said: ‘Despite our best efforts, and those of our colleagues across Scottish tourism, this working group has been revealed as nothing but a sham and therefore we have decided to leave it.

‘Throughout the entire process, while we have acted in good faith, this government has continually shifted the goalposts and acted with cavalier disregard and indifference towards our sincere concerns and innovative ideas.

‘Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, and long-before that, the Scottish tourism industry has been an example for others to follow – it is therefore extremely disappointing that our government has not held itself to the same standards and failed to back small business at this crucial time.’

David Weston, who is the chairman of the Bed & Breakfast Association, added: ‘Leaving the working group is not a decision that my colleagues and I have taken lightly but there seems little point in remaining.

‘We have been frustrated at every turn and it will be Scottish B&Bs that suffer if we continue to take part in what has become nothing but a charade.

‘Our members expect us to act in their best interests, and in the interests of the broader tourism sector, and it has been made abundantly clear that neither the working group nor the Scottish Government are interested in that type of dialogue.’

Founded in 1978, the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers is the trade body representing the interests of the traditional self-catering sector. It has more than 1300 members who operating tens of thousands of self-catering properties throughout Scotland.