Scottish visa would drive growth of population

LAST week, delegates from tourism businesses and organisations all across Scotland journeyed to Glasgow’s SEC for the two-day national tourism conference, organised and delivered by the Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA).

In 2012, when the STA first formed, there were just 120 in the room, the majority from the public sector for a fivehour event. This year we had a one-and-ahalf day event attracting around 500 people, including Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism, Fergus Ewing.

It’s testament to the way the STA team has grown and an indicator of just how many businesses in all sectors now class themselves as “tourism businesses”.

These companies view themselves as firmly rooted within Scotland’s tourism industry – without it they can’t grow.

Tourism is everybody’s business. Why? Well, tourism isn’t just about tourists. It’s about people. It brings a wealth of economic, social and cultural benefits, perpetuating growth, stimulating job creation and productivity – an upward cycle of economic success. It is a powerful force, the “shop window” for the world to view Scotland. It can show the very best of what we have to offer not only as a travel destination, but as a country to invest and do business in.

This week saw the launch of Scotland’s future tourism strategy and headline actions; a strategy for change – a new approach that will see tourism act as a force for good in the common interest of Scotland’s communities, businesses and everyone who visits and stays with us.

Tourism is a cornerstone of the Scottish economy – it plays a positive role in every region and provides employment that extends far beyond what many might consider are the traditional “tourism industry jobs”.

Our sector generates five per cent of Scotland’s GDP, comprises 14,000 businesses and employs 206,000 people – that’s 1 in 12 jobs. In 16 out of 32 local authorities, tourism is the largest provider of employment. The significance of tourism as an employer in some areas such as the Highlands cannot be underestimated. For many rural economies it is the biggest source of employment.

The announcement of the UK Government’s immigration policy has cast a dark shadow over Scotland’s tourism industry, and indeed many other sectors who are reliant on an EU workforce. Scotland has a declining population and our sector is one of many struggling to fill vacancies as a result of the departure of EU citizens and decline in arrivals of EU citizens coming to work in our tourism industry.

Scotland’s situation is unique; we need a differentiated system responsive to the specific needs of the tourism industry. We need proud and passionate people to deliver experiences across our visitor attractions, events, transport, retail, food and drink and any business which has any touch point with Scotland’s visitor economy.

We, along with many other sector groups representing Scotland’s business economy, believe a bespoke Scottish visa will address the urgent and distinctive need to drive population growth and I am delighted to be part of a delegation invited by Scotland’s First Minister to travel to Downing Street and outline our concerns around the UK Government immigration policy.

Our new tourism strategy is about creating a better Scotland for all with our government, industry, private and public sector and Scotland’s people working together to ensure that the tourism benefits all of Scotland.

Tourism has the potential to deliver far-reaching economic benefits to Scotland but without access to a current and future workforce, it will fail.