Tourism

What do we know about tourists?

1 - Arrive on coaches, eat scones, buy wool and cashmere then leave again.

2 - Arrive in Range Rovers, drink whiskey, shoot pheasants/fly fish, drink whisky, shoot buildings/fall in the Tay, eat dinner then leave.

Tourisms a confusing issue in Perthshire. We don't understand why it is promoted to the detriment of other industries. If some of the money was invested in other industries Perthshire would have a stronger more competitive economy.

Douglas Ritchie of Tourism & Leisure Solutions recently wrote that local business people view tourism as a low skilled, low paid industry. He then went on to say that tourism can guarantee local jobs and could not be outsourced to India or wherever and technology will never replace the need for skilled and motivated people serving and assisting visitors.

It was refreshing to find out that other local business people have concerns that economic growth in Perthshire was to dependant on tourism. Perthshire Business believe there is a need in the local economy for tourism. There is also a need and requirement for the growth and promotion of other types of business.

Tourism is now a global business, meaning that Perthshire is competing with the warmer exotic countries for tourists business. With the exchange rate of the pound there's better value to be had spending a week in Greece or Turkey, than wet and windy Scotland. The current exchange rate also makes destination Scotland an expensive place to visit. It makes sense for Perthshire to invest in other areas of expertise.

Tourism in Perthshire is already partially outsourced. Visit the hotels in the local area for lunch and you will find that foreign national agency workers outnumber the locals. While the hotel can not physically be moved abroad the staff can easily be recruited from abroad.

Without support for other business the Perthshire economy will be barren in the winter season.

In the winter time