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Tough times demand
flight to quality
Scotland is one of the world’s finest tourist destinations, but
if we can’t get people here then delighting them with
everything we have becomes impossible. By Bill Thomson.
The number of direct flights into Scotland remains Although the Scottish Government has been
an issue for its tourist industry and this was exploring how it should further push route
recently highlighted by the Scottish Parliament’s development, no final decisions have yet been
Bill Thomson Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee. made. The aviation industry itself is under the
Publishing a report over the summer it called for cosh and has made many loath to expand their
the Scottish Government to consider ‘destination services while those who remain in business
marketing initiatives’ to target potential customers continue to cut back on the routes they presently
for new flights into Scotland. offer while seeking potential mergers with other
It said a real focus was needed to brand, market carriers. Again this puts pressure on Scotland’s
and develop air routes and similar tactics be used direct routes. However, this is to ignore the
to develop rail links and ensure the service unquestionable excellence of Scotland as a
between Scotland and England was continuous destination. If marketed and promoted properly
and fully functioning. Certainly if the Scottish Scotland has already proved itself capable of
Government is serious about achieving its goal of delivering highly exciting, diverse and memorable
growing tourism by 50% in the ten years to 2015, experiences.
then convenient access to the country is going to If we continue to sustain demand, the airlines
be a central pillar of any success. will naturally bring new routes online to meet it. So
There also remains a degree of confusion as to although it is easy to bemoan the lack of direct
what the Scottish Government will do to replace flight routes in and out of Scotland, it is a far more
the Scottish Route Development Fund (RDF), worthwhile approach to focus on generating the
which was established in November 2002 through demand that will in turn force airlines into
a partnership between The Scottish Government, providing the routes we so badly need. Raising
Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Scotland’s profile and promoting it to the world is
“Raising Enterprise and Visit Scotland to improve year essential. According to a benchmarking survey
Scotland’s round access for both business and tourist carried out by Visit Scotland, Tourism Ireland Ltd
profile and travellers. Unfortunately the RDF was pulled at the was spending between three and four times as
promoting it to end of May last year, although the routes that had much on its marketing than the £5m Visit Scotland
the world is been started by that date remain eligible for spent in 2003. Unfortunately there is never going
essential.” funding. to be an ideal set of trading conditions and there
A year on from the fund’s closure, 37 routes will always be hurdles to overcome. Scotland,
continued to operate as a result of its investment. however, is in the hugely fortunate position of
having one of the best and most varied products
Author biography
to export to the international tourism market.
If we can succeed in delivering this message
Bill Thomson is the Managing Director of leading bespoke incentive travel
effectively, then we will also succeed in pushing
business, Hello Scotland, the destination management company which
demand for what we have to offer. If we succeed
introduces corporate clients to the best travel and hospitality experiences
the result will be interest from the airlines to open
that Scotland can offer. He has built Hello into a brand leader in incentive
new routes and we will truly have become
travel.
engineers of our own success and stopped being
hostages to fortune.”
46UIbackUIforwardCABLEtalk • November 2008
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