Wild Scotland’s Post

I attended the fantastic SSDAlliance 2024 conference yesterday with Stephen McNamee for 5pm.co.uk (soon to be Kooble) which was focused on the theme 'Responsible Tourism'. What an enlightening day from the largest DMO in Scotland led by David Hope-Jones OBE who offered a powerful vision and strategy for the South of Scotland. For those who weren't aware Richard Lochhead reminded us that: ▪️Tourism is recovering faster than the rest of the Scottish economy, and better than the rest of the UK tourism market, with a record visitor spend of £1.5bn. ▪️ Scotland is the only region in the UK to see an increase in North American visitors last year. Much of the discussion focused on communities, whether that be around the natural environment, climate change, or accessibility: ▪️ Paul Ralph from Partners in Access said responsible tourism must include accessibility and for anyone wondering how do they go beyond the checkbox exercise of accessible 'features', speak to relevant disability groups within your local community, invite them to your business, get their perspective on what would enrich their experience. ▪️ A key message from Martin Valenti and Carron Tobin was stop blaming 'them' for not making change, we are 'them' and must look to action change ourselves directly whether that be through net zero initiatives within your business or organising community activities to improve your local area. Public services are cash-strapped, and the responsibility for action lands with us. #tourism #scotland #visitscotland

This course has helped me validate my ability to offer leadership training to women who want promotion into leadership roles within their companies.

2. Insider Access: Travel advisors have insider knowledge and connections that are often unattainable to the general public. Did you know that they can get you exclusive access to attractions, special events, and VIP extras that enhance your travel experience? Their relationships with industry insiders can be the difference between an ordinary trip and an unforgettable journey.

International Tourist Guide Day (# 2 out of 2) on 21st February Click here: https://lnkd.in/dKaUU2CH To View the webpage linked to Read more information & pictures include Today's Thought also.  #internationaltouristguideday #touristguideday #touristguide #tourist #guide #february #event #feb .

Another way travel companies can contribute to resolving or lessening the effects of overtourism, is to have tours during the off seasons. #regenerativetourism #sustainabilityleadership Create tours that run during the off seasons.... isn't that a win-win situation? #tours #travel #SDGs #MICE

Some really interesting insights here 👇.

Are you a business in the tourism sector? If so, you'll need this fully-funded workshop that will help you grow by simplifying the marketing you need to get fully booked! Link in comment 👇

If you have not read over the findings of the latest visitor survey (11500 visitors were interviewed) then it’s a must for every tourism & hospitality operator & front line employee too -Knowing who your customers are, what has motivated them to visit, and importantly what they think about your business, their experiences and the destination they have chosen to visit, in this case Scotland, is key to staying ahead of the game!

Planning a summer vacation in Europe but not sure where to go?🏖️🤔 Check out the Europe Summer Tourism Index by SchengenVisaInfo! It ranks the best countries based on popularity, so you can make an informed choice. Happy travels! 🌍✈️ #SummerVacation #ExploreEurope