DECEMBER 2020, ISSUE 6
WHAT'S INSIDE THIS ISSUE: REFLECTING ON 2020 UNDERSTANDING CONSUMERS RESPONDING TO BLM AND COVID EMBRACING TECHNOLOGY CREATING A POST-COVID FUTURE WINNING COMMUNITIES SAFETY AND SUSTAINABILITY - YES PLEASE REVIEW OF OUR DECEMBER THINK TANK PROGRAMME
newsletter
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CHAIRMAN'S FESTIVE MESSAGE At the end of 2019 we were all talking about what Brexit meant for tourism and how 2020 was going to be an important year. Little did we know what was about to hit us in a matter of weeks. While we wait with some anxiety to discover what Brexit will mean for tourism, the discussion for the last 8 months has understandably been about Covid19. While I hope the recently started vaccination process will help us in the fight against this disease, I recognise that for many this is too late and my thoughts and prayers go to those who have lost loved ones to this pandemic. I recognise also that many tourism and hospitality businesses have been lost and many people have lost livelihoods. The tourism sector is a huge generator of jobs across many different disciplines and I hope that in 2021 we see a recovery that saves existing businesses and creates new opportunities that support economic growth across the UK and beyond. This year the Tourism Society has been delivered a programme of Think Tank sessions bringing members, guests, and great speakers together to talk of Covid, recovery plans, sustainability, and building back better. The feedback I have had from attendees at these sessions has been very positive and we plan to continue these in 2021. This year we have also called on Westminster to review its approach to supporting tourism and have continued to lobby for a greater focus on tourism. It seems fitting that the final newsletter of 2020 is brought to you in partnership with Tourism Society Scotland, and while sadly ‘Hogmanay’ will not quite be the same this year, I hope that 2021 sees a turnaround for tourism and a better year for all. Wishing you a Happy Christmas!
ADUEGC.E 2M0B2E0R, I2S0S2U0E, I1S0S U E 6
REFLECTING ON 2020 2020 has been a traumatic year for tourism everywhere. The COVID-19 pandemic, together with climate change events and Black Lives Matter protests, have forced all tourism practitioners to rethink strategies and operating models, encouraging genuine innovation and radical partnerships. Although tourism in Scotland is devolved and we are approaching the end of the transition to Brexit, for which none of the 32 local authorities voted, it can be argued that tourism in Scotland will come back stronger. In the past few weeks, VisitScotland (under the chairmanship of the Tourism Society’s president Lord Thurso) has declared a Climate Emergency and launched a new
campaign
Scotland
Loves
Local.
The
juxtaposition
reflects
Scotland’s
international outlook, since climate is a global issue, and Scotland’s immense pride in its national heritage, which augurs well for the emergence of more authentic tourism products that reflect market needs and embrace local communities. This edition of the Society’s eNewsletter is an opportunity to share experiences and perspectives that are relevant to tourism destinations everywhere. Benjamin Carey, Managing Director of Carey Tourism and a former chair of Tourism Society Scotland, https://www.careytourism.com/
Benjamin Carey, FTS, Guest Editor
DECEMBER 2020, ISSUE 6
UNDERSTANDING CONSUMERS By Jim Ecclestone and Duncan Stewart In tourism market research, the key requirement is always to provide insights that can help clients make the right decisions in the face of a business challenge. Until 2020 the challenges tended to be typical ‘business as usual’ problems such as how to improve visitor experiences and marketing effectiveness or identifying which markets would be the best prospects for a new proposition.
However, in March 2020, as the UK entered lockdown, it
The insights generated have had a very positive impact.
was clear that COVID-19 was going to present the
The website reports have been viewed over 3,000 times
industry with challenges unlike any faced before and that
and hundreds of businesses have attended presentations,
the future needs, priorities, and concerns of travellers
all helping the Scottish tourism sector plan and prepare
would be very different.
for recovery.
Given this unprecedented change in consumer attitudes and the uncertainty for businesses trying to plan for
Jim Eccleston and Duncan Stewart are managing partners
recovery, we decided to launch the Scottish Tourism
at 56° Insight.
Index: regular survey of how Scots were feeling about travel in light of the pandemic and their hopes and fears for the future. We conducted four waves between May and August – each timed to coincide with key points as lockdown rules changed. Given the fast-changing situation, getting the results into the hands of the industry quickly was particularly important. The report was distributed to the trade within days via numerous webinar presentations organised by industry partners.
https://www.56degreeinsight.com/scottish-tourism-index
DECEMBER 2020, ISSUE 6
RESPONDING TO BLM AND COVID By Lisa Williams Many of the stories we tell about Edinburgh’s history often rely on just a handful of well-known characters and events that we use to project specific images of the city. Since 2018, the Edinburgh Caribbean Association has been running Black History Walks, popular and well attended walking tours of Edinburgh. This year’s COVID restrictions have encouraged Scottish audiences to engage with their heritage in new and deeper ways.
I bravely attempt to pack in an array of stories spanning
Lisa Williams is the founder of the Edinburgh Caribbean
500 years into two hours; ranging from Africans in the
Association.
Royal Court to the Caribbean contribution to Britain in WW2. Not only has the wealth of stories piqued the interest of locals who thought they knew their city well but has also attracted new audiences who previously thought that Scotland had nothing for them. The spotlight on the global Black Lives Matter movement in 2020 has led to an explosion of interest in Black history and increased scrutiny of Scotland’s complicated imperial past, creating new conversations and a desire to tease out further so-called ‘hidden histories’. Black history is both Scottish history and transnational history, which is what continues to make it exciting for both local and international audiences.
https://www.facebook.com/blackhistoryedinburgh/
DECEMBER 2020, ISSUE 6
EMBRACING TECHNOLOGY By Josh Ryan-Saha Often in conversations with technology people, we hear a lot of talk about ‘solutions’: how technology or data can solve this or that problem. The current crisis facing tourism is not a problem that has a technology solution, because technology is not a panacea.
Instead, we need to think about how technology can play
Recovery will come. News of vaccines and improved
a part in supporting tourism businesses: reducing costs,
treatments has led to a surge in holiday search activity.
operating more efficiently, or attracting new customers.
Digital technology is going to be essential in making this recovery happen. Government funding for using digital
During this unprecedented crisis, we have seen a leap in
technology is available for tourism businesses. Now
the use of digital technology. Driven by necessity, hotels,
might just be the right time to start: setting up payment
cafes, and attractions are using apps for track and trace;
systems and contact databases, polishing websites, and
QR codes are ubiquitous. Contactless check-in and online
selling online, developing new online content to whet the
time-slot booking are being deployed to reduce person-
appetite of potential customers.
to-person contact. Businesses are digging into their website analytics and search data to understand where
Sometimes it takes a crisis to make the changes we’ve
new customers might come from.
needed to make all along.
Technologies like these are being pioneered by Scotland-
Joshua Ryan-Saha is director of Traveltech for
based travel tech businesses like Criton, Bookster,
Scotland.
Appointedd, Pour, and Qikserve. https://efi.ed.ac.uk/traveltech-scotland/
DECEMBER 2020, ISSUE 6
CREATING A POST-COVID FUTURE By Sue Crossman, FTS Tourism Society Scotland organised an online webinar on 18 November to explore what four destination management organisations (DMOs) in different parts of Scotland are doing to prepare for a post-COVID-19 future.
The event with Jemma Reid of South of Scotland
The sheer pace of change forced on DMOs struck me and
Destination Alliance, Gillian Richardson of Edinburgh
the extent of the reliance on tourism came through
Tourism Action Group, Mark Tate of Cairngorms Business
clearly, not least in the Cairngorms where 43% of
Partnership and Clare Winskill of Skye Connect achieved
employment is in the tourism sector. Thankfully, all the
189 registrations, indicating the level of interest.
DMOs have adopted an active engagement with their local communities, a process accelerated by the COVID
The aim was to share good practice and exchange ideas
crisis.
at this time of crisis and it clearly demonstrated the diversity of DMOs even in a small country like Scotland.
All the DMOs show that tourism is fighting hard to be
The DMOs in both Edinburgh and Skye had been
recognised for its valuable contributions.
managing
issues
relating
to
overtourism
(or
it
is
undermanagement?) at certain times of year and specific locations: Skye has around 12,000 residents and is
Sue Crossman is a tourism consultant and project
outnumbered 54 times by the 650,000 visitors. SSDA, on
manager, sue@suecrossman.co.uk
the
other
hand,
opportunities.
is
facing
many
untapped
market
DECEMBER 2020, ISSUE 6
WINNING COMMUNITIES By John Murray Everybody is involved in Tourism. Directly or indirectly, everybody is involved in tourism – hospitality, food & drink, transportation, activities, and the supply chain: joiners, wholesalers, construction. the list goes on.
In amongst the list and a KEY element of tourism is the
There are three elements to focus on: communities,
host community. The 2020 season we have just
businesses, visitors. We need to adopt a bottom up
experienced in the Highlands of Scotland has seen
strategy focused on these three elements and work
tourists come en masse.
through the many organisations involved in promoting and managing tourism right up to the top with
They came and we were ill-prepared in terms of
the Scottish Government.
infrastructure for campers: bins, toilets et al, and it often ended up with the local community taking direct action to
If we do this, everybody wins.
protect their communities and provide essential visitor services. John Murray is founding director of the Highland There is a massive opportunity in getting communities to
Food & Drink Club.
see the value of tourism to the local economy and understand the benefits it can bring. It is also important for tour operators, DMOs, and marketing organisations to understand the communities’ needs and wants.
https://highlandfoodanddrinkclub.com/
DECEMBER 2020, ISSUE 6
SAFETY AND SUSTAINABILITY YES PLEASE By John Speers Don’t know about you but Deloitte’s research tells us that our collective UK anxiety levels have significantly dropped from April to August. 32% precisely. Other good news is the UK’s desire to spend on holidays in August has DOUBLED since April 2020.
But something else has happened. I spoke at webinars
distance before travelling and want to use companies that
and workshops about the shifts in general attitudes
offset, are more environmentally friendly, reduce carbon
during the pandemic, predicting a shift to a more mindful
footprint, use energy efficient fuel and eco-friendly
and responsible approach. Some suggested it was
packaging.
wishful thinking, naturally with the situation we find ourselves in.
For a minute I was worried there. We know safety concerns have accelerated single-use plastic, and safety
But now in August we have the evidence to back what
comes first.
But expectations have shifted and people
should be the biggest pivot we make in the industry. Even
now demand SAFETY AND SUSTAINABILITY please. And
since the UN coined ‘sustainable travel’ 50 years ago.
those who supply both will win. Simple as that.
We now not only see the fundamental shift to safety and
For inspirational sustainable initiatives in travel and to
digital transformation, but THE SAME shift towards
submit your own to drive this momentum forward please
sustainable travel… from the public.
see: www.humanmagasine.co.uk.
Right now 55% of the UK considers sustainability when
John Speers, Tourism Society Board member, Head of
deciding on their next holiday. Now that’s a watershed –
Strategy, Owner Kemosabe, publisher of Travel for Good.
the first time over half the population wants this. https://www.kemosabe.com Let’s be specific, more than half of the UK consider
DECEMBER 2020, ISSUE 6
REVIEW OF OUR DECEMBER THINK TANK PROGRAMME By Katrina Kerr For the December Think Tanks, we invited three “top gun” speakers who individually would have a major impact on how tourism comes out of the pandemic.
Beaming in from his attic was the Mayor of Manchester
review is underway and there would be news soon –
Andy Burnham who probably won’t be receiving a
funds to tide over DMOs are in place until March but
Christmas card from Boris this year after holding the
clearly new thinking is required for 2021/22. He also
government to account over compensation for hospitality
hinted that the age old Treasury opposition to promoting
workers. Chair Kevin grilled Andy on the impact of the
domestic tourism to the domestic market was crumbling
pandemic on Manchester’s tourism sector and on how
and expected Summer 2021 to be strong in England,
“brand Manchester” would recover. Andy reiterated that
although VE research indicates the myriad restrictions
the key themes of sport, culture, events, industrial
and general uncertainty are not translating into positive
heritage and business tourism would all still play their
sentiments just yet.
part and, whilst maintaining that he would cooperate especially in international promotion with Liverpool and
And finally, Lord Thurso on the few positives of Covid –
others, he made it clear he would be using his devolution
rediscovery of our own country, adoption of technology
budget to ensure Manchester looks after its own.
and the reminder of the importance of the tourism sector. He handily outlined the 2021 recovery roadmap whereby
Next up from his home office was Nick de Bois, Chair of
this time next year normal life has been resumed. Other
the Visit England Advisory Board, who, poor chap, hasn’t
pearls from the lively session included the need to
managed to get into his actual office yet. Nick has clearly
transform tourism from a “minus” sector to a sustainable
immersed himself in his brief and gave a well-informed
and greener “plus” sector, the scary fact that, had VB’s
intro highlighting what VE had managed to do to support
funding just kept pace with inflation, it would now be
the industry and, in particular, DMOs and then took
around £67m not the roughly £19m it now, a reminder
questions from the floor. Nick had read the Tourism
that the debate around Scottish devolution is driven by
Society paper (twice) and promised that a strategic
emotion rather than fact and that VE is still not fit for purpose!
DECEMBER 2020, ISSUE 6
Merry Christmas!
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