Tourism and Hospitality Industry Leadership Group minutes: 14 May 2025

Attendees and apologies

ILG Members Attending:

• Aileen Crawford, Glasgow Life 
• Amanda Wrathall, Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC)
• Andrea Nicholas (Online), Green Business UK Ltd
• Barbara Smith, Industry expert 
• Benjamin Carey, Carey Tourism 
• Calum Ross, Loch Melfort Hotel 
• Carron Tobin, Rural Dimensions 
• Chris Greenwood, Moffat Centre 
• Franck Bruyere, The Royal Yacht Britannia Trust
• Hannah Schlesinger Brodie, Edinburgh New Town Cookery School
• Joshua Ryan-Saha (Online), Travel Tech Scotland 
• Kelly Johnstone, The Springboard Charity 
• Leon Thompson, UK Hospitality
• Patrick Colquhoun, Scottish Land & Estates and Luss Estates Company
• Sarah Allanson, British Holiday & Home Parks Association
• Stephen Duncan, Historic Environment Scotland
• Victoria Erasmus, Glen Mhor Hotel
• Anna Miller, Highlands and Islands Enterprise
• Bryan Simpson, Unite the Union 
• Gary Cox, Scottish Government 
• Lawrence Durden, Skills Development Scotland 
• Marc Crothall, Scottish Tourism Alliance 
• Rob Dickson, VisitScotland 
• James Fowlie, COSLA 
• Karen Jackson (Online), South of Scotland Enterprise 
• Richard Lochhead MSP, Minister for Business

Attending:

• Beth Thoms, VisitScotland 
• James Johnstone, Scottish Government 
• Mark Rowley, South of Scottish Enterprise
• Graham Morrison, VisitScotland 
• John Telfer, Scottish Government 
• Vicki Miller, VisitScotland

Apologies:

• Carolyn Churchill, VisitScotland 
• Paul McCafferty, Scottish Enterprise 
• Derek Shaw, Scottish Enterprise
• Judy Rae, OnFife Cultural Trust
• Caroline Cantin, Scottish Government
• Chris Brodie, Skills Development Scotland 
• Debbie Johnson, IHG Hotels & Resorts
• Joss Croft, UK Inbound
• Kat Brogan, Mercat Tours
• Kevin Fallon, Scottish Government

Items and actions

Items and actions

Key notes and actions:

Co-Chair welcome

Welcome:

• Mark Crothall offered a warm welcome to the new members of the group, Amanda Wrathall, Franck Bruyere, Hannah Schlesinger Brodie, Patrick Colquhoun and Sarah Allanson attending their first ILG meeting as industry members and Victoria Erasmus, who is attending her second ILG meeting and the first since joining the group for a full term
• MC also welcomed Vicki Miller, CEO, VisitScotland and The Minister for Business to the meeting, both will speak later in the meeting

January THILG Meeting

• no amends, January meeting minutes approved by the group

Terms of Reference

• amended Terms of Reference approved

Updates / actions from January meeting:

• Scotland Outlook 2030 Tracker is now launched and a comms pack to assist communication has been shared with the group
• logic Modelling sessions progressing, with Net Zero, Tech and People missions all completed so far
• rail industry presenters have reconvened and established next steps; we will discuss from an ILG POV later in the meeting
• measurement mechanism has been developed, initial questions posed for feedback and a Slido session to record initial thoughts will take place later today

Membership/Recruitment:

• Rob Dickson indicated that work is ongoing to co-opt a member from the south of Scotland to ensure strong regional balance
• MC noted that Chris Brodie will not be attending ILG meetings for the time being due to his ongoing secondment. Lawrence Durden will continue to cover Skills Development Scotland’s place on the group

Minsters’ remarks

Mr Lochhead’s remarks incorporated the following:

• a welcome to the new members and an extension of thanks to the existing members. Noting that the group has come a long way since its formation
• emphasised the impact of Business Events, noting that Tech Tour’s conference in Scotland starting today has brought 75 key global investors to the country
• tourism is a major success story, particularly noticeable amidst the excellent weather and on a personal note the positive impact it brings to the Highlands
• convention of the Highlands and Islands is focused on economic rejuvenation, with £100 billion of investment in the green revolution. The prosperity created being key to the visitor economy
• noted the recent launch of satellite technology – transforming how customers can stay connected when travelling with ScotRail on the Far North Line
• the Tour de France Grand Départ coming to Scotland is terrific news and has provided great publicity – over 2,000 editorials
• the Programme for Government reiterated support for international activity to drive the visitor economy
• a globally changing picture will present both challenges and opportunities, that we will all continue to stay alert to
• noted lots of ongoing investment including £150m into tourism projects through Growth Deals
• major events continue to put Scotland in the global spotlight, with upcoming major events including Orkney Island Games, Commonwealth Games, Tour De France and Euro 2028, as well as the portfolio of major golf events

Following the Minister’s remarks, MC commented that in meeting the Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA) counterparts representing Ireland, the challenges are very much shared. On the migration agenda that it is very important that a solution is found that serves Scotland and meets the needs of the tourism and hospitality industry. He agreed that new airline routes bring opportunity, but the domestic market is still proving challenging.

ILG self-assessment session

MC opened session, explaining that it would be useful to cover whilst the Minister is present. He also provided a reminder to the ILG Members to respond by email to the survey questions that we had sent out previously and thanked to those who have responded so far.

A live Slido session was held with summary of findings as follows:

• overall, the group felt meetings over the past year have delivered an effective format and agenda content
• the group had a range of views on the ILG missions with some feeling there is room to grow the impacts of the missions/mission documents
• overall, the group felt the tracker delivered strong impact and was effectively developed
• the group were split in their views on which missions should have greater focus, with the highest percentage of votes for Community Led Tourism and Proud & Valued People
• the majority of the group felt the group was fulfilling its intended leadership, collaboration and partnership role

Following the on screen Slido survey, a discussion session was led by MC.

• RD mentioned the challenges of doing a quantitative assessment; opportunity to pick up further feedback via email
• MC referenced the election year – an opportunity to escalate investment – but there are challenges with delivery – referring to Ireland who have similar challenges (albeit Scotland's NTO is not as well funded)
• the Minister mentioned that he would bring delivery partners together to map where input is taking place and discuss what more could happen to deliver on the ambitions
• MC agreed – that work is starting now, and we need to focus efforts given there is a lot taking place
• the Minister mentioned the importance of investment in technology for example which brings benefits for visitors, business customers and communities alike Looking at missions, all are important but interesting to see community led tourism and people at the top – with lots of work going on in these spaces Noted aspiration to demonstrate leadership and partnership – ILG is about collaboration; could this be better?
• request for written feedback to be shared with Secretariat, Graham Morrison over next couple of weeks; which will be collated into an evaluation

Actions

• ILG Members to send verbatim feedback to Secretariat. GM to collate a full evaluation to be shared prior to the September meeting
• SG officials to coordinate a meeting of the organisational members of the ILG in the first instance to review delivery on ILG ambitions

Updates from Mission Leads

Sustainable Transport – Rail Update

Chris Greenwood opened the session, explaining where Sustainable Transport sits in relation to other missions, the focus being on where we can influence. This is reflected in the updated mission paper (included in the meeting papers).

RD updated on recent engagement with the rail providers that joined the ILG for the January 2025 meeting, including a meeting the previous day attended by Hannah Ross from Scottish Rail Holdings, Bill Reeve from Transport Scotland (both of whom attended the January ILG meeting) and Alex Hynes, Director General for Rail at DFT. The discussion highlighted the impact that the ILG has had on key rail stakeholders. They understand the opportunities and are very keen to engage. Key points made were:

• Scottish Rail Holdings (SRH) have now commissioned a Visitor Economy strategy, flowing significantly from the conversation held at the ILG. Network Rail’s tourism strategy is also pressing ahead, with Bill Reeve, Director of Rail at Transport Scotland influencing following ILG engagement
• additional aspects discussed include increased capacity on existing railway lines and replacement intercity services within Scotland - scheduled for introduction in 2028/2029
• there is a need to better understand the regional potential and associated benefits of rail investment. For example, Regional Economic Partnerships (REPs), such as North East Scotland, can work with operators like LNER to maximise value between Dundee and Aberdeen
• growth Deals were identified as an opportunity to develop investment propositions, particularly in the North East. Ayrshire was also mentioned as another potential regional opportunity
• while delivery of these changes is not within the group’s remit, it was acknowledged that the group has played a significant influencing role

Following RD’s update, there was a discussion led by MC:

• MC noted that Alex Hynes understands the significance and opportunity of the tourism sector on rail development
• RD agreed, noting that in Scotland there is less market competition, which makes it easier for rail officials to take action
• Aileen Crawford asked if VisitScotland is involved in the development of the strategies mentioned?
• the Scottish Rail Holdings strategy will shape future developments, and both RD and MC are involved in related strategy discussions.
• AC responded that opportunities to influence the visitor welcome experience via rail could be explored
• it was acknowledged that UK railways are largely dominated by commuter traffic. However, structural changes in commuting patterns present challenges for the current model
• Barbara Smith highlighted ongoing transport challenges in Scotland, particularly for small businesses that are taking on a lot of responsibility themselves. In some cases, on-site accommodation is being provided to address access issues – as seen on Arran
• RD responded investment in transport infrastructure remains critical for both people and employers and noted that the ILG’s five missions are already having an impact
• MC referenced recent improvements to infrastructure that have enhanced accessibility for members of the workforce facing mobility challenges
• AW raised the issue of integrated ticketing and the limitations of the current booking window. RD agreed that this is a good example of how existing processes are not working effectively for the economy
• RD closed by noting that the rail stakeholders that met the previous day reiterated the importance of ensuring rail plays a key role in supporting tourism, both for revenue generation and in contributing to net zero goals

ILG Mission Updates

Data and Tech

CG updated on the mission, with JRS joining the call online

• the most significant update was the progress of the Scottish Tourism Data Partnership, with Interface (Higher Education liaison) playing a pivotal role
• the group is co-chaired by Joshua Ryan-Saha and Cat Leaver, VisitScotland’s Director of Strategy and Competitive Intelligence with a clear remit to identify data and technology solutions that meet the needs of the tourism industry, especially SMEs.Logic modelling has been undertaken to support this work
• JRS presented best practice examples, including the London High Street Data Service and the NHS, to guide future development
• there is a focus on prioritising local data sources and leveraging existing funding streams such as university research grants and private sector partnerships
• the group has extended invites for stakeholders to submit areas of interest, and a next meeting is scheduled for early June
• MC noted the vast potential in accessing existing university research and data projects, underlining the significant opportunities for tourism.
• this data group stems directly from the ILG's technology mission
• VE raised a challenge: while there’s access to useful data (e.g., Global Carbon Map), there is uncertainty around how to meaningfully engage with it and drive sector-wide uptake
• the desire to influence Scottish Government (SG) policy and effectively cascade insights to SMEs was noted
• CG highlighted the importance of cross-mission collaboration when it comes to data use and impact

People and Skills

• Karen Jackson and LD led on setting the landscape, outlining ongoing vacancies, labour shortages, and critical skills gaps in tourism and hospitality
• an update paper was shared with the meeting papers, with Kelly to circulate presentation slides from a planned deep dive in October
• the group discussed a successful mapping exercise and engagement through the Tourism & Hospitality Skills Group
• a key tool developed by the group—a skills toolkit—has already recorded over 3,000 hits, mainly from businesses. Members were asked to continue promoting it
• digital skills content and AI-related developments have recently been added
• the AI Alliance will attend the next skills group meeting
• colleges Scotland was recognised as a partner that could support ILG aspirations, while the private sector has invested significantly in senior executive training (£1,500 per participant), with world-class speakers involved
• MC emphasised the importance of getting the toolkit directly to employees, to help promote longer-term careers in the sector. The toolkit is accessible via the VisitScotland Hub
• HIT Scotland and Minerva (via the Crerar Trust) were mentioned as supporting initiatives
• the toolkit includes nested menus for easier navigation

Community Led Tourism

• Carron Tobin provided an overview of Community-Led Tourism (CLT), offering to run an introduction session for new members
• CLT was historically seen as a rural concept but is increasingly relevant in urban contexts as well (e.g., Glasgow’s community focus)
• The group acknowledged that CLT is enabled by Scotland’s unique community empowerment legislation and has potential to transform local destinations
• However, social measurement of impact remains limited, and this gap needs to be addressed
• VM confirmed this is an area that VisitScotland are looking to explore further

Net Zero

• Benjamin Carey gave an update on behalf of the Net Zero group, which currently consists of four members and is actively seeking wider participation
• there is concern that Net Zero has dropped down the sector’s agenda recently versus higher engagement in previous years
• mission group members have questioned whether Scotland is still leading on climate action, citing missed opportunities since the 2019 declaration of a climate emergency and reduced public rhetoric
• there is a desire for Scotland to develop world-leading, 21st-century tourism metrics—yet measuring impact at sub-national levels remains a challenge.
• a scoping exercise, funded by SG’s ClimateXChange, is ongoing to address measurement gaps
• the group discussed the potential for SG to legislate for mandatory business-level Net Zero strategies and reporting requirements
• CG and VE stressed the importance of data linkage, transparency, and socialising success stories within the sector
• the VisitScotland Net Zero Toolkit was highlighted as a valuable but underutilised resource. VE flagged confusion and reluctance from some businesses, fearing the data might reveal uncomfortable truths
• VE encouraged renewed climate leadership within the ILG, and noted ongoing user testing of the VisitScotland toolkit, which could reveal some of the barriers to engagement
• MC noted several positive infrastructure and policy initiatives underway at Glasgow City Council (GCC) but stressed the importance of bringing in new voices and partners
• VE posed several pertinent questions focused on data use, how to drive forward the net zero agenda and influence SG priorities and then how do we translate this to SMEs?
• CG noted the cross cutting nature of the data work, across all of the missions

VisitScotland Corporate Plan

Vicki Miller, CEO, VisitScotland joined the meeting to update the ILG on VisitScotland’s new Corporate Plan. The presentation covered the following:

Context and Strategic Drivers

The presentation began with an overview of the current climate affecting Scotland’s visitor economy, including:

• Scottish Government priorities
• climate emergency and net zero targets
• international competition and geopolitics
• connectivity and transport
• consumer behaviours, regulation, and digital disruption
• the rising cost of doing business and cost-of-living pressures

These external drivers were framed as creating a “shifting landscape” for the sector, reinforcing the need for adaptive strategy and coordinated leadership.

The Value of Tourism

Global data shows tourism contributes:

• 10% of global GDP and 7% of total global exports
• over 357 million jobs worldwide (1 in 10 jobs)
• $1.9 trillion in export revenues (2024)
• UNWTO continuing to predict growth in outbound travel (circa 4/5% p/a)

In Scotland:

• a notable decline in domestic spend was reported in early 2024
• for the first time, international spend surpassed domestic visitor spend
• Regional dispersal of visitors remains a focus
• the major insights and trends that are shifting the travel landscape and shaping VisitScotland’s work:
• consumer sentiment
• aviation
• media landscape
• travel demand
• booking behaviour

Strategic Themes and Delivery Priorities

In our role as an economic growth agency, VisitScotland will focus delivery through four core areas:

Market Development

• targeted campaigns in high-growth and core markets (UK, Germany, France, USA, China, Australia)
• “always-on” consumer storytelling and B2B product conversion strategies
• improved international connectivity through air, ferry, and rail partnerships

Place Development

• support for local and regional economic strategies
• management of Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund (RTIF)
• event development priorities agreed with local authorities
• public/private collaboration to enhance and leverage investment in infrastructure and visitor experiences

Business & Experience Development

• a new free-to-access business support programme (7,000+ engagements annually)
• 300+ Scottish businesses per year supported to become “travel trade ready”
• climate action: support for sustainability, climate plans, and low-carbon itineraries
• introduction events for SME/microbusinesses into product pipelines

Organisation Development

• investing our resources into driving the visitor economy, growing its value to Scotland
• new People and Culture Plan, Data Plan, and Technical Infrastructure Plan to ensure we are future proof
• focus on insights and measurement, digital transformation
• commitment to achieve:

1. net zero (Scope 1 & 2) by 2030
2. net zero (Scope 3) by 2045

With specific outcome driven activity being measured against the 4S Framework – Spread, Spend, Satisfaction and Sustainability. Activity includes:

Visitor Economy Campaign

• a new national campaign aims to shift the narrative around the visitor economy’s contribution
• early results:

1. 3.6K video views in week one
2. high engagement across LinkedIn and earned media
3. press coverage in major outlets including The Herald and The Scotsman
4. CEO blog reached 4,000 LinkedIn users

• members were encouraged to support by sharing stories and campaign content

International Engagement

• continued support for Scottish Government’s 6-point export plan
• focus on trade shows, international missions, and in-market activations (e.g. Scotland Week NYC, China workshops, German trade missions)
• emphasis on Brand Scotland alignment and ROI from international activity

Business Events Focus

• the business events programme continues to show resilience despite global uncertainty.
• priorities include:

1. 230 business event leads per year (£130m+ value)
2. participation in global intermediary and partner platforms (e.g. IMEX, PCMA, ICCA)
3. targeting North American, UK, and European markets
4. addressing market challenges such as high airfares, accommodation costs, and currency volatility

Next Steps

• ongoing promotion of business support, insight sharing, and net zero resources
• strengthened collaboration across national and regional stakeholders to deliver against the Corporate Plan and national/regional strategies
• a call for THILG members to advocate for the value of the visitor economy and amplify positive messaging

Following the presentation, there was a full group discussion:

• Anna Miller raised the challenge of balancing tourism growth ambitions with climate targets.
• VM emphasised the importance of addressing economic opportunities while embedding climate action planning and low-carbon travel into itineraries. Noting that focus is on encouraging extended stays and meaningful travel rather than single, short visits.
• MC noted the opportunity for greater traveller efficiency by encouraging year-round visits.
• VM added that long-haul travellers tend to spend more in communities, and it's essential to shape experiences that maximise low-carbon impact.
• RD highlighted the statutory duties of local authorities as critical to securing local traction and investment.
• MC stressed the need for better understanding of the visitor economy at local councillor level to improve buy-in.
• BC noted that this is a compelling Corporate Plan and asked if the current legislation in the tourism space is fit for purpose in delivering objectives.
• VM responded that work undertaken through our Destination Development team is reaching the relevant CEOs/Leaders across the sector – influencing regional tourism strategies. The major challenges are a lack of regional data, with intelligence and data being very important to inform conversations and evolve our influence. The challenges and engagement vary across regions – Highlands versus SoS for example.
• VE asked how success can be measured in a way that maximises community benefit and influences sustainable business decisions.
• VM pointed to the work with The Travel Foundation and the “Meaningful Travel Map” as platforms to influence visitor behaviour and promote impact-focused businesses. RTIF continues to be a high priority, with £100 million identified as needed to enhance the visitor experience. VM noted the DFM is taking RTIF seriously, and VisitScotland is supporting this through robust planning.
• MC noted a question from JR received by email – where does tariffs and related instability take us in terms of internationalisation?
• VM responded that the US will continue to be a huge market for Scotland. We’ll continue to engage through media pitches and investment, we will consider whether we need to turn up the dial on the welcome message. To take advantage of immediate opportunities we have diverted some resources towards Canada – specifically on building flight capacity.
• JRS and MC asked about destination development support and opportunities to align with cultural investment across councils.
• RD raised the issue of successors to the Growth Deals, particularly the need for regional investment strategies. There is a need for regional plans that clearly articulate outcomes and leverage private sector investment in order to unlock future funding.
• VM highlighted that funding linked to culture and events is a major opportunity but currently “undercooked.”
• MC and others asked about VisitBritain (VB) and the Public Sector Reform (PSR) agenda in Westminster.
• VM reported a 42% cut to VB’s budget, affecting campaign spend. VB is now prioritising US, France, and Germany. VisitScotland has maintained its core markets and ringfenced an additional £2m for market development. VM acknowledged the positive recent collaboration with VB and its continued in-market presence.
• MC raised the importance of being proactive—not just defensive—in international promotion. Investment should support long-term impact. A significant lift in UAE flights into Scotland was flagged by MC and confirmed by VM, citing Emirates’ return to Edinburgh.
• PC asked about the proposed visitor levy—whether the sector has confidence it will be used strategically.
• VM responded that the levy must be aligned to strategy and clearly understood by industry.
• RD cited Edinburgh’s strategy as coherent and investment-focused, while MC noted that other councils (Argyll & Bute, Glasgow, Aberdeen) are still developing approaches.
• Sarah Allanson raised concerns that many strategies do not explicitly reference destination promotion.
• VM stressed the need for joint effort, stating that Scotland shouldn’t go to market on our own. Collaboration is key to maximising impact.
• the Visitor Economy Campaign remains a priority. VM encouraged members to engage with and amplify the campaign.
• sectoral opportunities in each region are being scoped, with teams taking a lead.
• packaging for the travel trade and engagement with events such as the Thistle Awards are part of building momentum.
• VM reiterated VisitScotland’s role in shaping awareness of Scotland as a destination, working across business growth, media, and regional delivery teams.

Tourism Management – Deep Dive

Lesley Judge (Interface), Kenny Auld (Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority) joined the meeting and presented on their utilisation of Data and Digital Infrastructure to address Visitor Management challenges. The presentation covered:

Overview and Purpose

• the session offered a deep dive into the role of digital, data and transport solutions in improving visitor management and enhancing Scotland’s visitor economy.
• presenters highlighted both strategic ambitions and operational insights from live and ongoing projects, including those supported by CivTech.

Key Challenges Identified

• Scotland is “data-rich but insights-poor” – significant data exists but is not being converted into actionable intelligence.
• there are gaps in infrastructure, data standards, and cross-sector coordination.
• limited real-time visibility on visitor flows contributes to management inefficiencies and missed opportunities, particularly in rural and high-pressure destinations.

Digital & Transport Working Group Activity

• interface and partners are advancing initiatives through the Digital & Data and Transport Working Groups, both with significance relevance to the corresponding ILG mission group.
• several pilot projects and proof-of-concept solutions were shared:

1. explore Outdoors Web Map – real-time visitor information platform
2. IoT networks gathering data from Rangers and sensors.
3. ANPR development in partnership with Highland Council
4. beach Busyness App (East Lothian) and North Coast 500 App – supporting visitor dispersal and planning

CivTech Case Study: Explore Outdoors

• challenge 8 (2021) focused on improving how we plan for and respond to high visitor volumes in rural hotspots
• tools developed support:

1. demand forecasting
2. live incident and behaviour reporting (e.g. parking, camping, litter)
3. trend monitoring and real-time dashboards for visitor teams
4. visitor-facing maps and planning tools

• outcomes: Scalable, real-time, and open-data capable platform currently being used by National Parks and other local authorities

Data Infrastructure and Skills

There is a need to:

• strengthen national partnerships across academia, industry, and government
• support development of data infrastructure and address skills shortages in data analysis and digital deployment
• consider a single national data portal and stronger governance frameworks for data access and coordination
• leadership models are needed to champion and invest in data acquisition at scale – at both regional and national levels

Transport and Mobility Challenges – Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park

A strong focus was placed on the structural dependence on private car travel to access leisure and tourism sites:

• visitor journeys often fall outside of traditional transport policy (e.g. commuting, freight)
• there are national implications tied to rising car kilometres, projected to increase by 40% by 2037 without intervention
• Callander sensor data (March–April 2025) was shared as an example of the potential for traffic monitoring and predictive analytics in remote areas

Recommendations and Vision

• a new National Park Mobility Partnership is emerging, with vision elements including:

1. gateway and hub development
2. public and active transport investment
3. integrated visitor communications and real-time data tools

• governance and finance models must evolve to support multi-agency investment (e.g. a sustainable £9M transport service proposal).
• stakeholders were encouraged to consider:

1. whether Scotland wants to lead or follow in data innovation
2. if the public sector can or should be entrepreneurial in digital domains
3. whether we are being honest about the risks of inaction, including emissions increases and degraded visitor experiences

Closing Reflections

There is both a compelling case for change and a pressing need to address data and transport gaps through:

• new business models
• smarter partnerships
• ambitious leadership at national level

Following this further discussion was held:

• MC raised the potential of using visitor data to inform rostering and workforce planning in businesses operating within national parks
• KA responded that this is indeed the ambition. By identifying peaks and troughs in activity, business cases can be developed and operational resilience improved
• there is broad agreement on the need for more granular data. Trunk road information exists but tells us little about leisure journeys, which make up a significant proportion of visitor travel
• TS has tended to focus on lifeline transport—getting hospitalit workers to work—while leisure movement remains largely unaddressed in policy frameworks
• KA and LJ noted that while mobile phone data is widely used, it performs poorly in many of Scotland’s landscapes. While the data may be technically accurate, its interpretation can be misleading
• Frank Bruyere emphasised that data collection should be driven by purpose: “What do we want to measure, and why?” For example, are we interested in total footfall, dwell time, or intention to visit?
• LJ agreed that refining the questions is critical before expanding data efforts. CG shared challenges from the East Lothian CivTech project, noting uptake was limited by the requirement to download an app
• LJ and KA noted that many projects begin with a base product but need additional investment and technical support to scale
• RD reflected on the need for fresh approaches and the inclusion of new partners like Interface and the National Parks Authority. If Scotland wants to be world-leading—or even good—it needs to bring this type of knowledge into the mainstream
• CT highlighted the “Press Pause” initiative as a way to build community capacity and explore resident perspectives. She offered to follow up with KA and LJ on next steps
• KA cautioned that community groups can’t be expected to manage increasing visitor volumes without significant support. However, transport data can be a valuable proxy for capturing local economic impact through visitor nights
• Calum Ross spoke to gaps in real-time data, noting that we may label sites “red” when they effectively have capacity, this is a big risk. He stressed the importance of dynamic, site-specific intelligence
• MC shared concerns about car dependency’s effect on place vibrancy, particularly in city centres like Glasgow. He noted a rising reliance on car use among family audiences, which may diminish the visitor experience
• there was strong discussion around the role of the public sector as an entrepreneurial actor. AW, BC, and JF all agreed it’s necessary, but it must be done transparently and with clear leadership backing to avoid drift into core service delivery.
• VE added that the vision must be longer-term, aligning with Smart Cities thinking and using sustainable technology like solar-powered trackers. She stressed the need to start from a “helicopter view” and build in the physical environment
• AC raised a critical leadership challenge: Scotland hasn’t decided what it wants to do about car use. He encouraged the group to define who holds responsibility for these decisions, and to join up work already underway in other groups
• Several participants spoke about siloed efforts, with each council or partner using different data (Steam, BT) without clear coordination. LJ flagged the risk of wasted resources through duplication
• KA noted that many promising initiatives remain limited by capacity or thresholds (e.g. TS needing multiple transactions in one area before recognising it). More collaborative mechanisms are needed
• MC asked whether anyone from financial services was involved in the group. CG confirmed conversations had taken place, and some early-stage project ideas had been scoped
• MC also referenced the use of phone and wi-fi data from festivals as an example of valuable visitor behaviour insight
• VM reflected on the original brief from DFM and noted that while the work began with a focused goal, it has since expanded. The next step is to define clearly what questions we’re trying to answer, and then what data we need to answer them
• MC closed the discussion by asking what the two most significant opportunities might be
• LJ said the first priority is agreeing the right questions and where to go to answer them
• KA added that doors have opened—they don’t want to see duplications of effort, but instead a shared approach to pooling expertise and building on what already exists
• the group agreed to gather feedback—both positive and critical—on how the data/transport agenda could be progressed further

Action: Secretariat to gather feedback and assess further progress on the data/transport agenda, to be addressed at the September meeting.

AOB

MC opened the final part of the meeting by asking for initial impressions from the new members.

• SA noted how much they enjoyed the session, with the missions now feeling much clearer. She acknowledged the challenge of switching off from the demands of the day job to engage fully in strategic thinking
• HSB described the session as a valuable learning experience and welcomed the collaborative nature of the group. She expressed enthusiasm about becoming more involved, while recognising there remains a great deal of work to do
• MC invited the group to continue submitting any missing ideas or reflections following the session
• VE welcomed the group’s approach to “searching for answers” from different perspectives
• PC observed a high level of overlap between the group’s focus and their day-to-day role, noting that while not every point was discussed directly, many were implicitly covered. They praised the group’s environment as “quite special,” particularly in its ability to convene senior figures capable of driving change
• AW found the experience inspiring and expressed intent to take learning and energy back into their own organisation
• FB commented on the superb welcome and the importance of communication, having discovered useful tools and resources he was previously unaware of
• CT encouraged further participation from new members and extended the invitation to join the Community Led Tourism group should they wish
• CR emphasised the need for improved communication around available toolkits and resources — the message should be clear that these cannot be missed. He also suggested the group could do more to publicly promote its work, particularly the progress being made on rail and transport issues
• RD noted that Scottish Rail Holdings (SRH) would likely want to engage further and help shape the direction of work relating to the sector.AC reiterated the importance of capturing and collating the group’s actions to ensure progress and accountability
• VE suggested that with Ministers currently drafting manifestos, this may be a timely opportunity to advocate for a bold, industry-wide ambition around government support for tourism
• MC closed the meeting by thanking contributors and reiterating the ongoing invitation for input. Members were encouraged to continue identifying gaps, sharing feedback, and championing the work of the group both internally and across the wider industry

 

Action: Secretariat to collate recent actions and note how they have been addressed in advance of the September meeting.