VisitScotland to launch event focused 2014 tourism drive
VisitScotland is to launch its 2014 tourism drive, described as a make or break year for the industry, by heading a delegation of businesses to the World Travel Market in London later this week.
Chairman Mike Cantlay will head to the capital in order to beat the drum for the sector, which draws in key airlines such as Virgin, Emirates and BA – each of which will be asked to bolster connections from airports north of the border.
A host of events next year are expected to provide a timely fillip to the industry; notably the Commonwealth Games, Ryder Cup and Homecoming celebrations
Cantlay said: “When it comes down to it, probably half of our tourism revenues, certainly in terms of the actual spend by visitors, is dependent on literally just several hundred of these global players - between airlines, hotel companies, travel businesses and car rental companies.
"When you put it into perspective, we have 20,000-odd businesses and 270,000 people dependent on this industry. But actually it comes down to just several hundred of these huge global businesses we depend on.”