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£15m fund to help tour operators


By Calum MacLeod

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Inbound tour operators are to receive additional support to cope with the impact of the pandemic.
Inbound tour operators are to receive additional support to cope with the impact of the pandemic.

More struggling Scottish tour operators will be eligible for support after the Scottish Government widened the scope of its criteria for financial aid for inbound tour operators and created a new fund to support day tour operators.

The funds will offer £15 million available to Scottish businesses who promote and sell package holidays to Scotland or day tours here.

Both strands of the funding are being delivered by VisitScotland on behalf of the Scottish Government and has been developed with input from the Scottish Tourism Alliance, the Scottish Destination Management Association, the Scottish Incoming Golf Tour Operators Association, UK Inbound and the Scottish Independent Tour Operators Association (SITOA).

With international visitor numbers to the UK down around 95 per cent in June 2020 compared to the same month in 2019, Scottish tour operators have seen little in the way of income since Covid-19 began.

Malcolm Roughead, chief executive of VisitScotland, said: “With restrictions in place on international travel and from elsewhere in the UK for nearly a year now, the pandemic has had a devastating impact on package holidays and excursions in Scotland.

"As an organisation we are working as hard as we can to get financial support to those who need it and we have redeployed more than 100 staff from other roles to help process applications as quickly as possible.

“Visitors to Scotland are attracted by the prospect of exploring our stunning landscapes and delving into our rich history and vibrant culture and both inbound tour operators and day tour businesses are critical to this offering.”

SITOA chairman Gordon Pearson, founder and tour guide with WOW Scotland, said: "The small, owner-operated tour businesses we represent have endured very little or no revenue for 16 months and many are now at serious risk of financial ruin. Consequently, we are very thankful to the Scottish Government and VisitScotland for recognising the hardship faced by our industry, and for creating this lifeline fund.

“International visitors are the backbone of Scotland’s day and multi-day tour market and, as such, we now face the daunting prospect of waiting another year to get back to business. This fund therefore comes as a huge relief to the many companies who are fighting for their survival, as it will help them to bridge the gap until 2022.

"When international travel opens up again, it is imperative that independent tour companies still exist. We look forward to offering global visitors outstanding tour experiences once again, in turn helping to drive Scotland’s economic recovery."

For more details about this fund, please consult the full guidance document www.visitscotland.org/supporting-your-business/funding/inbound-tour-operators-fund


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