If trends in overnight visitor spend over the last forty years were to continue, we would see little or no real growth in the coming decade.
By 2020 it is also expected that over 99% of countries in the world will have a tourism product, offering today???s sophisticated visitors a greater choice of destinations than ever before.
If Scotland is to increase its share of this increasingly competitive marketplace, we need to improve our performance collectively and individually. We need to provide high quality, authentic visitor experiences that appeal to our key markets and make us stand out from the crowd. And we need to combine this with fantastic customer service once visitors arrive in Scotland.
The Tourism Scotland 2020 strategy outlines ambitious plans to grow tourism revenues by £1bn a year, which will make a real difference to the sustainability of the industry and individual businesses.
But we need your help to achieve this. Each and every one of us within the industry needs to rally round the strategy, embracing its vision, giving it our full support, and taking it forward in our own areas.
By making improvements to your business and working with others across the industry you can improve your bottom line. At the same time you’ll be contributing towards the future of the Scottish tourism industry.