There are a number of underlying reasons for this. They include the trend towards shorter holidays and the decline in the number of UK residents taking their main holiday here. Generating business outwith this period remains a major challenge. Encouragingly, however, research undertaken by STB shows that UK residents are willing to visit Scotland at most times of the year if they are offered the right product. Many individual businesses and industry groups have also developed successful marketing campaigns and offers to attract visitors year round while many businesses are staying open longer.
Tourism has the potential to make a major contribution to the development of rural areas.
The proposals in this strategy to use the Internet to give tourism business direct access to the customer and vice versa will be of particular benefit to rural areas. However, we need to do more. We must also look closely at how we market Scotland. To achieve greater customer recognition of the less visited and remoter areas, STB will feature a wide range of areas in all print, Internet sites, press visits and consumer sales promotions and where appropriate advertising images. While this will help, new action is required.