Scotland will lose all its visitor information centre across the entire nation.VisitScotland / Phil Wilkinson
In a move that has shocked many in the tourism industry, VisitScotland, Scotland’s national tourism organization, announced plans on Thursday to close all 25 of its tourist information centers over the next two years as part of a transition to a “digital first” strategy.
The decision comes as the organization grapples with changing tourist behaviors and a 42% decline in footfall at the centers since 2019.
The closures will affect popular tourist destinations across Scotland, including Pitlochry, Perth, St Andrews, Aberfoyle and Stirling, where visitors have long relied on the expertise of local staff to help plan their trips and discover hidden gems.
In total, 170 employees, including 120 permanent staff and 50 seasonal workers, will be impacted by the phased shutdowns.
VisitScotland chairman Lord Thurso defended the decision, arguing that the “tourism landscape has changed significantly in recent years” and that prioritizing online channels will allow the organization to “reach potential visitors at those early planning stages when we can shape their future travel decisions.”
“The demand for iCentres has reduced while the demand for online information and booking has continued to grow,” Lord Thurso said in a statement. “In order to continue building demand and growing the value of tourism and events, it is vitally important that we target channels we know visitors use to influence them to visit Scotland.”
But critics say the move will deal a blow to local economies that rely heavily on tourism and disadvantage travelers who are not digitally savvy.
Louise MacLean, a spokesperson for the Scottish Hospitality Group, called tourism Scotland’s “golden goose” and warned that the loss of the centers would cut off a vital resource for many visitors.
“It is a sign of the times but I am not sure that it is going to work for everyone,” Ms. MacLean said in an interview with BBC Radio Scotland (source).
The backlash extended to the political realm, with Murdo Fraser, a member of the Scottish Parliament, blaming the closures on “savage cuts” to VisitScotland’s budget by the ruling Scottish National Party. John Lamont, a Scotland Office minister in the UK government, urged Scottish leaders to reconsider, saying the shutdowns would hurt local businesses in areas where tourism drives the economy.
At a session of the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, First Minister Humza Yousaf acknowledged the concerns but defended VisitScotland’s rationale, pointing to the rapid changes in how people seek out travel information.
“I fully accept that there will be some level of concern around the announcement,” Mr. Yousaf said. “But the way in which people seek information, find information on tourist destinations is rapidly and vastly changed.”
He added that he expected VisitScotland to work with affected communities to ensure that alternative resources are in place to help tourists access the information they need.
The first round of center closures is set to take place at the end of September, with the remaining locations to be phased out through 2025. VisitScotland said it would offer staff opportunities for reskilling and redeployment to avoid compulsory redundancies (source).
