At a recent Dumfries & Galloway Local Economic Forum meeting key discussions were around tourism across Dumfries & Galloway. VisitScotland Dumfries & Galloway presented an outline of VisitScotland’s “Going For Growth” Strategy, highlighting the year-on-year increase in tourist numbers experienced across Dumfries & Galloway in the past five years.
Speaking at the Forum Delia reported that Dumfries & Galloway had, in recent years, benefited from a much higher level of investment in regional marketing, largely due to additional monies drawn in after the 2001 Foot and Mouth outbreak and an additional boost in funding from the South of Scotland European Partnership.
These factors have combined to give Dumfries & Galloway a real competitive edge over the rest of Scotland in recent years. While there is some anxiety about the level of funding in future years, we have clearly made ground and managed to establish strong markets building on the region’s natural assets. We have done this by focussing our efforts on specific target customers tapping into on products such as touring, walking, golf and cycling including the 7Stanes mountain biking. We have also enjoyed an increase in visitors coming to the area as a result of investment in the region’s very successful Festivals and Major Events Strategy.
While recognising some of the real benefits we have seen in recent years, members of the Economic Forum, which brings together the private sector and public agencies involved in economic regeneration, did express concern about aspects of the quality of our tourism product.
While the pattern of visitor numbers to the region is on the rise and that is welcomed, members of the LEF felt strongly that we have much to do to improve quality within the various sectors supporting tourism.
It is clear that Dumfries & Galloway Council, VisitScotland and other partners’ investment in the Regional Events Strategy is paying dividends. Visitor numbers and visitor spend are showing sizeable increases. Recent reports have also shown that there are considerable opportunities to be had, for example, through developing the events sector in Dumfries as the Regional Capital.
Concluding discussions on the tourism and quality issue, Mike Keggans said; “It is clear that things are moving and that businesses, communities and the agencies are working well to open up opportunities across Dumfries & Galloway. Unless, however, we can ensure that visitors to our region have a first rate experience in our shops, cafes, restaurants and in our hotels and other accommodation, we will not benefit from return visits and the all important word-of-mouth sell. I would like to challenge local businesses to up their game in terms of the customer experience and that means training and looking after staff in order that they look after the customer and ensure return visits. Success breeds success.”
For further information contact Karen.Leithead@visitscotland.com
