This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Make Scotland a 'must return' country - Minister
20/02/2003
Giving tourists a high quality experience will make Scotland not only a 'must visit' country, but a 'must return' one, Tourism Minister Mike Watson told British tour operators today.
Emphasising the Executive's commitment to build a tourism industry that is internationally competitive, the Tourism Minister said that partnership is the key to investing in highly skilled staff who could make all the difference to a visitor's experience.
Speaking at the convention of British Incoming Tour Operators Association in Edinburgh, Mr Watson said:
"My strategic priorities for action are quality, and skills and training. Part of the drive for higher quality is about investing in the people who deliver it, so along with the quality of the product I am determined to focus on skills and training.
"This is not something which can be achieved overnight but we want to work together with training providers and tourism businesses of all sizes to address this issue.
"That kind of partnership is the key to a successful future for tourism; here in Scotland we have great tourism products, but we need to conserve, promote and market them better to support the development of a vibrant industry that brings maximum benefit to the Scottish economy."
Tourism is one of Scotland's most important industries, supporting nearly 200,000 jobs. One in 11 people employed in Scotland work in tourism-related jobs. Tourism contributes £4 billion a year to the Scottish economy.