This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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VisitScotland relocation decided
18/12/2003
VisitScotland will move to a new location in Edinburgh when the lease on its existing building expires.
In line with the Executive's relocation policy VisitScotland was required to look at alternative options for relocation.
Tourism Minister Frank McAveety today announced the move, following a full appraisal on each of the 10 short listed options earmarked as potential locations for VisitScotland. After consideration, Ministers agreed that in this case, the time was not right to relocate the organisation.
Mr McAveety said:
"We were clear that any other decision would be too disruptive given the major restructuring which has taken place at VisitScotland over the past two years, and the need to maintain the tourism sector's momentum of recovery from the difficulties of 2001. However, some parts of VisitScotland currently based in Edinburghwill in due course be identified for relocation following the Ministerial Tourism Working Group's forthcoming report.
"VisitScotland will also work within theJobAcademyarrangements being developed byEdinburghCityand SEEL for getting people who are economically inactive back into the labour market.
"VisitScotland has achieved a great deal during the last two years, and I look forward to its building on the successes achieved in that period."
The lease on VisitScotland's present headquarters inEdinburghexpires in March 2005.
Under the Executive's relocation policy, VisitScotland was required to look at alternative options for relocation. Ministers initially approved a shortlist of 10 options; Glasgow,Edinburgh,Dundee,Fife,Falkirk,Stirling,West Lothian,North Lanarkshireand Inverclyde.Invernesswas also included as VisitScotland already has an office there.
A full option appraisal was carried out on each of these options, and a submission put to Ministers by the VisitScotland board. After considering all aspects of the issue, Ministers agreed that remaining in the Edinburgharea would be the best option in the case of VisitScotland.
Tourism is one ofScotland's biggest business sectors, worth £4.5 billion a year to the economy and employing 8% of the labour force. Edinburgh accounts for a large proportion of that economic activity.