Inverness has its ‘coach-friendly’ status renewed
Inverness has had its ‘coach-friendly’ status renewed.
The Inverness Coach and Visitor Ambassador service which is co-ordinated by Inverness BID was commended for exceeding the criteria of the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT).
Councillor Ian Brown, the city leader who collected the award with the BID Team in Glasgow said: “We highly value the re-accreditation of ‘Coach Friendly’ status for the city and are delighted to receive this recognition.
“The accolade is testament to the dedication and hard work of the team and adds major value to the attraction of Inverness and Highland as a destination for this important market sector.
“The accreditation also highlights the benefits of working closely with the Business Community as represented by our project partners, Inverness BID.”
CPT’s UK coach manager Phil Smith said of Inverness’s Coach Friendly renewal: “Scotland’s Highland capital sets a really great example of how a key tourist destination can harness coach visits in a way that enables the city to ensure that tourism can be achieved sustainably”.
BID director Lorraine Bremner McBride said: “We are delighted to work in partnership with Highland Council via support from the Inverness Common Good Fund to jointly provide the Coach and Visitor Ambassador Service.
“The service started in 2015, when we welcomed just over 1,500 coaches, and since then we’ve seen tremendous growth, with over 3,800 arriving in 2023.
“As overnight stays decrease and day visits rise, it is important that we provide a safe, welcoming, and professional experience for our tourists, as well as for their tour guides and drivers.
“The value to our local economy is projected to be between £8-10m based on average visitor spend data.”
Janice Worthing, BID’s ambassador and operations Co-ordinator added: “With the increase in visitors, 2024 is shaping up to be our busiest season yet, with a record 86 coaches arriving in one day last month.
“The role has evolved over the years to be more dynamic from managing health emergencies and damaged bus stops to missed coaches and many other unexpected incidents, meaning every day is different.
“The feedback we get from our tourists, drivers and tour operators is extremely positive and makes even the busiest of days so rewarding for the team.”
