Lib Dem MP Angus MacDonald want to meet culture minister Angus Robertson to call for VisitScotland to reverse its decision to close tourist information centres
The Lib Dems’ Angus MacDonald has called on the minister of culture Angus Robertson to encourage Visit Scotland to reverse the decision to close tourist information centres which affect three major sites in his Highland constituency.
The Inverness, Skye and West Ross shire MP is writing to ask for an urgent meeting over the issue after he found the iCentres in Fort William, Portree and Inverness “absolutely full of visitors with queues waiting to seek advice from the excellent staff.
Mr MacDonald is also seeking a rethink from the chairman of VisitScotland Stephen Leckie who “has decades of experience in the Highland hotel industry, the decision to close the iCentres was made prior to his appointment.”
In April, VisitScotland said it would phase out all its remaining physical tourist information centres and move to a ‘digital first’ strategy after already downsizing the number of iCentres from 65 to 25 between 2017 and 2019.
“The Highlands is a tourist based economy, we must cater for the millions who visit,” Mr MacDonald said. “It might be that the iCentres lose money but they stimulate revenue for many thousands of businesses across Scotland which in turn employ hundreds of thousands of people and pay substantial taxes.
“I have been to the iCentres in Fort William, Portree and Inverness in recent days. I can report that they were absolutely full of visitors with queues waiting to seek advice from the excellent staff.
“Having spoken to staff and visitors there is no doubt in my mind that there is very strong demand for these visitor centres and using the internet is not a good alternative to getting excellent independent advice from locals.”
Mr MacDonald is keen to appeal to those in charge so he wants Mr Leckie of VisitScotland to take action and because it is a public body of the Scottish Government he wants to meet Mr Roberston too.
The MP said: “I encourage Stephen Leckie, the new Chairman of Visit Scotland and Angus Robertson to actively visit these centres in this summer period and speak to staff and visitors. I guarantee they will hear loud and clear that the demand for them to remain open is strong.
“Stephen Leckie has decades of experience in the Highland hotel industry, the decision to close the iCentres was made prior to his appointment.
“The tourism board says no changes will be made until September, but from then gradual plans will be put in motion with the goal of having all the iCentres shut by 2026.
“Louise MacLean, of the Scottish Hospitality Group, has described tourism as the country's "golden goose" and expressed concern that the loss of iCentres would cut off those who were not digital savvy.
“Our number one priority must be to give our visitors a wonderful holiday. Visitor access to good independent local advice is key to this. "As the MP for Inverness, Skye and West Ross shire, I will continue to press for measures to support tourism and help the Highland economy thrive."
