§ Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken, or envisages, to develop a regional strategy for tourist developments, especially in remote and peripheral areas.
§ Mr. John MacKayThe development of a regional strategy for assistance to tourism projects lies principally with the appropriate Government agencies. The Highlands and Islands Development Board already has an area development strategy under which projects from the more fragile and remote parts of the board's area are given priority. One of the priorities of the Scottish Tourist Board's financial assistance scheme is to improve facilities, especially accommodation, in rural areas outwith the Highlands and Islands. With the Government's encouragement, the Scottish Tourist Board has commenced a programme of feasibility studies which, inter alia, will result in the clearer definition of regional priorities for the board's development funds. The area tourist board network has an important role to play in helping the two boards identify the needs of the industry at the local level and ensuring that assistance is targeted effectively.
§ Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken to encourage the growth of the United Kingdom market for the Scottish tourist industry; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John MacKayIn terms of visitor numbers, the United Kingdom market represents about 90 per cent. of the Scottish tourist trade. With the Government's full support, both the Scottish Tourist Board and the Highlands and Islands Development Board concentrate their marketing effort on the domestic market. A number of new initiatives have been taken by the two bodies, including advertising campaigns on the London underground by the Highlands and Islands Development Board and the Scottish Tourist Board's campaign "Surprising Scotland", both designed to attract residents in England who have never spent a holiday in Scotland.
§ Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice his Department has given to local authorities and the tourist industry concerning investment and development opportunities and the demand for associated infra-structure projects.
§ Mr. John MacKayDirect responsibility for the provision of advice on and financial assistance for 341W development opportunities in the tourist industry lies primarily with the Scottish Tourist Board and the Highlands and Islands Development Board. Both bodies are in close contact with the relevant interests and operate well-publicised financial assistance schemes to support tourism projects. Overlap between the bodies is avoided by a long-standing agreement that developers seeking assistance in the highlands and islands should approach HIDB in the first instance and that STB should confine its assistance for the most part to developments outwith the highlands and islands. These arrangements do not preclude joint collaboration by the boards in appropriate cases.
§ Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what fluctuations have taken place in the annual number of foreign visitors to Scotland over the past four years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John MacKayThe numbers of trips made by overseas visitors to Scotland in the past four years are as follows:
Number 1982 972,000 1983 1,062,000 1984 1,142,000 *185 1,211,000 * Provisional. The figures show a substantial and continuing increase throughout the period.
§ Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps his Department is taking to improve the status of tourist-related work and occupations.
§ Mr. John MacKayThe onus is on the industry to improve its own image and to emphasise the all-important role the employee plays in producing a service of quality. The Government fully recognise the importance of the industry to the economy as a whole and, in doing so, have identified a wide range of measures that need to be taken in order to ensure tourism's further expansion and continued success. As evidence of this, I refer the hon. Member to the report published last year, 'Pleasure, Leisure and Jobs — the Business of Tourism', The recently published follow-up to that report "Action for jobs in Tourism" and the Government's response to the Trade and Industry Committee's report "Tourism in the United Kingdom".
§ Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he proposes to take to develop training courses for tourist businesses and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John MacKayMuch has been and is being done to develop training courses for prospective and current employees in the industry. There is, for instance, currently available a wide range of further education courses relevant to the needs of all groups of employees in the tourism and related industries such as hotel and catering. The range of courses is kept continually under review in light of assessments of requirements of particular industries and the uptake by industry of the courses available. In the higher education sector, a number of central institutions are active in providing catering and institutional management courses, business courses and other relevant education. These, two, are kept under review. The industry itself has a crucial role to play in the342W further development of training. The Scottish Tourist Board, as the Government's statutory adviser on tourism and main link with the industry, has been asked to consider what needs to be done in order to improve the industry's awareness of existing training courses and to identify any gaps in current provision.
§ Dr. Godmanasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance his Department has given to local authorities concerning services to tourists and the development of infrastructural support from tourist businesses; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John MacKayThe general importance attached by the Government to the future development of the tourist industry has been clearly confirmed in the report "Pleasure, Leisure and Jobs—The Business of Tourism" and its recent follow-up "Action for Jobs in Tourism". A copy of these reports has been sent to all Scottish local authorities. Local authorities are, therefore, well aware of the Government's intentions for this sector of the economy. The provision of services and the development of infrastructural support are, however, matters for local authorities to determine themselves in the light of local needs and priorities. Local authorities can obtain advice and guidance on the development of tourist-related services and infrastructure from the Scottish Tourist Board, the Highlands and Islands Development Board and area tourist boards.