Scottish Borders Council

Agenda item

VisitScotland ICentre Update

Consider update by Executive Director on how VisitScotland is responding to new trends in the way visitors access information (copy attached).

Minutes:

2.1       With reference to paragraph 3 of the Minute of 5 December 2017, there had been circulated copies of a report by the Executive Director giving an update on how VisitScotland was responding to new trends in the way visitors accessed information.  Indications were that online usage for visitor information and booking would continue to rise.  In line with this trend, Scottish Borders’ VisitScotland iCentres had experienced a general decline in footfall in recent years.  Melrose and Kelso iCentres had now closed and in Peebles the visitor numbers had decreased by 70% since 2006.  VisitScotland operations would cease at the Peebles location at the end of February 2019.  Conversely there had been a significant rise in website visits and digital referrals to Scottish Borders businesses. VisitScotland, in partnership with Scottish Borders Council and local tourism businesses, was aiming to provide more information, to more visitors through even more outlets than at present.  VisitScotland was aiming for closer working with local businesses so that visitors could access good information from local experts.    Since rolling out the VisitScotland Information Partner (VIP) Programme, 102 businesses in the Scottish Borders had become VIP accredited.  A new partnership had been set up with Live Borders to identify key locations where visitors would seek out information, such as libraries or museums.  Heart of Hawick Visitor Information Centre would change hands and be fully operated by Live Borders by March 2019. One of the key elements of the VisitScotland strategy was the creation of 26 Regional Hubs across Scotland from the current network of iCentres. Having listened to the feedback from Scottish Borders Council and other local partners, VisitScotland had decided that the existing Jedburgh site would currently be the best location for the Regional Hub for the Scottish Borders.    

 

2.2       In a discussion of the report Members welcomed the expansion of the VIP programme across the Borders, pointing out that the value of personal contact for visitors obtaining information from local businesses and other outlets should not be underestimated. In response to a question as to how to attract more tourists into the Borders from the Edinburgh area, Mr McGrath referred to the strong strategic approach and work being carried out by the business-led Midlothian and Borders Tourism Action Group (MBTAG) to tap into the Edinburgh tourist market via the Borders Railway.  Councillor Haslam referred to the visitor information data provided within the report showing that the Peebles iCentre was busier than the Jedburgh iCentre and questioned why Jedburgh was thought to be the best location for the Scottish Borders Regional Hub.  Mr McGrath emphasised that this was a VisitScotland decision but that there was a strong logic for the choice of Jedburgh: the town was close to the national border; the building was owned by VisitScotland; there was good availability of parking; and in consideration of the volume of coach traffic there was access on an arterial route from the Borderlands area.  In terms of Peebles there were already 14 VIP Partners in the Tweeddale area, including Glentress Forest and Traquair House, which between them currently welcomed in excess of 350,000 visitors each year.  VisitScotland was also pursuing a partnership agreement with Tweed Valley Tourist Consortium which would see an additional 60+ businesses from the Tweed Valley area join the VIP programme, as a collective.  Members indicated their support for the identification of the Jedburgh site as the VisitScotland Regional Hub in the Scottish Borders.  Councillor Haslam believed it should be located in Peebles and asked for this to be noted.

 

DECISION

AGREED to:-

 

(a)          note the further changes made by VisitScotland to visitor information provision in the Scottish Borders;

 

(b)          welcome the increased involvement of local tourism businesses in the VisitScotland Information Partners (VIP) programme in the Scottish Borders; and

 

(c)          support the identification of the existing visitor information site in Jedburgh as the ‘VisitScotland Regional Hub’ in the Scottish Borders.

 

Supporting documents:

 

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