Responding to change focus for conference
| Responding to change focus for conference | |
24 October 2007
The theme of the conference this year will be 'Responding to Change', with an exciting range of speakers lined up to highlight 'best practice' case studies and encourage the businesses present to respond positively to the rapidly changing business environment. The conference will be opened by Jim Mather, the Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism, who will make a keynote speech outlining the Scottish Government’s vision for the tourism industry in Scotland. Over the course of the two-day conference, speakers will make presentations drawing on their experience and expertise in a number of diverse subject areas, all in the context of change. One of the major changes that continues to evolve and grow is that of visitors’ attitude to the environment. The Centre for Alternative Technology welcomes over 70,000 visitors a year who come to find out more about sustainable living. Paul Allen from CAT will share his considerable knowledge on sustainability along with his views on what the future holds. Roger Carter is a leading international consultant in tourism destination management and marketing and his company has provided services throughout the UK and in Ireland, Portugal, Belgium, Australia, Estonia, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Seychelles and South Africa. He will discuss how Destination Management and Marketing Organisations can contribute to the development of tourism in Scotland. Laura Gordon, the Director of the Glasgow-Edinburgh Collaboration Project, will talk about how this major initiative aims to scope out new opportunities for the two cities to work together and develop the scale needed to compete more effectively with other international cities and regions, and how a successful working partnership between two of Scotland’s key gateways will benefit tourism across Scotland. Breakout sessions focusing on the visitor experience and business development will give delegates the opportunity to ask questions and listen to individual case studies. Following the Breakout Sessions, an Awards Ceremony will take place for Best Leaflet, Best Website and ‘Rising Star’, which acknowledges young people who have made a significant impact on the tourism industry. On day two, Jacqui Souter, Brand Strategy & Planning Research Manager with VisitScotland, will talk about how the profile of visitors to Scotland is changing, along with their expectations, and why visitor attractions should adapt their own marketing strategies accordingly. Bob Downie, CEO of the Royal Yacht Britannia, will share information on the attraction's drive for continuous improvement and how this has paid dividends by way of a 96% grading in their last Quality Assurance visit - the highest for any visitor attraction in Scotland. Fiona Murray, Forest Tourism Initiative Manager - Forest Enterprise, will talk about how the forestry sector is changing the emphasis of its operations from planting to people in both urban and rural areas, and actively developing new initiatives around the themes of health and well being and social inclusion. The final speaker, Tony Strachan from the Bank of England, will outline possible changes on the economic horizon and the potential impact of these on tourism businesses. The conference will be rounded off in style with a Gala Dinner at The Famous Grouse Experience, which will include a charity raffle draw. Paul Jennings, Chair of ASVA said, ‘With the business environment changing at such a rapid pace, this year’s conference theme is more apt than ever. It is vital that visitor attractions, as key stakeholders in Scotland’s tourism industry, seek to learn from others and adapt their own working practices to take account of changing visitor expectations. Our panel of speakers will, I’m sure, provide plenty of food for thought as well as practical ideas which delegates can take back and implement in their own businesses’.
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