Report from Chris Smith

Living dangerously will whet tourists' appetite

By Peter Lederer in the Scotsman 30 th June 2002

Call for the return of wolves to Scotland is just one example of proactive thinking,writes Peter Lederer

Peter Lederer is the chairman of VisitScotland and chief executive of the five-star Gleneagles resort.

A CALL for the return of wolves to parts of the Scottish mainland would not have featured on any tourism agenda here a few years ago. That the idea is being discussed by those in the tourism business is, I believe, a hugely positive development highlighting just how the industry is constantly thinking about what we can offer to the tourist, how best we can attract them to Scotland and how we can make their experience as a guest in our country memorable.

The suggestion that wolves and lynx should be re-introduced is a great example of our strongly-held view that tourism is really everyone's business in Scotland. It's a healthy innovation that people in the industry now engage in debate about anything that has potential to impact on tourism in Scotland whether it be wolves, roads, street cleanliness or service in hotels or B&B.

No matter what happens in Scotland there is inevitably an effect on tourism - the foot and mouth outbreak last year was a terrible example afflicting everyone from the garage in Comrie to the corner shop in Wick. The whole economy suffered. Conversely, today's innovative ideas can boost Scotland as a "must see" destination, resulting in a significant improvement in the economy.

Today, I am pleased that positive debate has ended much of the historical bickering that was tearing the industry apart and opening the door for other tourism destinations to welcome visitors we wanted here. With wolves exercising our minds it is worth thinking for a moment about Canada and its national parks. These are stunning, beautifully presented, well-managed natural habitats where people can enjoy hiking, mountaineering, canoeing. The visitor has a really fabulous outdoor experience in a controlled natural environment.

If you think we are creating national parks in Scotland, for example, then I see no reason why animals cannot be returned to their natural habitat if the nature experts agree that this is the correct thing to do.

No matter what transpires, it is certainly innovative, and we are determined to encourage innovation. Being innovative is, at the outset, all about listening to the customer - meet their expectations today, find out what they want in the future and then exceed those expectations.

A priority is, at least, to meet expectations. We have to understand what they expect in terms of services and facilities. Then we can be innovative by giving the customer something they were not expecting or something they didn't realise they could have. Good intelligence about visitors' needs and expectations is vital. You cannot know too much about customers - not only about what they are looking for today but also spotting trends.

What sort of things your customers ask for offers a clue. The Tourism Innovations Group, involving people from both inside and outside the tourist business, is doing some really good work and coming up with new ideas. This group, which is supported by VisitScotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Enterprise in conjunction with the Scottish Tourism Forum, is designed to create an active group of leading practitioners committed to identifying and driving forward innovation and product development.

They see collaboration, quality and values all leading the way in creating a more innovative tourism industry for Scotland - a necessary component for creating a quality product in a global marketplace. I am pleased that we have been successfully innovative in Scotland in the e-commerce sector.

Today it is easier than ever to keep in touch with the customer: from the initial inquiry, through the booking stage, the visit and until the guest leaves for home. During the foot and mouth epidemic those with good communications kept in touch with their customers and survived with barely a blip. Customers like to be contacted, like to hear what is happening and what they can experience and buy.

Cycling holidays are another example of innovative thinking and action. Cyclists can enjoy outings while their luggage is transported to their next stop - a simple idea but one that works.

This is an example of the additional focus being put on the customer. We have to be innovative in terms of how we get visitors, how we move them around, what accommodation suits them best.

It is a case of always looking to make improvements. You cannot afford to take a break from innovation. Being innovative will help us to be better than our competitors, not the same as them.

The general feedback is that Scotland is a good holiday destination but it's also good elsewhere and tourists have a huge choice which is getting bigger by the day. Ten years ago, a quick holiday to Malaysia or a shopping trip to New York was not on the list of options, but that's not true today. And if you go to Malaysia or New York and the experience is fabulous then that becomes your minimum expectation anywhere you go.

One of the biggest worries I have is that people will come to Scotland and enjoy the culture, the beautiful scenery, the warm welcome and have a wonderful time. That becomes their minimum expectation, so before they will return they will be demanding to know "what's new, what's different, what more has been done to give me an even better holiday next time?" To be innovative we have to understand what the customer wants. The customer is keen to feed back information, so that's where the innovative process begins.

We have to think three years ahead to create a vision of what we would like to be able to offer and work backwards outlining all the issues that need to be addressed to make Scotland that "must see" destination. I would like people to enjoy their experience of Scotland from the welcome they receive, the quality of service offered and the value for money. We have just undertaken a robust £3m Live It. Visit Scotland campaign demonstrating just why Scotland is 'the' place to visit this year.

It was an innovative campaign, including cinema advertising for the first time, that built on the industry's own momentum for change and leadership. Word of mouth is also an extremely powerful source for new and repeat business.

I cannot stress too often that tourism is one of the most important industries in Scotland and I remain confident that we can boost its income to more than £4bn a year through a vigorous and cohesive team effort.

Today the tourism industry's motto should be: "The answer is yes, what's the question?"

It is all about satisfying the needs of the customers because they will determine the success of this industry in the future. Innovation building on existing assets is a must. Clear thinking, good ideas and listening to what customers want are the core elements. And returning to the wolves issue, Scottish wildlife and our unspoiled habitat are already major attractions for many visitors, so if nature experts find this innovation appropriate, then why not?