Scotland’s Tourism and Hospitality Industry Leadership Group | update

The Tourism and Hospitality Industry Leadership Group (ILG) has announced it is working on five new missions as part of its work to drive Scotland’s ambition to be a world leader in 21^st century tourism.

The group provides a collaborative strategic forum to help grow the value and enhance the benefits of tourism and hospitality across Scotland. This is in line with the national tourism strategy, Scotland Outlook 2030.

Its activity also contributes toward the Scottish Government’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation, driving a wellbeing economy.

Throughout the group’s first year, members have been examining the four priorities contained within Scotland Outlook 2030 which support the vision for our industry’s future. This included:

• looking at international examples
• assessing challenges and opportunities
• asking what it means to be a world leader in tourism

Five new missions

The ILG will focus on five areas it believes it can successfully influence to achieve the ambitions of Outlook 2030.

The five missions being developed:

• Proud and valued people working for Scotland
• Technology to enhance and enable
• Community-led tourism
• Net zero acceleration
• Sustainable transport

Equality, diversity and inclusion will be threaded through all of these missions. They will be developed with insights and contribution from the ILG as well as a wide range of stakeholders outwith the group.

Members will use the missions to identify the strategic actions needed to drive investment and ultimately lead to sustainable growth. This will form the future focus for the group, which is co-chaired by Tourism Minister, Richard Lochhead and Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA) Chief Executive Marc Crothall. 

The ILG will continue to use its influence to build support. Actions will only be achieved through collaboration between all parts of the visitor economy. Across both the public and private sectors.

This reflects the shared vision of Scotland Outlook 2030, which is based on a strong partnership of industry, public bodies and wider stakeholders.

Background

The ILG is a network of 19 individuals from across the public, private and the third sector.

Nine organisations also sit on the group – COSLA, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise, Scottish Tourism Alliance, Scottish Government, Skills Development Scotland, Unite, VisitScotland.

It is co-chaired by Richard Lochhead, Minister for Small Business, Innovation, Tourism and Trade, and Marc Crothall, Chief Executive of the Scottish Tourism Alliance. Judy Rae, of OnFiFe Cultural Trust, is vice-chair.