Community Led Tourism mission
The ILG focuses on five cross-cutting mission areas to achieve the ambitions of Scotland Outlook 2030.
This meeting focused on the Community Led Tourism mission, opening with a presentation from Mission Lead Carron Tobin, that highlighted the group’s vision to recalibrate tourism in Scotland to enrich and invigorate Scotland’s communities, the wellbeing of Scotland’s people and the health of Scotland’s natural environment.
Carron covered a range of game-changing actions that the group have identified to deliver on Scotland’s tourism ambitions, including changing mindsets to place community interests at the heart of policy, practice, and performance measurement, a package of community led tourism support and the development of community focused measurement frameworks.
Additionally, there was a review of the progress already made in Scotland, with the introduction of Community Wealth Building legislation, an expanding network of B-Corp businesses and an array of Press Pause workshops delivered by SCOTO among much more.
With emerging travel trends indicating that travellers increasingly want to leave a destination better than they found it by buying and staying local, and engaging in experiences that benefit communities, ILG members agreed that this is an area of enormous potential for Scotland.
This was followed by presentations from VisitScotland, Highlands & Islands Enterprise and South of Scotland Enterprise, highlighting examples of significant investment supporting community led tourism initiatives.
Projects like the Highland Cinema, Glenmore Visitor Centre and Whithorn Trust showcase Community Wealth Building in action, with VisitScotland’s Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund projects helping to address pressure on local infrastructure and offset negative impacts on communities from increased visitor numbers.
The session closed with an exploration of the principles set out in the Reykjavik Declaration, noting the standards it sets for EU destinations and discussing how Scotland must exceed the ambitions put forward if we are to be world leading in 21st century tourism across the following areas:
- Tourism as a Shared Benefit
- Communities at the Centre
- Innovation and Digital Transformation
- Respect for Culture and Heritage
- Strengthening Nature and Society
- Tourism as a Force for Peace and Understanding
ILG members brought practical ideas to the table, including best practice examples and will continue to use their expertise and networks to influence across these principles.
Updates on the other four missions were also provided:
- Net Zero
- Proud and Valued People
- Technology to Enable
- Sustainable Transport
Discussions were also held on VisitScotland’s visitor economy activity and Scottish Government’s preparation for the incoming ministerial team.
Minutes for the February meeting will be published when they are approved by the Tourism and Hospitality ILG members at the next meeting in June 2026.
Read the Tourism and Hospitality ILG minutes on gov.scot