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Visit Scotland | Alba

This group helps to drive recovery and sustainable growth across both tourism and hospitality in the long term. It also supports work to grow the value and enhance the benefits of tourism across Scotland.

To achieve this, the group brings tourism industry representatives together with public agencies.

1. Who sits on the Tourism and Hospitality Industry Leadership Group?

The group includes individuals from across the public, private and the third sector. Members have knowledge and experience of destinations, sectors and businesses.

Individuals were all appointed through an open application process. They were appointed as individuals and not as representatives of companies or organisations. Separately, nine organisations are also represented on the group.

Co-chairs

  • Richard Lochhead MSP, Minister for Small Business, Innovation, Tourism and Trade 
  • Marc Crothall, Chief Executive of the Scottish Tourism Alliance

 

 

Vice chair

  • Judy Rae, OnFife Cultural Trust

 

 

Organisation members

  • COSLA
  • Highlands and Islands Enterprise
  • Scottish Enterprise
  • South of Scotland Enterprise
  • Scottish Tourism Alliance
  • Scottish Government
  • Skills Development Scotland
  • Unite
  • VisitScotland

Industry members

  • Aileen Crawford, Glasgow Life
  • Andrea Nicholas, Green Business UK Ltd / Green Tourism Certification Programme
  • Barbara Smith, industry expert
  • Benjamin Carey, Carey Tourism
  • Calum Ross, Loch Melfort Hotel Ltd / Highlands and Islands Enterprise/Red Roof Business Support Ltd
  • Carron Tobin, RuralDimensions Ltd
  • Chris Greenwood, Moffat Centre for Travel and Tourism Business Development Glasgow School for Business and Society Glasgow Caledonian University
  • Debbie Johnson, IHG Hotels and Resorts
  • Joshua Ryan-Saha, Traveltech for Scotland TourismTech at Edinburgh Futures Insititute (University of Edinburgh)
  • Joss Croft, UKinbound
  • Kat Brogan, Mercat Tours and Mercat Tours International
  • Kelly Johnstone, The Springboard Charity
  • Leon Thompson, UKHospitality Scotland
  • Melanie Allen, Chair, Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere/owner, Nithbank Country Estate
  • Michael Golding, Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions
  • Stephen Duncan, Historic Environment Scotland

2. What does the group do?

The group provides a collaborative strategic forum. This enables leaders from across the industry to engage with each other, government and its agencies.

It works to maximise the economic, social and cultural contribution of tourism and hospitality.

The group too is set up to support the ambitions of the Scottish Government’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET).

In its activities, the group considers the four key priorities of Scotland Outlook 2030:

  • passionate people

  • thriving places

  • diverse businesses

  • memorable experiences

Read the group's minutes on gov.scot.

3. More information about the group

Please use these external links to learn more about the Tourism and Hospitality Industry Leadership Group and its mission.

Related links