Tourism Today in Shetland

[Guest perrie-lipper]

BBC 1 announced this morning the new lonely planet guide to Scotland has highlighted a few areas in Scotland in need of review. It was remarked that Edinburgh took to much emphasis over Scotland and that John O’ Groats was the most embarrassing area in Scotland.

 

However on the plus points there have been recommendations to Shetland that peripheral areas like here, gives a real need for visitors to visit such great attractions such as Up helly Ah. This is great news for the island and may increase visitor numbers in the future.

 

However there are so many other attractions in the isles that appear never to be on the marketing model the so deserve i.e.; why in Orkney does Skara Brae have a lovely visitor centre with double the visitors than the similar site of Jarlshof an ancient village in sumburgh have, is there a need for local bodies, governmental organisations to pull together and review the growth and promotion of many attractions in Shetland that rate equally to similar attractions elsewhere.

Tourism is one of Scotland’s largest industries. It employs 197,000 (9% of the workforce and 13% of the Highlands & Islands workforce) and it injects £4.5 billion annually into the Scottish economy (5% GDP).

Tourism pays the wages of more people than the oil, gas and whisky industries combined and employs over four times more than agriculture/fishing.

 

Scottish Enterprise have identified that to succeed in the future, we must create a positive political climate for growth in tourism that will in turn support and attract greater levels of private investment.

[NewMagnie]

Tourism is also one of the lowest paid, lowest skilled industries in the country. It makes the average call centre employee look like Bill Gates.

 

The most highly touristed area in Scotland is Badenoch and Strathspey - it also suffers from the lowest pay and highest incidence of seasonal employment. (Source - Scottish Poverty Information Unit)

 

The enthusiasm of HIE for tourism really sickens me. It illustrates the dearth of imagination and ability inherent in those charged with developing our economy. Certainly it's worth having but I'd be surprised if it returns the money that's put into supporting it.

 

Orkney can do this standing on its head - the difference is that its only a short hop across the pentland firth for the budget traveller - it wouldn't matter how much you promote Shetland, the principal earners will always be BA and (now) Calmac. Personally I have a problem with public funds promoting an industry that primarily enriches BA shareholders.

[Guest perrie-lipper]

Tourism in Shetland is increasing, however I do not know how many "budget travelers" come to Shetland every year, I was not aware here was in the back packers remit.

 

I am like everyone else who has to use BA and Calmac and over the decades have had no problems with the fair; however I did read that Tavish Scott was going to introduce a 40% discount for Shetland residents, this can only be good news for everyone and the sustainability of the Island.

 

Social and cultural sustainability ensures that development increases people’s control over their lives; it is compatible with the culture and values of people affected by it; and maintain and strengthen community identity (source Laverty)

 

Sustainable Tourism Management today plays an essential part of the long term commitments and improvements to develop and promote sustainable tourism; this is through partnerships and voluntary initiatives in all sectors and the stakeholders. Local communities are given the opportunity to have a share in the ownership in the benefits of tourism thus growing the economy for all to benefit.

 

Sustainable tourism development meets the needs of the present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing the opportunity for the future. It is envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled, while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity and life support systems (source www.unep.fr/pc/tourism/sust-tourism/).

[peeriebryan]

The proposed London Sumburgh direct flights should provide a good boost to our economy. Atlantic Airways, the Faroese carriers, are advertising weekend breaks on the London tube to "lure" stressed commuters up to the Isles

 

Read this article on the Shetland-News.co.uk website for more info

[Guest Anonymous]

What a great link, sounds like Tourism is on the increase as said.

[Njugle]

And as mentioned on another thread, we are sitting on an adventure sport theme park, if exploited properly for holidays.

[Guest Anonymous]

Some interesting points – I certainly agree that reducing the cost of getting here would be the single biggest boost to attracting more tourists to Shetland, particularly in terms of the short break/backpacker/group market. When I was at university, almost all of my friends would have loved to have come here but nobody ever made it because of the cost.

 

I do think though that we have to do more to cater for those groups and make more of an effort to give visitors a uniquely Shetland experience at a lower price and at less hassle on their part. All too often what we offer is targeted at well off, middle aged, fair isle gansie clad, birdwatching couples and we often make assumptions that folk come here to see and visit things when a lot of the time they just want to get away from it all but at the same time experience Shetland’s renowned friendliness, hospitality and traditions at closer hand.

 

How many pubs or restaurants (for example) offer as a matter of course tattie soup and bannocks or local mussels or scallops and chips made with local tatties? What about organised fishing trips which end with demonstrations on traditional or more modern ways to cook fish? Or workshops allowing visitors to have a go at shearing a sheep, spin their own wool and then have a go at knitting? What about setting up an organic working croft with native animals and crops where backpackers or students could come to work and in exchange live there for free during the summer, learning skills like dry stone dyking or thatching? There are many abandoned croft houses throughout the isles - some could be fixed up as they would have been 100 years ago for folk to stay in, complete with open fires, tilley lamps, no electricity etc. Or ‘haggis backpackers’ type no-frills organised week long minibus trips, specifically targeting young folk and giving them the chance of sailing, rowing, fishing, abseiling, white water rafting, trips to the Unst brewery etc.

 

I know that none are likely to be big job creators or money spinners and many depend on good weather or people coming here in the first place. Between them though, a little could make a lot. Shetlanders have a wealth of knowledge about fishing, boating, sailing, folklore, dancing, music, traditional cookery, knitting, spinning and so on and that's something we should be proudly showing off to our visitors instead of expecting them to try to find out for themselves.

[JustMe]

Tourism in Shetland is increasing, however I do not know how many "budget travelers" come to Shetland every year, I was not aware here was in the back packers remit.

 

Just think of the youth hostel and the camp sites.....maybe not full of backpackers but plenty of them. And remember that there is a theory that todays backpacker will turn into the relatively rich person of tomorrow and is likely to return to places visited as a backpacker.

 

Cost may reduce the number of backpackers but from a UK point of view getting here outside the peak season by National Express coach and Northlink (no berth) is not that expensive.

[Guest Anonymous]

I hurts me to say this but Shetland's profile is zilch anywhere south of Birmingham and I do wonder what Visit Shetland do to raise this - do they take part in the World Travel Markets in London every year for example, as most tourist destinations do?

 

We are also light years behind Orkney in terms of tourism. For example I was there last summer and had some time to kill on the Sunday before flying home. What a difference in Kirkwall to Lerwick! All the shops were open on a Sunday, as were a variety of places to eat or get a takeaway, not only that, they knew how to treat their customers and were more than willing to accept euros for example. There was a real buzz and the place was a hub with tourists.

 

This is one example of, if it ain't open and theres nothing to do - they ain't going to come. The world of tourism doesn't stop on a Sunday.

 

I feel that Shetland needs to get back to basics, starting with some basic customer service training and asking how much retailers and proprietors on the da street:-

 

A) Deserve the business?

How much do they value tourism in Shetland?

 

And then, we take it from there.....................................

[JustMe]

hurts me to say this but Shetland's profile is zilch anywhere south of Birmingham and I do wonder what Visit Shetland do to raise this - do they take part in the World Travel Markets in London every year for example, as most tourist destinations do?

 

Reminds me of the first time I visited Shetland for a holiday. Went to Thomas Cook to book a flight and they tried to sell me a ticket to Stornoway and I also found that most high street travel agents were unable to sell me a ticket for P&O Scottish Ferries. So yes there are problems for Visit Shetland to deal with.....I bet they will use words like "limited budget" and "most cost effective solutions" and just maybe they are right.

[NewMagnie]

Tourism in Shetland is increasing, however I do not know how many "budget travelers" come to Shetland every year, I was not aware here was in the back packers remit.

 

Just think of the youth hostel and the camp sites.....maybe not full of backpackers but plenty of them. And remember that there is a theory that todays backpacker will turn into the relatively rich person of tomorrow and is likely to return to places visited as a backpacker.

 

Cost may reduce the number of backpackers but from a UK point of view getting here outside the peak season by National Express coach and Northlink (no berth) is not that expensive.

 

Precisely - "theory" - and a wholly unexplored one at that.

 

In terms of your better heeled traveller I remember passing a very flash motorhome parked in a layby in Unst. Big job, a Hymer and near new as well. The owner, I remember thinking, must have a fair wedge at his disposal to not only afford the thing but to ship it to Unst forbye.

 

Anyway - this fellow was standing at the window making his breakfast and I couldn't help noticing - given that I was dawdling by and drooling over his truck - that the milk he was pouring on his weetabix was from Sainsburys. SAINSBURYS! The nearest branch is now at the Braehead in Renfrew! This was few years back, I'm not sure there was even a branch in Scotland at the time.

 

My point is, he hadn't even bought his milk here. You can infer that the rest of his grub and his diesel came by the same route - and fair play to him. I'd do the same in his (handstitched italian) shoes.

 

All he'd paid for was fares to P&O. His presence as a tourist was of absolutely nil economic value - infact, given that the ferries enjoy a public subsidy - his coming probably incurred a cost to the Scottish Exec.

 

Now, I'm aware that this is one off case but it illustrates the low rate of extraction from tourism. I remember a shopkeeper in Fetlar telling me that all a tourist was good for was "a postcard and a marsbar". He might have had a point.

[Njugle]

^ Without quoting the whole text above, it strikes on a very notable issue^

 

Dare i mention the cruise liners? How many people do they deliver through shetland on a summers day and what, if anything , do those people spend while here.

 

I'm led to beleive that the tours they engage upon within the islands are designed to keep the money 'on the ship' so to speak.

 

Anywhere else in the world passing trade like that would be descended on like bees around honey(deleted flies around sh... ) with everything from guys selling watches from under their coats to Mariachi bands. We don't provide them so much as a fiddler! Are we too proud or to 'good' for their money? Or should we be down on that pier tarting ourselves like the good little islanders we are

[Guest Anonymous]

^ Without quoting the whole text above, it strikes on a very notable issue^

 

Dare i mention the cruise liners? How many people do they deliver through shetland on a summers day and what, if anything , do those people spend while here.

 

I'm led to beleive that the tours they engage upon within the islands are designed to keep the money 'on the ship' so to speak.

 

Anywhere else in the world passing trade like that would be descended on like bees around honey(deleted flies around sh... ) with everything from guys selling watches from under their coats to Mariachi bands. We don't provide them so much as a fiddler! Are we too proud or to 'good' for their money? Or should we be down on that pier tarting ourselves like the good little islanders we are

 

i always thing they are not enough places to go for a cup of tea and a slice of shetland cake!

 

this would be good to people living here as well at the tourests,

i often thin when you see people standing on the peir that some bright spars could have a shetland poney charging the earth to get your picture taken with it.

 

i also think they should be more places to go like the islesburgh exibition but beter! some of the things they have there are good but set too long ago - i think we have forgoten that the 70s and 80s are part of shetland history now and sometimes more interested in the old crofter ideas which the islesburgh ex. only seems to reconise

[JustMe]

Yes the cruise ships have (on the whole) strategies to "keep the money on the ship". But there are always some passengers who "escape" into the town to do their own sightseeing and shopping. Even those passengers who are herded on and off tour buses at least contribute something to Shetland with the hire costs of the bus.

 

Another sideline from some of the cruise ships is the crew buying lots of thing from the charity shops. Helps them exist on low wages and helps our charity shops contribute more to their good causes.

[cominoot]

we are also light years behind Orkney in terms of tourism. A)

 

Well said outsider, I totally agree...well almost. Things need to change in Shetland, but it will be a long process.

 

Educating the businesses to customer service and economic growth is something of an iceberg.

 

Proactive approach to creating new businesses and following some of the fantastic ideas mentioned on here already could be the answer