What is VisitScotland’s policy on windfarms?
VisitScotland’s policy on windfarms is:

1. VisitScotland understands and supports the drive for renewable energy and recognises the potential of Scotland’s vast resource.
2. As a consequence, VisitScotland is not against the principle of wind farm development.
3. Research carried out by an independent consultancy was inconclusive and reflected a split in visitor opinion between those strongly against wind farm development of any kind and those who said in some areas it actually enhanced what was otherwise a bleak and unattractive landscape.
4. However, VisitScotland is becoming increasingly concerned over the proliferation of speculative development proposals, many of them in areas of high landscape or scenic value or in locations which directly impact on tourism operations or activity.
5. The local area network offices, of which there are 14 located throughout Scotland, are aware of this concern and are keeping a close eye on development proposals affecting their local areas.
6. In cases where it is clear that in VisitScotland’s opinion tourism will be affected in a negative manner, representations will be made through the formal planning process.  VisitScotland will, however, not get involved in open public debate in the media prior to applications being formally submitted. In cases which may be particularly contentious, Area Directors have been encouraged to seek a wider tourism perspective.   Here, they are able to take on board the views of their Area Tourism Partnership which comprises a wide cross section of local private and public sector tourism interests.
7. Ultimately, it is for the local planning authority (or in extreme cases referred to the Scottish Executive Minister) to make the final decision as to whether or not a development proposal is approved.
8. This process, controlled as it is by locally elected councillors, will reflect both local needs and aspirations and take into account those concerns of nature conservation and tourism interests.

What is VisitScotland’s policy on bed tax?
At a time when VisitScotland has agreed a shared tourism industry ambition to grow revenues by 50 per cent by 2015, there should be caution against the introduction of a bed tax which could hinder this ambition and damage one of Scotland’s most successful areas of economic activity.

However, VisitScotland welcomes the debate about funding for tourism promotion and development and the contribution that research such as the Deloitte study into Transient Visitor Tax (TVT) makes to the discussion on bed tax.

Tourism is one of the most competitive industries in the world and although Scotland has a strong reputation and a strong brand it cannot rest on its laurels. VisitScotland would always welcome additional funding for tourism promotion and development and can clearly demonstrate the economic benefits to be gained from such additional funding. However, VisitScotland believes that a tourism tax in the form of a bed tax is not in the best interests of the tourist or the tourism industry and not the best way of achieving additional funding.

It is not just hotels and other businesses working directly in tourism that benefit from the visitor economy. A wide range of other businesses, from retail to transport, rely on tourism to boost their income. Tourism does not start and finish at the hotel or guest house door. Tourism really is everyone’s business. VisitScotland is concerned that a bed tax would impact disproportionately on only one part of the tourism industry and would undermine the sharing of the ambition to grow tourism revenues by 50% by 2015.

Furthermore, tourism is intensely competitive on a global scale so any increase in costs for the Scottish industry  that are directly passed to consumers could impact on visitor choice.  VisitScotland research shows that value for money is one of the key factors which consumers consider when making choices about their leisure or business trips. Indeed, academic research has also shown that an increased tax on tourism activities will lead to a significant loss in terms of revenue from tourism. This could, in turn, lead to a consequent loss in returns from taxation overall.  

Therefore, an increase in the cost of accommodation could potentially deter visitors and have a detrimental effect on an industry which is crucial to the economy of Scotland.  Instead of introducing a bed tax that would impact directly on the consumer, damaging our competitiveness, VisitScotland would prefer to see greater consideration of how the gains made from tourism, including through existing taxes, can be reinvested in strengthening the Scottish tourism offer; helping Scotland compete in a globally competitive market.