Following the release of tourism figures highlighting a further year of growth in Scottish Tourism expenditure, the Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA) is delighted to formally announce the recent appointment of three high profile board members.
Recently appointed are Alison McRae, (Projects Director at Glasgow Chamber of Commerce), David Lonsdale (Director of the Scottish Retail Consortium) and Henk Berits (Director of Marketing & Commercial Services at the National Trust for Scotland).
The new board members provide further strength to the organisation that is acknowledged as being the voice of the tourism industry in Scotland and leads on industry matters.
This announcement comes as the Scottish tourism industry looks forward to the start of what they hope will be another strong summer season. Figures released last week by the Office for National Statistics showed that tourism visits to Scotland increased by five per cent in 2014, which led to an increase in tourism expenditure, news that has helped fuel a mood of confidence throughout the industry.
Marc Crothall, Chief Executive of the Scottish Tourism Alliance said:
“These recent Board appointments demonstrate how far the STA has grown in stature by being able to attract such industry experts onto our board in what is such a diverse industry. It’s by collaborating with and strategically drawing together leaders from across differing sectors of industry that will enable us to showcase the economic and cultural significance of tourism in Scotland and drive forward the National Tourism Strategy.”
The Scottish Tourism Alliance was formed in 2012, an evolution of the Scottish Tourism Forum which was established in 1998 to act as the ‘voice of the tourism industry in Scotland’. Since that time membership has trebled, the organisation now has around 75 per cent of the 21,000 tourism businesses under its umbrella (either directly and indirectly through association) which provides weight to its credibility and being a truly representative voice.
The announcement comes a week before the STA Midsummer Conference, which takes place on 11 June at The Westerwood Hotel & Golf Resort (Cumbernauld). Fergus Ewing MSP Minister for Business, Tourism & Energy will deliver the opening keynote address and take questions from delegates before a number of other presentations. The theme of the conference will focus on how destinations have benefited from BIDS and working in collaboration. The STA will also announce the launch of a new free business support helpline available to STA members at the conference. Tickets for the conference start at £42 and can be purchased at scottishtourismalliance.co.uk.
Biographies of Board Members: