Bed & Breakfast News Christmas 2016 (#43) | Page 16

16 | Bed & Breakfast News | Christmas 2016

Tourism Minister
launches Scottish
B&B Association
The speech given at Guest
Scotland in Edinburgh on
16th November by the Scottish
Government’s Cabinet Secretary
for Culture, Tourism & External
Affairs Fiona Hyslop MSP
“I am pleased to be here today to open
Scotland’s first ever Guest Scotland
Exhibition and Conference - a special event
in what is certainly a pretty unique setting.

Like no other, the sector provides
important geographic spread, allowing
visitors to see more of our country and, in
doing so, supporting our rural economies.

Scotland’s vibrant B&B Sector

I know from my own travels around
Scotland that our new generation of B&Bs
is everything that tourists are now looking
for: individual, high quality and with oneto-one personal service.

I am also delighted to be highlighting
what is, itself, a unique - but vital - part
of our tourism and hospitality industry the B&B and guest house sector.
In 2014, figures show that domestic
visitors spent nearly 3 million bed nights
in B&Bs, right across Scotland.
Today gives all parts of this vibrant sector
a chance to come together - our B&Bs
and guest houses, pubs with rooms and
all of those other elements that make
up a successful and authentic tourism
experience - like our farm shops and
garden centres.
And not forgetting those behind the
scenes in our industry - the suppliers and
those providing the valuable background
services, without which our industry
couldn’t function.

And that is reflected on the leading
ratings website, where B&Bs are rated
more highly that our hotels for guest
satisfaction.

The importance of tourism to
Scotland’s economy
Customer satisfaction is the cornerstone
that underpins a successful industry and
tourism is already one of the Scottish
Government’s 7 key economic sectors.
Not only is it vital to our economy but it
also showcases all that Scotland has to
offer the world. And we have so much to
offer - our stunning landscapes, heritage,
our wide range of activities, festivals