SNP-Green coalition slammed for ‘failing’ tourism sector

Free pictures on behalf of West Dunbartonshire council. 2019 Loch Lomond Highland games at the Moss O’ Balloch. A record number of visitors turned out to watch the popular annual Loch Lomond Highland Games at Balloch today. More than 9,000 visitors attended the event, in Moss OÕBalloch Park, for a range of traditional highland game competitions including cycling, running, hammer throwing and heavy weights and the traditional tossing of the caber and tug-of-war. Dancers entertained the crowds by performing traditional highland dances with their immaculate costumes and perfect hair, and spectators enjoyed music from Helensburgh Clan Colquhoun and Tulliallan pipes and drums. The popular games welcomed visitors from as far afield as Germany and Canada who travelled to Scotland to enjoy the traditional Scottish games and was broadcasted to millions of viewers in China watching Chinese travel programme ÔZhuÕs life in BritainÕ. Aynsley Gouck, Assistant Director of Niagra Highland Dance Academy, said ÒWe are over from Ontario Canada and we are attending four Highland Games during our visit. We love Balloch itÕs a beautiful area of Scotland and weÕve been looking forward to our visit. The Highland Dancing competition is very well organised and the girls are very honoured to be dancing in Scotland.Ó German friends Tina and Arthur Helbig and Kirsten and Volber Rademacher, said: ÒWe are in Scotland for 10 days and although weÕre not staying in Balloch we couldnÕt miss this event. ItÕs a great to see all the smart girls in their beautiful Highland dress and hear the pipe band. We are very excited to be here today.Ó West Dunbartonshire Council leader Jonathan McColl, said: “This yearÕs event was a fantastic day and helped by the wonderful weather. Well done to all the competitors for putting on a great show and thanks to the spectators for encouraging the athletes and putting on a great show. ItÕs always lovely to meet visitors who have travelled around the world to attend this great event. I am proud of our Scottish heritage and the Games are a great way for tourists and visitors to get a true taste of Scotland. Well done to the GamesÕ committee, West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust and West Dunbartonshire Council on organising yet another hugely successful event.Ó The Chieftain of the Loch Lomond Highland Games, Major James Macrae said: “I am delighted with this yearÕs event which has been a great success and has been very well attended. WeÕve been really fortunate with the weather the last two years and we are grateful to the thousands who came along, which is great testament to everyone involved in organising the Games. Over the years, the games have attracted contestants and spectators from home and abroad every year and I would like to thank everyone who played their part in making this yearÕs games a huge success. On behalf of the committee, I would like to thank our contestants and sponsors, in particular West Dunbartonshire Council and West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust, for their continued support.” For a full round up of results please visit Loch Lomond High Games website at http://www.llhgb.com Copyright photo by Paul Chappells, 07774730898 http://www.paulphoto.co.uk

Tourism is a hugely important business in West Dunbartonshire and Argyll.

By Lucy Adams with pictures by Bill Heaney

The SNP-Green government will be forced to explain why they are failing to support Scotland’s tourism sector in a Scottish Conservative led debate in Holyrood tomorrow.

Shadow finance and economy secretary Liz Smith will use her party’s parliamentary time to slam SNP-Green ministers for bringing forward a “slew” of measures that have discouraged a “vital” sector of Scotland’s economy.

Liz Smith is set to criticise policies such as the “flawed” short-term lets licensing scheme, as well as a general “anti-business agenda” from the nationalist coalition that has led to additional costs and red tape for the tourism industry.

The party will also slam the SNP-Green government for failing to address infrastructure weaknesses in Scotland’s rural and island areas, such as the ferry scandal and the lack of dualling on the A9, which has a knock-on effect for tourism in key hot spots across the country.

Liz Smith – who will also highlight that Humza Yousaf dropped a dedicated tourism minister from his team, yet added an independence minister, upon becoming First Minister in March – is urging his government to bring forward an urgent plan to address the concerns of the industry.

Liz Smith MSP, pictured right, said: “The tourism sector is absolutely vital to the future growth and success of Scotland’s economy.

“However, the industry is being failed at every turn right now by a SNP-Green government, who do not even have a dedicated tourism minister in place any more, but find room for a minister for independence.

“Those ministers picking up the burden continue to bring forward a slew of regulations that undermine tourism businesses and saddle them with additional costs and red tape.

“There is an anti-business agenda running through the heart of the SNP-Green coalition. They have failed to pass on 75 per cent rates relief to our leisure, hospitality and retail businesses which has left them at a disadvantage compared with their UK counterparts, and that impacts negatively on our tourism sector.

“Our rural and island communities in particular have been deeply damaged by their failures.

“From the ferry scandal, which has left islands without lifeline services, rowing back on promises to dual key routes, and failing to deliver on their superfast broadband programme, this is a government which is not on the side of our rural areas where many of tourism hot spots are.

“The SNP-Green government has been short-changing the tourist industry for years.

“They must now urgently provide a blueprint for how they intend to repair that damage, and begin by listening to the concerns of the local residents and tourism businesses that they have let down so badly.”

Meanwhile, Scottish Liberal Democrats have today revealed the disparities in arts and event spending across Scotland, urged the Scottish Government to encourage creativity in every corner of the country and called for stark differences in funding to be fixed.

Figures from Creative Scotland and Events Scotland reveal that last year:

• The City of Edinburgh received almost 28 times as much money per head from Creative Scotland as the least successful local authority, Clackmannanshire (£50.85 v £1.82).  
• Glasgow alone had more projects funded than 30 local authorities combined, with 510. Clackmannanshire had just three.
• Event Scotland figures reveal East Lothian council recorded the highest event spending per head with £18.75, while South Ayrshire recorded a spend of £0.  
• In the Fife local authority which contains Mr Rennie’s constituency, the spend per head was 71p. This is five times lower than in Glasgow and half that of Edinburgh.

Creative Scotland is the public body responsible for funding creative industries in Scotland and distributes funding from the Scottish Government and National Lottery. Event Scotland is responsible for supporting and developing Scotland’s events industry.

Willie Rennie said:  “The differences in spending are stark. Some variation between different parts of the country is to be expected, but if you live outside of Scotland’s biggest cities you will be rightly feeling short-changed.

“Scottish government bodies should be promoting and encouraging creativity in every corner of the country.

“We should not expect the next great Scottish artistic talent to spring up from nothing. Not only that but the creative and events industries are also key parts of our economy and support many jobs.

“Spending by Creative Scotland and Event Scotland should be reviewed to end the big city bias and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to cultivate their talent and opportunities are not being missed.”