Staying with the annual meeting of the Tourism Society, there was another theme that appealed to me. This time it was from Iain Herbert of the Scottish Tourism Forum. The Forum is a government body that brings together different parties connected with tourism.
He said that attractions, self- catering and hotels were doing well in Scotland at the moment but that growth was restricted because of a mindset. The press and the bankers were talking doom and gloom because that was the flavour of the moment. This current mindset dominates. Anything that suggested good news was placed on page 23 or whatever. His suggestion?
Lock up the bankers and the press.
Now, that’s rather a good idea.
There some others I could mention; museum attendants who, seem as a race, to always look as though they have just attended a funeral; cabin crew more intent on relating company gossip that paying attention to you and train guards who start from the premis that you are in the wrong regardless of the explanation.
To return to Mr Herbert. He thinks business is improving, at least north of the border. The thing that isn’t changing is comment. Until we feel confident about things, growth will be restricted and you are in this spiral. So here I break out. I will contribute to the tourism rebound by going away and not looking at or listening to any news programmes. At least until Mr Herbert wins and gets them locked up.