Scottish Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser is encouraging tourism and hospitality businesses in Mid Scotland and Fife to complete a new industry survey.
In what is a first for the industry, all four tourism alliances covering the whole of the UK collaborated on a joint survey, offering a unique opportunity to capture a comprehensive UK-wide picture of the economic and policy environment that tourism and hospitality businesses are operating in.
In partnership with leading research company 56 Degree Insight, the Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA), the Tourism Alliance (England), the Northern Ireland Tourism Alliance (NITA) and the Wales Tourism Alliance (WTA) have come together to gather feedback on the current business environment and identify the unique and shared opportunities and challenges faced in each nation.
Commenting, Mr Fraser said: “I am encouraging tourism and hospitality businesses in Mid Scotland and Fife to take part in this survey which will give an interesting and useful insight into the industry from an overall UK perspective.
“Hospitality across Scotland is suffering significant challenges, due to a range of cost pressures. The failure of the SNP Government to pass on rates relief from the UK Government, rising energy and staff costs, the failed deposit return scheme, changes in licensing regulation, the introduction of LEZs, and the new Tourist Tax, are all having an impact on our hospitality industry. We have seen a spate of closures in the sector, which should be one of the mainstays of the Scottish economy.
“I have called for a reduction in the VAT rate for hospitality from 20% to 10% - this would give a real boost to the sector. The UK has one of the highest VAT rates for hospitality of any part of Europe, and we need to take action to address this.
“I’m sure the findings of this UK-wide tourism and hospitality survey will echo this view and give an invaluable picture of how the sector is doing just now.”
The Scottish version of the survey can be found on the STA website
The survey closes at midnight on Friday, November 1.
