Send the tourism quangos packing, says former chief

TOURISM and leisure quangos such as VisitScotland, EventScotlandand Scotland Food and Drink should be privatised and broughttogether to create "Marketing Scotland plc", a former chairman ofthe tourism body has claimed.Peter Lederer warned that Scotlandneeds to take responsibility for its own image and not rely soheavily on government input.He said the quangos were already "alongthe road" to forming commercially run, industry-led organisations,following his own appointment to head Visit-Scotland ten yearsago."It is not the government's industry - it is our industry - butthe government does still have a role to play," said Mr Lederer, whostood down from the quango a year ago."It used to be government-led, with the industry following along behind. Now it should beindustry-led, with the government playing a role. I personallybelieve that we, as an industry, can't stand around at the sidelinescomplaining."The board [of VisitScotland] is a lot more industry-focused than it was - I think I was the first chair to come from theindustry. But the board now is more industry focused. That'shappening."There is always scope to develop that further.VisitScotland and Events Scotland are right at the commercial end.Current chairman and chief executive Mike Cantlay and MalcolmRoughead are from the industry. They must think there are moreopportunities to take - more of a role to play."Mr Lederer added:"There is a natural direction of travel there - we are already wellalong that road, we just need to continue on in thatway."EventScotland is technically part of VisitScotland, but is runat arm's length, led by its own chief operating officer Paul Bush,while Scotland Food and Drink is operated as a separate body.MrLederer, who is chairman of Gleneagles Hotel and jeweller Hamilton &Inches - and is unveiled today as chairman of new Scottish food anddrink marketing firm Taste Communications, launched by journalistsStephen Jardine and Jim Duff - called for the bodies to work closertogether to market Scotland to the outside world. Closer ties wereinevitable because of public sector cutbacks, he said."I think theorganisations will begin selling as Marketing Scotland plc, ratherthan working as individual industries," he said. "Everyone who isinvolved in the positioning of Scotland, of making Scotland what itis, should work together."He added: "One of the opportunities withgovernment cuts is that those organisations will have to work muchcloser together because there won't be the resources around."Cross-fertilisation and working together would make the two and twoachieved by each organisation make five. We are all going to have tothink about how we do things."Mr Lederer called for the Scottishpublic to be "ambassadors" for the country. "The point is thateverybody's in the tourism business," he said. "If you're walking toyour office and a visitor asks you for directions, how you treatthem is a major thing. Every visitor is judging all of us all of thetime. It's about how we work together to present ourselves as acountry."He warned that food and drink providers - which take GBP1in every GBP5 spent by visitors to Scotland - need to ensure theiroffering is up to standard to avoid criticism on the internet which,he said, could be "very damaging"."You can find great produce allover Scotland - great restaurants, great bars - but it's not alwaysas consistent as you would like it to be," he said."We know fromresearch that, however good our physical assets are, if people don'thave good meals then they do not come away with a goodexperience."The customer has become so powerful. We worry every dayat Gleneagles because the customer could be tweeting literally asthey are eating. Even five years ago, that didn't exist."TheScottish Government has recently committed to increasing the incomefrom Scotland's food and drink industry to GBP12.5 billion by 2017 -up from the current level of GBP10bn."I think it is achievable - wehave a great range of Scottish companies," said Mr Lederer, whorecently hit out at Scottish tourism businesses for being"subsidiary junkies". "But the question is, do we get that messageacross? Are we good enough at internationalising Scottishcompanies?"The former hotelier has invested his own money in Taste,which is to specialise in publicising Scotland's food and drinkbusinesses.The company is expected to represent brands with acommitment to Scottish produce - including luxury Edinburghrestaurant Ondine, which has already signed up as a client.MrLederer's involvement in Taste is a coup for Mr Jardine, who quithis post at STV a week ago. Mr Jardine said: "He is quite simply oneof the biggest names in the tourism and hospitality business,"AScottish Government spokeswoman said: "EventScotland is part ofVisitScotland and both agencies work closely with Scotland Food andDrink to promote Scotland across the world. There are no plans toamalgamate or privatise these organisations."Who promotes what onbehalf of ScotlandVisitScotlandSet up to promote Scotland's tourismindustry by marketing areas of Scotland to potential visitors fromall around the world.Chief executive: Malcolm Roughead OBESalary:GBP140,000Budget: GBP50 millionEventScotlandEstablished in 2003,EventScotland strives to create and maintain events which will boostScotland's tourism profile.Chief operating officer: Paul BushOBESalary: GBP80,000 to GBP85,000Scotland Food and DrinkEstablishedin 2007, Scotland Food and Drink is a non-profit organisation -supported by the Scottish Government - designed to advise food anddrinks companies on ways of promoting their businesses andincreasing profits.Chief executive: Paul McLaughlinBudget:GBP500,000