1986 : a significant year of change for tourism organisation in Scotland?

Heeley, John (1986) 1986 : a significant year of change for tourism organisation in Scotland? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (3). pp. 66-69. ISSN 0306-7866

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Abstract

Developing from the impetus provided by the last Government review of tourism, the results of which were announced by Norman Lamont in November 1983, last year witnessed a flurry of official reports and initiatives. For the first time since the 1969 Development of Tourism Act became law, the issue of governmental tourist organisation was clearly on the decision making agenda. The New Year has now opened with the publication of a Select Committee enquiry into the organisation of Government involvement in tourism. The events of 1985 and the far reaching reforms proposed in the Select Committee Report suggest that a possible centralisation of official UK/GB tourism responsibilities is in the offing. This would strip the Scottish Office of its Ministerial oversight of Scottish tourism and lead to the scrapping of the Scottish Tourist Board (STB). This Perspective outlines the main events of 1985 and the principal proposals contained in the recently published Select Committee report before discussing some of the more important implications for Scotland and its tourist industry.