Common use of Strategy Clause in Contracts

Strategy. The Area Tourism Plan for the Outer Hebrides was the first one to be completed in Scotland and is commended as a good example of best practice in area tourism planning and partnership working. A number of meetings of the Area Tourism Partnership Group comprising CnES, VisitScotland, HIEIG, and the Outer Hebrides Tourism Industry Association have taken place with the venue for these meetings being rotated throughout the islands. Good progress has been made towards delivery of the Area Tourism Plan to 2009. An advisory paper on use of Gaelic within and by VisitScotland was also produced. TOURIST INFORMATION SERVICES VisitScotland operated five Tourist Information Centres in Castlebay, Lochboisdale, Lochmaddy, Tarbert, and Stornoway during the tourism season employing 14 staff. The TIC’s had over 80,000 visitor customers (an increase of 24%), dealt with over 10,000 telephone enquiries, over 3,000 email enquiries, 500 letter enquiries and also transacted 1,156 accommodation bookings (an increase of 6.5%). VisitScotland also provide information via a number of unmanned Tourist Information Points throughout the islands as well as at inter-island ferry waiting rooms and libraries. VisitScotland undertook a £10,000 refurbishment of Stornoway TIC and Castlebay and Lochboisdale TIC’s are currently having upgrading work done. Brochures were also distributed at CalMac offices at mainland ferry ports to foot passengers and car drivers. A bid has been made for funding to introduce Plasma information screens to all TIC’s.