Topics at the 2016 Conference
Welcome Address
Lord John Thurso
Chairman, VisitScotland
Chairman will welcome guests to the conference and will provide an overview of tourism within Scotland, highlighting key trends and the current priorities and activity of VisitScotland.
Leadership, Collaboration, The Key to Connecting & Delivering TS2020
Marc Crothall
Chief Executive, Scottish Tourism Alliance
Marc will remind all of the headline policy areas of STA focus and the work the STA has been doing in respect of leadership and representation to the Scottish & UK governments on current national issues including Brexit. The importance of collaboration and connectivity with national bodies (such as STA and ASSC) and local DMOs. Marc will also provide a brief update on the national strategy (TS2020) mid-term review 4 key priorities.
Inclusive Tourism
Chris McCoy MBE
Equality Diversity Manager & Head of Accessible Tourism Programme Project, VisitScotland
Our vision to deliver Inclusive Tourism Legislation in the UK has empowered disabled people, making it illegal for service providers to discriminate on the grounds of disability, but it has not enabled them. VisitScotland believes access is enshrined only as a compliance issue, not a market issue. Disabled people still have difficulty finding businesses to cater for their access requirements, and provide adequate information to help make informed choices.
Disabled people are seen as “risk management”, requiring expensive adjustments, but not as valued customers, requiring new and innovative customer service.
The key to developing a tourism product is to look at the aspirations of potential visitors, the opportunities that exist within a destination. Customer aspirations should drive the product development. Creating a flexible and inclusive tourism product is vital to success and we need to involve disabled and listen to them.
VisitScotland have adopted solutions through our strategy, networks, partnerships, and our accessible tourism destination projects which have engaged businesses in a new and innovative way. The response has been positive. We are working both in the UK and across Europe with our EU partners together to collaboratively develop accessible tourism products/services.
Moira Henderson
Ring Farm & “Boss Lady” (A Farm Diversification) / Chair of LTA Cupar & North East Fife Tourism Association
Following on from the VisitScotland Business Case for Accessible Tourism, Moira will relate her personal experience of Accessible Tourism and how it can assist your business.
Connecting People
Robin Worsnop
Chief Executive & Founder, Rabbie’s
An overview of the business, how Rabbie’s connects to guests and keeps connected to them, and how we collaborate with industry partners and clients.
The Business Rates 2017 Revaluation – What you need to know
Nick Chapman
Head of Valuation Service, Lothian Valuation Joint Board
All business premises will be revalued for Rating purposes from 1st April 2017. I will provide an overview of business rating and an insight into how Self Catering Units are valued with reference to the Assessors website www.saa.gov.uk.
Workplace Pensions – What’s It All About?
Steve Torbet
Consultant, Davidson Asset Management
The government’s workplace pension legislation forces every employer in the UK to set up a pension scheme for its staff. Steve will explain the background, employers’ responsibilities and how you can best deal with the challenges it presents.
Get off the Road!
Martin Sansone
Operations Director & Lead Development, MyRentals Ltd
As people become immune to the variety of business advertising efforts, the need to tailor individualised messages to attract your perfect customer, when they are in the right mood is now vital to success.
Scotland is the location for the launch of a new global platform enabling businesses to pull customers off the road and to your doors.
Be the first to know!
Connecting with Customers & Guests: How to Influence Guests Without Their Knowing
Rick Bond
A European Perspective
Carlos Villaro Lassen
Secretary General, European Holiday Home Association (EHHA)
The European Holiday Home Association (EHHA) has submitted a complaint to the European Commission on regulation of short term rental in Berlin, Barcelona, Brussels and Paris. Bans, fines, and grotesque requirements of two hangers, one chair and one window in the bedroom per guest is not the way forth and the EHHA wants the European Union to intervene.
The short term rental industry in Europe is quickly becoming the largest form of accommodation measured in terms of bed capacity and tourist bed nights. The EHHA has the ASSC as a member together with 12 other European Trade Associations and the mayor managers and portals.
Switch on to the Benefits of Booking Portals
Robert Kennedy
Development Director, SuperControl
Booking websites including EmbraceScotland, Airbnb and Booking.com are a low-risk way of getting your self-catering properties in front of as many potential guests as possible. That’s why they’re a healthy part of so many self-caterers’ marketing mix. I’ll show you how a great channel manager can remove the headaches involved in managing multiple listings, while boosting your bookings and your bottom line.
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) But Were Too Afraid To Ask
Stephen Whitelaw
Digital Marketing Consultant, Social Media Evangelist and Technology Public Speaker, Orthic Consulting
The one constant that you can count on in SEO is change – new rules, new restrictions, new algorithms, new devices, new penalties, new best practices! This seminar will help to de-mystify SEO and answer many of the questions you have enabling your business to rise up the Google search engine rankings.