Tune into Tourism

This episode is all about the key priority of the Outlook 2030 strategy for diverse businesses. To give us a clearer picture of the economic backdrop for tourism businesses in 2022, we're joined by senior economist from the NatWest Group (www.natwestgroup.com), Philip Bartlett. Caroline Miller (www.scottishagritourism.co.uk) then explains how agritourism could unlock new markets for Scottish Tourism, creating additional revenue streams for businesses in the Highlands and Islands, as she shares some great examples from across the country. For more information, visit www.hie.co.uk/tinto

This episode looks at the consumer - how sustainability influences their decision-making, how to market your sustainable product, and re-thinking how we fund better practises to make responsible travel a more affordable option. Featuring: Andrea Nicholas, CEO Green Tourism and Christian Møller Holst, CEO & founder Goodwings  The resources mentioned in this episode are available at hie.co.uk/tinto

Finding new ways for visitors to connect with nature and landscapes, whilst protecting those incredibly valuable assets for the future, will be essential to secure a sustainable future for tourism for Scotland. In this episode we talk about what you should be considering within your tourism business - from promoting active travel, encouraging slow tourism, collaborating with other businesses and agencies, to educating guests on responsible behaviour. Featuring: Simon Brooks, Strategic Planning Manager, NatureScot  Elaine Ford, Wildlife biologist and founder Electric Explorer and Planet Rewild All the resources mentioned in this episode are available at hie.co.uk/tinto

Protecting and centring communities in our tourism offering will be key to creating a sustainable future for all. This episode is essential listening if you're a business owner who wants to work more closely with others in your local area - and reap the benefits that come from a more joined up approach - but also to anyone who cares about taking ownership of how tourism affects the place they live now, and for the future. Featuring: David Bryan, Head of Sustainable Business,The Social Enterprise Academy. (www.socialenterprise.academy/scot). All the resources mentioned in this episode are available at www.hie.co.uk/tinto

Find out how you can help the effort to achieve Scotland's Net Zero ambition by 2045. From auditing your emissions, through looking at your supply chain and reducing waste, we talk about the steps you can start taking today to do your bit for the climate crisis, and the opportunity this provides for your business. FEATURING:   Neil Ross Russell, Managing Director, Net Zero Now   Dr Susanne Etti,  Environmental Impact Specialist, Intrepid Travel 

This episode introduces the concept of sustainable tourism and features information, resources and practical steps you can take to ensure your business has a more positive impact. Plus we answer some of your questions on electric vehicles and charging, transport links, and single use plastic. Featuring: Janie Neumann, Sustainable Tourism Manager, VisitScotland and Crista Buznea, Sustainable Tourism Specialist & Marketing manager, Ecologi Visit www.hie.co.uk/tinto for all the resources mentioned in this episode. 

'RURAL and Community Tourism'  Guests: Peter Syme, Adventure Specialist and Strategic Advisor (petersyme.com) and Joan Bishop, Chair of the Dornoch Community Interest Company (visitdornoch.com).  After a year where everyone's world shrank dramatically, visitors are now desperate to escape the urban for the freedom of a rural environment - and have a meaningful experience, really connecting with the locals, and drinking in the history, culture and traditions. The Highlands and Islands of Scotland couldn't be better placed to tap into this desire. In this podcast, we're look at how things have changed post-covid, and how to tackle the new challenges rural destinations face in the coming season and beyond. Find out more about Tune into Tourism hie.co.uk/tinto 

'RESPONSIBLE - Caring for the Environment, Community and Economy'  Guests: Dr Harold Goodwin, Director, Responsible Tourism Partnership (Responsibletourismpartnership.org) and Paul Easto Co-founder, Wilderness Scotland (wildernessscotland.com)  As consumers look for more information, openness & options around sustainability, we discussed what 'responsible tourism' really means, the new challenges we face in a post-covid world, and discovered some of the changes you could start to make within your tourism business. Find out more about Tune into Tourism hie.co.uk/tinto 

'EVENTS - Going hybrid, and embracing change'  Guest: Judith Wilson, Director EVENTSBASE and EVENTIT (eventsbase.co.uk eventit.org.uk) The Tune into Tourism: Road to Recovery podcast aims to help tourism businesses in Scotland to get back on track after the pandemic. As events start to return in Scotland, albeit many in a hybrid form, we find out what that could mean for your business and how to embrace the change, as well as opportunities to collaborate to create new events or festivals in your own community. Find out more about Tune into Tourism hie.co.uk/tinto 

'RECONNECTION - Reunion travel, and thinking digital'  Guest: Nick Hall, CEO Digital Tourism Think Tank (thinkdigital.travel)   In this podcast we talk about an unsurprising trend for 2021- Reunion travel. People are desperate to get together with friends and family they haven't seen for so long. But not being able to connect in person for the last year has driven all of our relationships online, so re-thinking how we communicate and interact with visitors in this new digital first era will be crucial. We discuss how to embrace change, cater to these guests and their new needs, plus collaboration and partnerships.     Find out more about Tune into Tourism hie.co.uk/tinto 

'CUSTOMER BEHAVIOUR - Getting to know the new customer' Guests: Simon Calder, Travel journalist (simoncalder.co.uk) and Irene Roberts, Director, UK North, Market Management, Expedia (expediagroup.com)  The Tune into Tourism: Road to Recovery podcast aims to help tourism businesses in Scotland to survive  - and thrive - as we emerge from a global pandemic. We discuss new trends in customer behaviour - what they are looking for, how they are booking, and how to turn lookers into bookers. From pricing, through booking windows, to managing expectations, we talk about how you can take the opportunity this year will provide to create new loyal domestic customers who will keep coming back.    Find out more about Tune into Tourism hie.co.uk/tinto 

'THE BUSINESS OF RE-OPENING ' Guests:Andrew Scott, Victus Consultancy (www.victusconsultancy.co.uk) and Jo De Sylva, VILN Chair and owner, MacGregors Bars (www.macgregorsbars.com) and Bogbain Farm (www.bogbainfarm.com) Re-thinking your offering, tackling concerns around pricing, creating packages, working with other businesses within your communities, and more! Find out more about Tune into Tourism hie.co.uk/tinto

'STAFFING - Dealing with a post-Covid and post-Brexit reality' Guest: David Cochrane, Chief Exec Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland  (hitscotland.co.uk) In this episode, aimed at helping your tourism business emerge from a global pandemic, we'll discuss how to find, attract and keep great team members. From new pools of people to be looking at, to changing the work environment to appeal in what will be an employees market, as well as re-thinking some of the fundamentals of how you run your business in a world that has been forever changed. Find out more about Tune into Tourism hie.co.uk/tinto 

'WELLBEING - Taking care of yourself and your staff' Guest: Gordon McIntyre, Hospitality Health (hospitalityhealth.org.uk)  In the first of 8 new episodes in this Road to Recovery series, aimed at helping your tourism business emerge from a global pandemic, we look at the most important aspect of any business – the people. After a year which has challenged our mental health, we talk about how to take better care of our staff, the signs to look out for, how to improve communication, and most importantly look after your own wellbeing too. Find out more about Tune into Tourism hie.co.uk/tinto 

The focus for this episode is food and drink, and host Julia Sutherland is joined by Jacqui Williamson (owner corneronthesquare.co.uk Beuly), Kelly MacKenzie (marketing manager An-talla.co.uk), and Craig Innes (owner pixelspiritsltd.co.uk & lochlevenhotel.co.uk/ ). They talk about the challenges of starting a delivery service in rural areas, listening to what local customers really want from your business, adjusting your marketing strategy accordingly, creating new online experiences, and the new meaning of BYOB!

This week, we're talking visitor attractions! Joining host Julia Sutherland this week are Andrew Johnson (General Manager, Camera Obscura and World of Illusions), Iris Thompson-Burton (Business Manager. The Highlanders' Museum), and Martin Murray (Owner / Distiller, Dunnet Bay Distillery) They discuss the unique challenges their sector faces - including how to allow for social distancing in old buildings, enabling guests to interact with exhibits, targeting a different demographic, using data and technology solutions, and the importance of sustainability

The focus is on activity providers in this episode, as three tourism business owners/operators joined host Julia Sutherland remotely, to discuss the specific challenges within their sector, and share ideas how they are surviving in these as we attempt to steer a path through this global pandemic.  Mark Turner (solwaytours.co.uk), Tim Allen (glassbottomedboat.co.uk) and Reece McAfee (rivertoseascotland.co.uk) talk about diversifying their offering, saving money, how the market is changing - and why that could be good news for smaller businesses offering bespoke services.

The Tune into Tourism: Road to Recovery podcast is back!   Over the next 4 weeks, we'll be (virtually) bringing together tourism business owners and operators to talk about the challenges they have faced, and how they have managed to adapt to these ever-changing times to ensure their survival.   Each week will focus on a different sector, and this week we're talking to accommodation providers. Regular host Julia Sutherland is joined by Craig Ewan (Operations Director, kingsmillshotel.com), Jane Slaughter (Owner, pinewoodsteading.co.uk - self catering holiday cottage) and Jamie Conner (Owner, secrethighlands.com - Doric House B&B).   They discuss how they've had to re-think their entire offering, get creative with outdoor spaces, make new connections with other business owners, and find ways to attract a completely different market.    By sharing the things that have helped them, acknowledging the challenges affecting different businesses in different ways, and talking about what changes will be essential for the survival of their sector, we hope to give you some ideas for your business, as well as reassurance that you're not alone.

Lesley Judge, Sector Engagement Executive for Tourism at Interface (www.interface-online.org.uk) shares some of the many developments across the sectors - from the use of QR codes in hospitality, to NASA technology being deployed in new cleaning techniques! And Chief Executive of the Association of Scotland's Self-Caterers (www.assc.co.uk), Fiona Campbell, tells us about some of the apps and systems being used in self catering businesses, which have been created in response to the coronavirus.

Episode 7 is all about marketing strategies. CEO of Visit Inverness Loch Ness, Michael Golding, shares some encouraging news following the launch of the new 'Scottish Cities' marketing campaign. Carron Tobin, Development Manager for Argyll and the Isles Tourism co-operative, tells us about their latest strategy, emphasising their impressive local food and drink offering, and how working with a Blogger has provided revelation and inspiration!