Probably the business person in travel I admire most is Noel Josephides, founder of the Sunvil travel group. He writes a regular article in Travel Bulletin, which is always worth a read. His most recent article compared various destinations in Europe and their relative appeal for repeat visits. His view was that, for example, Greece’s enduring popularity was at least part based on the welcome the locals gave to visitors, where you can often find yourself welcomed into homes and being made part of the family. In contrast a number of countries (he mentioned Croatia and Thailand) he felt offered a welcome that was not unfriendly but was from non-locals or staff who maybe had been well trained but did to have that genuine touch.
Well, I would agree with him for most parts of Greece (though not Crete from our last holiday there).
It made me think about one of the principles we work with when designing holidays and choosing accommodation. We have always looked for independent hotels, ideally with a resident proprietor. Another key factor is the relationship the hoteliers have the local community – I am always keen to hear that they have a local family connection, or if not , that they are passionate about where they are living, and have a genuine commitment to the area. Of course in remote parts of Scotland recruiting local staff can be impossible, but its always good to find a core of staff who are from the area, and are not just seasonal.
I know its a real danger sign if comments are made such as “none of the locals want to work here” or worse still “I try to keep the locals away as they will upset my guests”.
Yes the people do make a difference and Scotland’s long term tourism potential depends on offering a genuine and warm welcome to all.

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