Glasgow s Tourism Strategy To 2016

Transcription

1 Glasgow s Tourism Strategy To 2016

2 Tourism is one of Glasgow s biggest industries. In terms of employment, it ranks alongside Financial Services, Health and Retail. Twenty-five years ago, this position would have been unthinkable. Through continuous investment in both the tourism infrastructure and marketing, Glasgow has risen to become one of the UK s top tourism cities. In 2005, the city attracted 2.8 million visitors who spent 700 million. COUNCILLOR STEVEN PURCELL LEADER OF GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL AND CHAIR OF GLASGOW CITY MARKETING BUREAU Within Glasgow s Ten Year Economic Development Strategy, tourism is identified as a key industry that will help the city achieve the step change that is necessary to fulfil its ambitions for the future. Step change involves a significant shift in thinking. It was with this mindset that a partnership comprising Glasgow City Council, Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, Scottish Enterprise Glasgow and VisitScotland Glasgow set out to produce Glasgow s Tourism Strategy to The strategy takes account of trends affecting tourism and, in particular, the need for cities to specialise and differentiate themselves in order to compete in the global marketplace. The Glasgow: Scotland with style brand is vital to the city s international positioning. Discretionary business tourism, short breaks and large-scale events are all seen as presenting the biggest opportunity for growth. The strategy highlights the importance of Scotland s new Arena, the development of the Riverside Museum and the need for 3,000 new premier hotel rooms by With an ambitious target of attracting an additional one million visitors by 2016 taking the sector into the 1 billion per annum bracket the strategy affirms the need for partnership working on an unprecedented level. Taking these principles further, there is an expectation that vital transport links such as the Clyde Fastlink, Glasgow International Airport rail link and Crossrail solution will be a priority for transport providers and the Scottish Government alike. Similarly, the support of the business community in Glasgow is essential to the success of the strategy and this has been developed by working with key stakeholders and members of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce in its development. This is the most thoroughly considered and widely researched tourism strategy the city has ever produced, which is exactly what is needed to create a Glasgow that is as much a place to enjoy for its citizens as it is for visitors. 1

3 Contents 1 VISION 4 2 GOVERNANCE 6 3 MARKET CONTEXT 7 4 IMAGE AND BRAND 10 5 PEOPLE 12 6 PLACE Accommodation 6.2 Transport 6.3 Information Communications Technology 7 PRODUCT Culture, Leisure and Visitor Attractions 7.2 Meetings, Conventions and Exhibitions 7.3 Architecture 7.4 Major Events 7.5 Retail 7.6 Merchant City 7.7 Clyde Waterfront 8 SUSTAINABLE TOURISM 26 9 BUSINESS INNOVATION RISK MANAGEMENT market INTELLIGENCE 30 AND MEASURING PROGRESS APPENDIX A alignment TO a STEP CHANGE 32 FOR GLASGOW B GLOSSARY OF TERMS & LIST 34 OF ABBREVIATIONS 2 3

4 1 VISION Our vision Our shared ambition for metropolitan Glasgow is of sustained and sustainable growth in the tourism industry as a contribution to the wealth and well-being of all. Our vision for Glasgow 2016 is of a leading destination in key markets offering a unique, dynamic and authentic experience through the quality of place, product and service differentiated through the strength of the brand, Glasgow: Scotland with style. Strategic Targets to deliver a minimum growth of 60% in tourist revenue with a target of achieving 80% grow tourism-related employment to 40,000 increase capacity by 3,000 premier hotel bedrooms Policy Context Glasgow s Tourism Strategy to 2016 takes advantage of the favourable national policy environment, the city s recent economic growth and higher levels of ambition and aspiration for Glasgow s future prosperity and well-being. The strategy is closely aligned to key national and city policy documents. Scottish Tourism: The Next Decade A Tourism Framework For Change takes a similar long-term approach to tourism development and sets ambitious targets. As Scotland s largest city, and a successful urban destination, Glasgow has an important part to play in contributing to national targets through its business and short break tourism markets. The strategy reflects principal policy initiatives, including the importance of cities in regional development. In line with the city s economic development strategy, A Step Change for Glasgow, the key objective is to maximise economic growth for the benefit of Glasgow s citizens, while at the same time creating a more attractive environment for visitors and investors. The strategy complements Glasgow City Council s key objectives and agenda for social renewal. It also embraces Scottish Enterprise s tourism priorities of innovation, product development, business leadership development, and destination development. The approach to delivery seeks to reflect the relationship between the city and the wider region, in particular the strengthening links with Edinburgh via closer collaboration. Ten year priorities To achieve the vision for tourism, four key priorities have emerged from a process of research and consultation with stakeholders and industry representatives. Not only do they represent the main pillars around which the strategy and subsequent action plans will be developed, but they complement and support the broad themes within Glasgow s economic development strategy. The four strategic themes are: 1. image and Brand: a positive and unique image is a key influencer. 2. People: Glasgow s citizens are the city s greatest asset and must benefit from tourism s growth. 3. Place: place attractiveness, accessibility and quality of environment are competitive drivers for a successful tourism destination. 4. Product: this must be fresh, distinctive, innovative and appealing to target markets. These four themes will be underpinned by the cross-cutting themes of sustainability, innovation, collaboration and market research. Strategic Ambition Glasgow will be recognised as a leading global tourism destination with delivery driven through a city-wide partnership of organisations, institutions and businesses committed to this single vision. Strategic Targets Global tourism is projected to grow at 4% per annum, with Scotland having set a national target of revenue growth of 50% by Demonstrating Glasgow s ambition, the city will deliver a minimum growth in tourism value of 60% by 2016, with the objective a stretch target of 80%. This stretch target represents a significant step change in terms of performance. Achieving 80% growth will mean that in 2016 Glasgow will welcome four million tourists, equating to an additional one million tourists compared to 2005, with tourism generating revenues for the city in excess of 1 billion 1. It is projected that up to 9,000 additional tourism-related jobs will be created as a result of this growth. These increases in volume, value and employment will be achieved by focusing on a number of drivers including place quality, connectivity, authenticity, product innovation, strategic management and targeted marketing. Other factors will include a continued strong demand across primary market sectors responding to the brand proposition. This demand will stimulate a growth in supply of accommodation of a targeted 3,000 additional premier hotel bedrooms by 2016, and a continued increase in yield per consumer as Glasgow moves itself up the tourism value chain. A major events strategy, including Glasgow s bid to host the Commonwealth Games in 2014, a new Riverside Museum (above right) and Arena at the Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre (below right) are all key drivers to realising targets. Glasgow will meet aspirations by building on its current status and delivering a quality tourist experience consisting of: world-class infrastructure must-see attractions clean, well-maintained and sustainable public and civic spaces seamless transport connectivity events of international significance first class service from a well-trained workforce Increased investment in the city region brand, Glasgow: Scotland with style, is central to the task of projecting Glasgow on the world stage as a creative and highly desirable place to visit. Together with the infrastructure developments in the pipeline and a more strategic focus, Glasgow has the capability and drive to deliver a true step change in tourism performance by In real terms 4 5

5 2 GOVERNANCE Glasgow s Tourism Strategy to 2016 sets out the means for realising this potential, articulating the city s shared ambitions and objectives for the industry during the coming decade. Glasgow s tourism industry has played a leading role in the city s economic growth in recent years, thanks to the successes of landmark events, such as European City of Culture 1990, investment in new infrastructure, the growth in the conference market and improved connections to mainland Europe and international cities. The new tourism strategy builds upon the achievements of the Glasgow Tourism Action Plan , recognising that, although significant improvement has already taken place since the early 1980s, the transformation is as yet incomplete. Central to Glasgow s reinvention, tourism is one of the sectors offering the potential for achieving continued growth and for achieving a step change in overall economic performance. In moving to a ten year timeline, in line with A Step Change for Glasgow, the strategy will capitalise on progress to date and raise the bar in terms of the scale of ambition and scope of achievement. Within the new economic strategy, there is a clear statement of intent to create a step change in Glasgow s performance and an expectation that tourism, as one of the city s recognised specialisms, will play a prominent role in meeting this challenge to generate prosperity and create an excellent economic environment for all. Delivery Development of Glasgow s Tourism Strategy to 2016 has been led, in partnership with the private sector, by the four main agencies in Glasgow with a remit for tourism development (Glasgow City Council, Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, Scottish Enterprise Glasgow and VisitScotland). Ownership of the strategy lies with the Glasgow Tourism Strategy Steering Group which will report back to stakeholders and the Local Economic Forum on progress against delivery, ensuring synergy with the implementation of the city s economic development strategy. Participation in this group by Glasgow Chamber of Commerce ensures a link to the private sector and will reinforce the engagement of the industry in the delivery of the strategy s action plan. The group s remit is to: 1. Lead development and implementation of the Glasgow Tourism Strategy and Action Plan in conjunction with relevant public and private sector partners. 2. Report on progress against delivery to key stakeholders and the Local Economic Forum. 3. Monitor and measure success using agreed tracking mechanisms. The strategy will be complemented by a set of action plans to be developed, reviewed and refined during the coming decade. These will enable Glasgow to respond to changing economic and environmental circumstances without losing sight of the overall vision. Research will be undertaken to benchmark the city and measure progress against targets. 3 MARKET CONTEXT Tourism is the fastest-growing global economic sector in terms of foreign exchange earnings and job creation. Whilst specific world events have resulted in temporary shifts in travel patterns, they have not resulted in less travel according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), world tourism is experiencing an average growth of 4%. For many years, traditional sun and sea summer holidays dominated international tourism but this pattern has changed. Today destinations are competing vigorously to offer a range of diverse experiences and activities to the increasingly sophisticated traveller. Some of the key emerging trends which the strategy must reflect include: Lifestyle and demographic change: an older population with more disposable income and more leisure time Accessibility: ease of access to an increasing number of destinations Climate change: greater awareness of the impact of travel and tourism development on the environment ICT and its application: global access to web-based information, helping consumers to research, select and book holidays Competition: within short break and discretionary business tourism Propensity to pay more for experience than goods Growing demand for service-based skills and quality of service. Today Volume and Value Glasgow has grown and developed as a tourism destination. With over 10,000 2 hotel bedrooms, conference facilities including the Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre, a wealth of visitor attractions and strong retail offering, the city has adapted and developed quickly to respond to market opportunities. Tourist numbers have increased consistently due to a combination of powerful marketing and a quality urban tourism product. The city has demonstrated its ability to compete with the best on a world stage. In 1995, 1.49 million trips were made by visitors to Glasgow, generating 263 million in spend. In 2005 the city attracted 2.8 million trips, with expenditure of 700 million. Some 29,640 people were employed in tourism-related activities in Glasgow in 2005, accounting for 7.6% of all jobs in Glasgow and representing 16.2% of the total tourism workforce in Scotland. Visitor Profile Leisure is the primary reason for visiting Glasgow, with 53% of UK and 48% of overseas visitors coming to the city for a leisure break. The biggest growth area, however, in recent years has been discretionary business tourism. According to International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA) statistics for 2005, Glasgow is now 33rd in the world for numbers of international association meetings held and 22nd for the number of international delegates hosted. England continues to generate the bulk of visitors, and although the USA represents the single biggest country of origin for overseas visitors, mainland Europe remains the primary source of international tourism revenue. The average length of stay in the city is three nights for UK visitors and 6.2 nights for those from overseas. KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND THE GLASGOW LOCAL ECONOMIC FORUM Closer examination of the visitor profile shows that Glasgow enjoys a broad market mix. Short break tourists, for example, are drawn from a wide range of demographic age groups. The most recent comprehensive visitor survey found that 80% of the city s current tourist base is in the ABC1 socio-economic bracket, with high aspirational values and expectations. GLASGOW TOURISM STRATEGY STEERING GROUP 2 Glasgow Tourism Accommodation Review 2004/05 Greater Glasgow Hotels Association Tourism, Retail and Leisure Group Glasgow Restaurateurs Association Glasgow s Leading Attractions Strategic Major Events Forum 6 7

6 Current Position An analysis of Glasgow s tourism industry helps to highlight priority areas for the strategy to target: STRENGTHS Brand Entertainment and nightlife City centre retail offer Culture Architecture Conference facilities Partnerships and joint working Compact Friendly Access to Highlands/Edinburgh/golf HE medical and scientific research Creative community International gateway Robust risk management process OPPORTUNITIES Continued brand development Increase in short break travel New hotel development Experiential services Collaboration with Edinburgh and other surrounding destinations Developing service excellence Attracting large scale events Innovative new products and packaging Waterfront regeneration Differentiation through unique selling points Employment-rich sector ICT applications Green issues Glasgow has been particularly successful in the discretionary business tourism market, hosting many International Association meetings, notably in the medical and scientific sectors. The city s historic pre-eminence and continued excellence as a centre for engineering, scientific and medical achievement has been instrumental in bringing this about. Glasgow s distinctive contribution to this specialist market sector needs to be vigorously supported and developed, helping it to attract high value-added conferences as well as influential, international organisations. WEAKNESSES Low level of entrepreneurship Packaging of experiences Lack of scheduled direct air services Cleanliness Signage Gaps in transport infrastructure Residual image issues Image of sector for employment Skills and labour shortages Lack of 5 star hotel operators THREATS Accommodation capacity issues Decline in numbers of people flying Decrease in popularity of city breaks Quality of visitor experience not equal to that of competitors Inability to match competitor investment Lack of available labour Increase in competition in business tourism market Growing competitor retail offers Failure to deliver key transport projects West Coast high speed rail link, airport link, Crossrail Green issues The city also offers a strong short break proposition. This includes an excellent retail offering, the unique architectural legacy of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, world-class galleries, diverse visitor attractions and celebrated nightlife complemented by a year-round events calendar. These, along with the city s waterfront development and Glasgow s strength in the creative industries, are assets which need to be harnessed and further developed. Glasgow s performance, however, must be viewed against a general growth in urban tourism. One of the city s greatest challenges comes from growing competition from other city destinations. At a global level, the discretionary business tourism market is experiencing unprecedented growth in the supply of facilities. New conference centre proposals and developments have meant that recent market entrants such as Liverpool, Dublin, Dubai, Hyderabad, Gdansk, Valencia, Vancouver, Barcelona and Rome are vying for the same discretionary business tourists as Glasgow. As competitors commit significant resources to enhance their marketing capability, the battle for share of voice in a crowded marketplace becomes more intense. This competition is just as fierce in the leisure tourism market, with cities such as Barcelona, Prague, Dublin and Manchester all strong competitors. Glasgow will benchmark itself against these and the other top league cities who take part in the European Cities Tourism Report. Clearly, differentiation is essential and Glasgow needs to develop and promote a truly unique, quality product to achieve step change and distinguish itself from its competitors. The city s brand, Glasgow: Scotland with style, reflects consumers aspirations and encapsulates the key values and essence of the city. The commitment to an overarching brand strategy by all metropolitan partners is helping to create a citywide platform on which Glasgow can compete internationally and act as a powerful tool to differentiate itself in this marketplace. Tomorrow Understanding demographics and consumer behaviour will play a key role in anticipating future tourism trends. Research suggests that people will be prepared to pay more for an experience than for goods and that more money will be spent on recreation. In return, however, they will be looking for quality, value for money and an authentic experience. There are a number of factors which will influence the type of product demanded. These will include an ageing population, greater levels of discretionary spend, a lower birth rate and more fragmented households, all impacting on how much leisure time people have and how they choose to use it. Glasgow recognises the demographic and social changes taking place in the wider market and continues to develop authentic and quality visitor experiences for key market segments. As previous research 3 has demonstrated, it will be important for Glasgow to maintain a wide market base, with tailored offerings which build on unique products and areas of competitive strength. Collaboration with Edinburgh on relevant tourism-related projects, such as inter-city travel and major events, could enable the cities to compete more effectively in the global arena. The UNWTO has identified cultural tourism, short breaks, international meetings and ecotourism as areas for future growth. This is good news for Glasgow which is well placed to take advantage of a strong cultural product, an established track record in the international meetings market and a developing reputation as a successful short break destination. There is also growing international awareness of the city s attractiveness as a leisure destination. In 2006 Glasgow was voted favourite UK city by readers of Condé Nast Traveller and positive press coverage saw the city cited as a must visit experience and one of the top ten must see up and coming destinations 4. In an expanding global marketplace, however, the challenge to increase market share is relentless. It requires the city to present a fresh and unique identity, focusing on the authentic selling propositions which make it distinctive and competitive. Achieving this will call for a panoply of assets. These include continued and consistent branding to help distinguish Glasgow s offering; a highly skilled and professional workforce; world-class infrastructure; easily accessible products; and user-friendly booking processes. A successful bid to host the Commonwealth Games in 2014 offers major opportunities for growth. The route to success is exciting yet challenging. Exploiting these opportunities will require strong leadership and continued partnership between the public sector, business community and people of Glasgow. 3 TNS Visitor Survey Lonely Planet and Frommer s 8 9

7 4 IMAGE AND BRAND Glasgow recognises the need to develop and implement a brand strategy to position and differentiate the city. A positive and unique image is a key reason why tourists choose a city for a short break and a convention organiser selects one destination above another. The city brand, Glasgow: Scotland with style, is a holistic communications tool. From education to tourism, retail to transport, events to investment, the brand will continue to deliver a consistent and coherent message driving forward a range of different partner activities on the national and international stage. The brand works on both the rational and emotional level, conveying a unique sense of place. On a rational level, the brand encapsulates the many physical attributes of the city, including the legacy of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the Glasgow Style; the strength of its cultural credentials; the history and heritage of the River Clyde and the visual wealth of the best-preserved Victorian city in the UK. This is combined with the creative ambiance that has produced a world-renowned capital of contemporary music, a city with an unbridled passion for sport and an intense drive for urban regeneration. To this, must be added the emotional characteristics of its citizens with their own distinctive, self-deprecating humour, genuine friendliness, a cosmopolitan attitude and a firm belief in fair play. To stay in Glasgow and to work in Glasgow is to experience a connection to a city with a unique sense of style. VisitScotland incorporates the essence of the Glasgow: Scotland with style brand in its leisure marketing for the city. The national brand, Live it, Visit Scotland, is built around attributes people associate with Scotland the brand essence: enduring, dramatic and human and is captured in the proposition that a visit to Scotland is such a unique, powerful and personal experience that it can touch all the senses. It reflects the renowned character, humour, warmth and friendliness of the people of the city through the proposition of Glasgow as Scotland s style capital, supporting the city brand, Glasgow: Scotland with style. The delivery of Glasgow: Scotland with style effectively positions the city s image in a coherent, consistent way and is fundamental to ensuring economic success

8 5 PEOPLE In the tourism industry, people are Glasgow s greatest asset. Investment in skills and training and the promotion of tourism as a first choice career is a fundamental requirement for ensuring the creation of a workforce capable of meeting tourist needs. Research indicates a number of trends which cities must respond to. These include an increased demand for people with service-based skills and a growing emphasis on the quality of service delivery. In the tourism industry, perhaps more so than in any other, high standards of customer service are essential in order to preserve and develop a city s reputation as a visitor destination. For Glasgow businesses to succeed in an increasingly competitive tourism marketplace they will need to demonstrate that they are innovative and visitor-led. At the same time they must keep striving to improve the quality of their products, services and processes. This, in turn, will require inspirational managers and leaders who nurture and value their staff, a skilled workforce delivering high quality service in an industry providing first choice employment and career opportunities. To reach a point where innovation, visitor focus and service excellence are realised will require a focus on: Encouraging leadership development in all aspects of management. Developing a service excellence culture across all aspects of the tourist experience. Close partnership between education and industry to develop high quality people. The partnership will also capitalise on higher level skills generated by the city s further and higher education/research institutions in tourism. It is essential that the value and opportunities provided by a career in tourism are clearly demonstrated in the education sector. Improving perceptions of the industry and establishing tourism and hospitality as a career of choice. Capitalising on the changing labour market to find new solutions to address skills gaps and shortages, including the recruitment of migrant labour. Recruiting the right staff and retaining them through a culture of personal development, essential to help Glasgow meet its aim of world-class service for tourists. Tourism provides jobs at all levels and targeted growth will result in additional employment opportunities. A key strategic objective is to increase employment in tourism-related jobs from 31,000 to 40,000. To ensure that tourism and hospitality are regarded as a first choice career and a first choice route back into employment, Glasgow must create a strong partnership between the industry, public sector and education providers

9 6 PLACE Place attractiveness is an essential factor in giving a city competitive advantage in a discretionary market. If first impressions are lasting impressions, Glasgow must be an accessible, welcoming, vibrant, and physically attractive city with a unique product which influences the tourist to return time and again. In relation to the built environment, features critical to success include continuing the city s award-winning public realm improvements with greater use of pedestrianisation in key city centre locations, ongoing refurbishment of historic buildings, removing the blight of vacant sites and making further improvements to the cleanliness of the city. The continued importance of high quality public realm design, particularly in the main tourist areas, should be recognised, and new public realm developments where relevant should reflect Glasgow s heritage. New visitor orientation and directional signage is required in the city. Clear, consistent and comprehensive signage is important to enhance the tourist experience, encouraging tourists to explore the city, stay longer and spend more. Of equal importance is a sense of cultural and social diversity, liveliness, creativity and openness combining to create the vital city buzz. Encouraging an alfresco culture, including pavement cafés, markets, shopping and entertainment will also contribute to Glasgow s renewed cosmopolitanism. To help create pride in the city in the long term will require local buy-in and involvement of all of Glasgow s citizens as proud ambassadors of the city. To that end, Glaswegians must continue to be mindful and supportive of visitor needs to maximise the economic contribution to the city made by tourism-related activity. Glasgow will be an accessible, attractive and distinctive destination, with increased high quality accommodation supply, improved transport connectivity to all markets, and a leading edge communications network

10 6.1 ACCOMMODATION In the last seven-year period Glasgow has witnessed significant growth in the scale and profile of its accommodation stock. This has increased by 40% with 69 new accommodation properties including new-build hotels, self-catering units and commercial hostel operations. There are now over 10,000 5 hotel rooms available in Glasgow and over 17,000 6 rooms in the wider city region. Whilst Glasgow s budget hotel provision has grown strongly, there is now a need for a greater number of rooms at the premium end of the market to help move up the value chain and attract larger scale conferences. In the next decade, it is estimated 7 that a further 3,000 premier hotel bedrooms will be required. The city s efforts should be focused on growing accommodation stock to create opportunities and meet these new market requirements. 5 Glasgow Accommodation Review 2004/05 6 Glasgow City Marketing Bureau Glasgow City Marketing Bureau 6.2 TRANSPORT To compete effectively in global markets, Glasgow has to ensure that it is easily accessible by air, rail and road. It is essential that transport infrastructure is developed and improved to a standard which can support future visitors needs. As visitor numbers grow, a modern, efficient and extensive integrated transport network must be in place to provide tourists with the quickest and most direct routes in and around the city. Moreover, as a job-rich sector, the tourism industry depends upon an efficient transport infrastructure to link people with employment opportunities. Glasgow and the city region are served by a well-developed air, rail and road transport network: Glasgow International Airport Glasgow Prestwick Airport Edinburgh International Airport Train services including; West Coast main line from the south into Glasgow Central; East Coast and North lines into Glasgow Queen Street An extensive network of motorways linking Glasgow to Edinburgh and to key national destinations A large number of bus routes serving Buchanan Bus Station Subway Commuter rail network. To fulfil its economic potential, however, the airport rail link must be complemented by a Crossrail solution which will contribute to the seamless travel experience for tourists to Glasgow. While major investment is required to deliver these strategic projects, many positive innovations need not be expensive or difficult to introduce. Through-ticketing, smart card technology, improved information provision and integrated tickets for transport and events are all necessary, as is a clean, safe, sustainable public transport network. Reducing traffic congestion will contribute to a clean city and enhance the overall visitor experience. 6.3 information COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY A strong and modern communications infrastructure is a fundamental component to economic success and competitiveness, and is particularly important for tourism. Information technology advances have revolutionised the way people choose to research and book their travel and holidays, and further quantum leaps in technology are inevitable during the next ten years. Glasgow has recently developed an ICT and Wi-Fi Strategy 8 and aims to use wireless technologies to support economic growth, enhance the delivery of public services and add to the quality of experience of all. Glasgow must provide information technology infrastructure and content of the highest quality at all stages of visitor engagement with the city. Glasgow must deliver flexible and accurate information in a range of formats to meet customer needs. As the official destination marketing portal for the city region, is a comprehensive information resource for both the leisure and discretionary business tourist. The first destination site in the world to facilitate online conference bidding, the continued strategic focus on ICT will ensure that this key marketing tool meets the ongoing needs of customers. The VisitScotland national tourism sites and also offer a wealth of information for consumers regarding the Glasgow tourism product, placing the city in the broader national leisure and business tourism context. Businesses must continue to exploit new technologies and media to make it as easy as possible to book Glasgow tourism products. While overall access is good, more needs to be done to make Glasgow a world-class, urban tourism destination with efficient services and sufficient capacity. In addition to more direct air routes, further investment in inter-city rail infrastructure and the city s public transport services will be required to create a truly integrated transport network which travellers increasingly have come to expect. From a strategic transport perspective, this will require that gaps in infrastructure such as the M74 extension, Clyde Fastlink, Glasgow International Airport rail link and fast transport links to the city centre are addressed. Glasgow is currently served by a strong network of cycle and walking routes and additional and improved infrastructure will allow tourists to access more of the city s attractions in a sustainable way, for example, by encouraging an increase in river transportation options. 8 Glasgow: 21st Century Wireless City 16 17

11 7 PRODUCT It is vital to make the most of Glasgow s unique heritage. A combination of repackaging existing products in innovative and exciting ways and launching new products is required to meet changing market expectations. The city enjoys a strong international reputation as a cultural and leisure destination for tourists. Glasgow must place its cultural and leisure attractions at the centre of its visitor offer. Glasgow is one of Europe s leading conference destinations. In order for the city to maintain its dominant market position, it is imperative that proposed developments in the city are delivered. These include the Arena at the SECC, a significant increase in bed stock and a substantive growth in direct air routes. Glasgow has a rich architectural legacy with many examples from the Victorian era complemented by contemporary iconic buildings. Promoting the city s unique heritage as a major visitor attraction is of key importance. Events are a vital part of the city s tourism product. In 2005, eight major events alone attracted direct expenditure of 6 million from 125,000 attendees. The wide range of events on offer is designed to add value to the Glasgow: Scotland with style brand. Glasgow is one of the best places to shop in the UK. In the fast-moving retail environment, it is essential to make sure that Glasgow retains and develops its reputation. The River Clyde has up until now been an under-used asset rather than a visitor attraction. Considerable public and private investment is currently transforming the river into an integral component of the city s tourism product, with a dynamic culture attracting people and activity to the waterfront. The promotion of the Merchant City quarter would draw upon the area s existing reputation as a focal point for creative and cultural industries, building upon regeneration work which has already taken place, such as the development of the visual arts exhibition and production spaces at Trongate 103 and The Briggait. The proximity and importance of Glasgow and Edinburgh to the national tourism product presents opportunities for both cities. Collaborating to Compete is the joint initiative which aims to develop priority areas including tourism, connectivity and higher education. In the tourism industry, there is real scope for the cities visitor and cultural attractions to join forces to allow them to compete at a higher level

12 7.1 CULTURE, LEISURE AND VISITOR ATTRACTIONS Glasgow s Cultural Strategy 9 emphasises the importance of enhancing cultural infrastructure and events programming to enable the city to compete globally, and gives long-term direction for supporting and developing culture. In 2005, almost 75% of tourist trips to Glasgow were for leisure tourism reasons, including holidays, short breaks, visiting friends and relatives and all other non-business related travel. These trips were worth million to the city s economy. Gallery has nationally important art and history collections and a reconstruction of Mackintosh s own house. The Mitchell Library is one of the largest public reference libraries in Europe. Since it was opened in 1877, it has acquired approximately 1.3 million items. The library is home to the city archives, a noted collection of works by Robert Burns and a family history and genealogy centre. Glasgow s major museums offer a year-round programme of high quality exhibitions. Contemporary art is represented by the Gallery of Modern Art, Tramway and CCA, reflecting the dynamism of the visual arts scene in Glasgow which has produced six short listed artists and two winners of the Turner Prize in the past decade. Much of Glasgow s appeal for tourists stems from the range, quality and diversity of its visitor attractions. Glasgow attractions generate over 30% of all visits 10 to Scottish visitor attractions, over three million visits 11 annually. They contribute to the city s reputation as a centre for culture which has existed since the 19th century and which was reinforced with its designation as the European City of Culture in This reputation has been further enhanced with the creation of new or improved visitor attractions such as the Riverside Museum, Glasgow Science Centre, Kibble Palace and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum which is located in picturesque Kelvingrove Park, one of Glasgow s 70 open spaces and parks. Glasgow is one of the most vibrant music and performing arts cities in Europe. The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, the newly restored City Halls and the Old Fruitmarket host a broad range of music genres. The theatre scene in Glasgow is thriving. The Theatre Royal, together with its sister theatre, The Kings, attracts audiences of over 560,000 annually. The city is home to groundbreaking performances in the Arches, the Citizens and new venues such as the Tramway, one of Europe s leading contemporary visual and performing arts venues. The city hosts the majority of Scotland s national arts companies including Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet, The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the National Theatre of Scotland. The city s visitor and cultural attractions play a vital role in boosting tourist numbers to Glasgow and Scotland. As a city destination, leisure and entertainment are important parts of Glasgow s tourism product and are key to creating a lively and animated atmosphere for tourists. Glasgow has the widest range and largest number of pubs, restaurants, clubs and related entertainment in Scotland and is renowned for its nightlife and music scene in 2006, the New York Times listed King Tut s Wah Wah Hut as the seventh best way to follow your bliss in its top 50 places to visit in the world. To grow as a leisure and entertainment centre, Glasgow must adapt as demographics change and new trends emerge. The role played by market intelligence is important, as is the development of new products and operational methods in response to customer demand. Tourists now use leisure and entertainment differently 12, taking part in several activities in one venue, for example eating, dancing, sport and having elaborated shopping experiences where retail, eating out and leisure converge. This use of leisure and entertainment will continue to change over the next decade and Glasgow must be able to anticipate future demand. Glasgow has developed strong industry partnerships including Glasgow s Leading Attractions, Mackintosh Heritage Liaison Group and Merchant City Development Group who work together to improve the product, enhance the profile and generate increased revenue and tourist numbers. Strong industry and public sector partnerships are key to shaping the product in the future. The Glasgow Conference Ambassador Programme a one-stop shop giving help and support to over 2,300 academics, scientists, business people and medics considering hosting a conference helps drive major conventions to the city. In , local Ambassadors secured 89 conferences for the city worth 24 million of local economic benefit. The convention sector is becoming ever more competitive China, for example, has plans to build 200 conference centres. To remain competitive Glasgow must continue to invest in conference and events infrastructure to build on existing developments such as: The expansion of the Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre (SECC) with a new 12,500-seat Arena. The refurbished City Halls and Old Fruitmarket The re-opening of Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum A new 400-seat atrium at the Glasgow Science Centre The city must play to its strengths and look to identify and develop specialisms such as international associations, notably in the medical and scientific sectors where there is high added-value. At the same time, it must invest further in its Convention Bureau, the city s lead body for congress bidding, and in brand communications to continue the change in perceptions of the city. The city s powerful cultural assets are central to Glasgow s marketing strategy for the city and vital in growing leisure tourism in the years ahead. They have been bolstered by the unprecedented success of Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum and will be further strengthened with developments at the Briggait and Trongate 103. Under the guidance of Culture and Sport Glasgow, it is widely recognised that Glasgow possesses art and cultural collections of international significance. Glasgow has the largest Civic Museum Service in the UK with world-class collections of art, history and natural history in venues such as the Burrell Collection, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum and the People s Palace. During its imperial heyday, Glasgow amassed the best collections in the UK outside London of Impressionists and Old Masters, as well as Scottish Art and Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The University of Glasgow s Hunterian Museum and Art 10 Visitor Attraction Monitor Visitor Attraction Monitor meetings, CONVENTIONS and EXHIBITIONS Glasgow is now one of the fastest growing conference destinations in Europe and has recently been climbing the ICCA International Conference League table for the number of delegate days hosted. In 2006, conference delegates accounted for one in five rooms sold in Glasgow and the city can boast more conference delegate days than any other Scottish city. 12 The Henley Centre 9 Glasgow s Cultural Strategy 2006, Glasgow City Council 20 21

13 7.3 ARCHITECTURE Glasgow enjoys a rich architectural legacy, with its strong and distinctive built environment at the centre of its visitor offer. The city s strength in architecture and design provide unique selling points, ranging from the works of Glasgow s internationally-renowned artist, architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh to an enviable collection of listed places of worship that includes four cathedrals. Victorian Glasgow has some of the finest examples of Victorian architecture in Scotland, including Alexander Greek Thomson s magnificent churches, shopping arcades and mansion houses. Charles Rennie Mackintosh The buildings, furniture, designs and artworks of Mackintosh already provide Glasgow with a unique cultural tourism advantage in the leisure market, giving the city national and international profile, akin to that of Gaudi for Barcelona and Frank Lloyd Wright in Chicago, and underpinning the city s brand proposition. There is still untapped potential to maximise the legacy of Mackintosh. The original Miss Cranston s Tearooms on Ingram Street in Glasgow are currently being restored to make an important addition to the Mackintosh product for future public display. Mackintosh attractions alone generate in excess of 380,000 visits per annum 13 and the Mackintosh Festival 2006 and legacy marketing should generate 150,000 additional visitors to Glasgow and additional spend of 7.75m by The city has the opportunity to capitalise on its Mackintosh legacy through a long term development plan. This includes the delivery of the Glasgow School of Art Conservation and Access project, a targeted marketing campaign and achievement of World Heritage Status for The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art and Helensburgh s Hill House. 13 Visitor Attraction Monitor MAJOR EVENTS Glasgow is regarded as one of the UK s foremost destinations for festivals and cultural events, most of which have been an integral part of the city s civic calendar for a number of years. There are a myriad of colourful and lively festivals which not only entertain Glasgow s citizens but also attract a wealth of visitors from overseas and other parts of the UK every year. Glasgow has been particularly successful in winning and staging major sport events of a national and international stature over the past 20 years. New developments including the National Indoor Arena and the Velodrome, aimed at developing sport at a local, regional and national level, will help significantly to attract international events and elite athletes. Targeting events which reinforce the brand proposition and deliver economic impact is central to strategically positioning Glasgow on the national and international stage as a stylish, dynamic and cosmopolitan city. Events-led strategies are nothing new, but Glasgow will implement the most up to date thinking on brand-led events. Events are targeted in specific clusters to reinforce Glasgow s unique image: music for example, Celtic Connections; arts and culture Glasgow International Festival of Contemporary Visual Art; retail Scottish Style Awards; restaurants and nightlife BBC Good Food Show; sports UEFA Cup Final 2007; and the built environment Glasgow River Festival and the Merchant City Festival. 7.5 RETAIL Retail is a significant contributor to the city s economy and is a major attraction for tourists to Glasgow. The city has been named as the top destination to shop in the UK outside the West End of London and is predicted to retain this position for the next ten years 14. There are over 1,500 shops in the city centre which generate 2.4 billion per annum retail sales turnover 15. The city s core retail offering comprises Sauchiehall Street, Buchanan Street, Argyle Street and Ingram Street, with smaller boutique outlets established in the Merchant City and the West End. Contemporary Glasgow was named as UK City of Architecture and Design in 1999 and is home to The Lighthouse, Scotland s Centre for Architecture, Design and the City. The River Clyde waterfront is being developed with buildings such as the Glasgow Science Centre, the Glasgow Tower and Norman Foster s Clyde Auditorium. It will be further enhanced with the completion of the new Riverside Museum, designed by architect Zaha Hadid. Glasgow s iconic landmarks are not only its buildings. The Finnieston Crane has stood imposingly over the Clyde since the 1930s and symbolises the city s engineering heritage. The city s newest bridge, the Clyde Arc, is a striking addition to the riverscape. The city s Strategic Major Events Forum will ensure that Glasgow is focused on the co-ordination, development and bidding for major events in support of the city s economic strategy. When selecting which events to bid for, support or develop, the criteria for evaluation includes the media exposure they will generate, the economic benefits to the city, alignment with the brand and the national strategy developed by EventScotland. With the Glasgow bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, this area of activity continues to constitute a major focus for future development. As other facilities are developed to support the bid, the scope for hosting major sporting events will grow in strategic importance. Glasgow s Buchanan Street was placed in the world s top ten for the rental charges for retail floor space in , making it one of the most sought-after shopping locations. It is important that the city takes action to ensure that it maintains its competitive advantage as other cities seek to emulate its success. The development of Buchanan Galleries and St. Enoch Centre will create an additional 90,000 sq m of retail floorspace. Maintaining Glasgow s retail strength means investing in the product, improving and protecting existing city centre facilities and finding ways of differentiating Glasgow s offer from competitor destinations. This could be achieved, for example, by mixing retail with other activities, offering customer-led opening hours, securing a major international department store and at the same time supporting home-grown talent and encouraging new boutique-type outlets throughout the city. These would be complemented by the established shopping quarters of Buchanan Street, Merchant City and the West End. Glasgow s retail offer must continue to be marketed as part of the brand, Glasgow: Scotland with style, and a key strategic goal is the continued strengthening of retail as part of the city-break proposition. 14 Experian Retail Ranking Glasgow City Centre Action Plan 16 Cushman & Wakefield Healey & Baker

14 7.6 MERCHANT CITY The Merchant City is the historical heart of Glasgow, home to Glasgow Cathedral, the Market Cross, the original site of The University of Glasgow and the grand buildings of the Merchants that date back to when Glasgow was the Second City of the Empire. As birthplace of Glasgow s café society and home today to galleries, venues and a diverse range of speciality shopping, the Merchant City is a vibrant cultural quarter. It has still to realise its full tourism potential, however, and a priority for the next five years will be to capitalise on the area s many assets that include restaurants, galleries, the City Halls and Old Fruitmarket and niche shopping to increase tourist footfall. There is an ongoing programme for regeneration of the Merchant City. This investment provides a platform for tourism development during the life of the tourism strategy. Key developments to help grow tourism in this area would include; conserving and opening significant historic buildings; continuing to attract speciality, indigenous, independent operators; exploring opportunities to provide new visitor attractions, developing cultural spaces and creating a supportive environment for business development. There is a growing tourism business base in the area. By working together there is an opportunity to develop new and enhanced experiences to attract more tourists and generate greater spend. 7.7 CLYDE WATERFRONT The River Clyde and the surrounding built environment is a great example of the city s commitment to the preservation of its rich heritage and its ambition to innovate and embrace the future. The river has been undergoing a process of regeneration through a combination of public and private investment. In the total value of projects and proposals for regeneration of the river accounted for some 2.8 billion of potential investment. Not since the height of the shipbuilding industry on the Clyde has there been so much interest, investment and activity on and along the river suggesting that the time is right to grasp the opportunity and create a major, natural visitor attraction. Key developments planned for the waterfront include a 12,500-seat arena, retail, fastlink transport and new Riverside Museum. The new museum, which will replace the current Museum of Transport, will create a more accessible and environmentally stable home for Glasgow s significant transport and technology collections, including exhibiting some stored materials not currently on public display as well as allowing the proper representation of Glasgow s important maritime history. Several important issues need to be addressed if the river is to fulfil its role as a visitor attraction. Critical factors will include access and safety as well as developing greater levels of activity such as festivals and events along and on the river. Animation of the river has already begun with the Glasgow River Festival, which attracted 85,000 visitors in 2007 and is now established as an annual celebration. There is huge scope, however, to complement and build upon this success through the use of more river traffic and a greater variety of activities. The river and riverside must be clean, safe, attractive and well-connected to the city centre for the benefit of pedestrians and boat users, and be marketed cohesively as one entity, creating a sense of place with which tourists can identify

15 8 SUSTAINABLE TOURISM Climate change In recent times, climate change has become a worrying fact of life. Around the world changing weather patterns have had catastrophic effects with some of these phenomena experienced in the UK. Tackling the effects of climate change is a priority objective, and commitment to this must be reflected in developing the city s tourism infrastructure. Scottish Tourism: The Next Decade A Tourism Framework For Change sets out the objective for Scotland to be Europe s most sustainable tourism destination. As stated in the document, Sustainable tourism in its purest sense is an industry which attempts to make a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate income, employment and the conservation of local ecosystems. It is responsible tourism, which is both ecologically and culturally sensitive. VisitScotland has set an aspiration for Scotland to become the world s first carbon neutral tourism destination. Glasgow is endeavouring to meet this challenge through initiatives such as Glasgow City Council s proposed Carbon Management Programme to quantify and reduce current emission levels. Clean Glasgow Environmental issues are now a driver for consumer choice. Maintaining Glasgow s cultural heritage and abundant green spaces is essential to delivering an authentic experience for tourists with minimal environmental impact. Improving air quality, reducing vehicle emissions, implementing flood prevention measures and removing the blight of vacant and derelict land are long term objectives to which Glasgow is fully committed. The more immediate problem of litter, graffiti and vandalism threatens to undermine investment in the city and has therefore to be given high priority when considering how to increase place attractiveness, secure major events and achieve the strategic ambition of creating an excellent economic environment. Sustainable principles The tourism strategy views sustainability as a cross-cutting theme central to all our future actions. In developing a strong tourism product around, for example, Charles Rennie Mackintosh and architectural heritage, every effort should continue to be made to preserve and enhance the integrity of the city s historic assets while minimising any negative impacts on the environment. The principles of sustainability should be incorporated whenever new tourism infrastructure is developed in the city. These would include energy, waste and water efficiency as well as the use of sustainable, locally sourced materials. Transport is a contributor to increased levels of CO2, and the city will consider potential methods of offsetting the carbon that is generated through travel. Sustainable transport options, both external and internal, must be encouraged, building on the success of initiatives such as the Conference Delegate and Mackintosh Trail public transport tickets. This is an area which may represent a positive business opportunity. Profit through sustainability Businesses will be encouraged to embrace the Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS). The Scottish Government has proposed that by 2010, 30% of businesses who participate in the VisitScotland Quality Assurance scheme will also be at GTBS entry level or above. The Sustainable Tourism Partnership will provide support to Glasgow businesses to help them become more sustainable and develop their understanding of how their business practices may affect the environment. It will encourage the adoption of business practices that are more sustainable in terms of resource efficiency and environmental impact. Pursuing other achievable and affordable environmental certification and award schemes, such as the National VIBES award, should also be encouraged. Increasingly the tourist will demand that the companies they deal with have strong environmental credentials. Adopting robust environmental policies will not only reduce energy consumption and foster sustainable methods of working, but will also increase profitability

16 9 BUSINESS INNOVATION The tourism industry in Glasgow needs to capitalise on its assets in ways that will meet the expectations of discerning travellers and match the best of what is on offer in competitor destinations around the world. Scottish Enterprise s (SE) role in tourism is to encourage and support innovation in tourism. By building on those assets that give Scotland and Glasgow a competitive edge, it will help bring the different elements of the visitor experience together in a consistent and integrated way. Glasgow is one of the six key destinations identified by SE as providing an opportunity to deliver significant growth. Scotland Six Priority Destinations Glasgow and Edinburgh Glasgow Tourism Revenues bn 2.2bn 1.8bn 0.8bn Product development and innovation should be visitor-led and based on sound research. Businesses will be encouraged to undertake relevant research and to work closely with the new Tourism Intelligence Unit set up under Scottish Tourism: The Next Decade A Tourism Framework For Change, and implement appropriate customer feedback mechanisms. There will be focus on: New Business Start Up encouraging the creation of new businesses in the tourism sector. Innovation tools, resources and support for tourism businesses to identify market opportunities, work collaboratively and develop and implement new business ideas. Product development to develop new visitor products, services and experiences around key Scottish assets such as the cities cultural and retail offer, food, whisky, and key sports and activities. Business leadership providing opportunities for owners and key staff in businesses to develop their own knowledge and skills through a programme of training, master classes, conferences, seminars and international visits, providing access to UK and international best practice on key business issues. Innovation based on visitor needs is vital to all successful tourism businesses. Companies with the most distinctive, innovative products have a competitive edge and will continue to attract and retain visitors. There is a need for industry and public sector partners to work closely to deliver a series of initiatives to foster a culture of innovation in the city

17 10 RISK MANAGEMENT The importance of risk management to ensure effective delivery of Glasgow s Tourism Strategy to 2016 is clear. As part of the action planning process, a risk management plan will be developed with partner organisations both locally and nationally. This will ensure a robust and effective framework is in place to actively manage any threats which may impact upon the city s ability to achieve its targets for tourism growth. 11 MARKET INTELLIGENCE AND MEASURING PROGRESS At both the city and individual business level, forecasting, benchmarking and researching new market opportunities will be vital in achieving objectives. Standardisation of methodology and channels for information sharing must be created. It is important that city partners, industry and investors are aware of current market profiles, trends, emerging opportunities and threats, and use this insight to plan for the future and maximise returns. It is essential that this information continues to be shared with other area tourism partners so that all may be able to reach the widest possible markets. The tourism industry is a fast-changing marketplace where good, robust knowledge is essential to maintain competitive advantage and drive innovation. The website resource provides area statistics, market trends, news, and industry analysis at a national and local level. Industry should utilise this and other available resources to ensure the necessary awareness of current issues and understanding of the state of the market. As a whole, the city must have a common picture of its environment nationally and globally and be able to translate that market knowledge into an appropriate response. This will require a performance measurement framework for all partners, to include such indices as hotel occupancy and yield, inflow through airports, conference and event impacts, attraction visits, tourist expenditure, employment and number of new tourism businesses. There is also a need to establish ways to quantify and measure the more intangible impacts of the creative industries and street-based culture, such as restaurants, cafés, small galleries and the music scene. The strategy action planning process will create these measurable objectives. These will allow the city to regularly gauge performance against its own targets and competitor cities, and define the contribution to the national ambition set out in Scottish Tourism: The Next Decade A Tourism Framework For Change

18 APPENDIX A Alignment TO a STEP CHANGE FOR GLASGOW Glasgow s Tourism Strategy to 2016 A step Change for Glasgow Cross Cutting THEMES STrategic THEMES PRIORITIES Build the Metropolitan Core Education at the heart of the Economy Culture of entrepreneurship Glasgow Edinburgh: collaborating to compete Leaders in strategic area regeneration Work for those without International position Image & Brand Glasgow: Scotland with style as the city region brand Service excellence centre People Tourism as first choice career Leadership development Improved partnership between education and industry INNOVATION SUSTAINABILITY COLLABORATION MARKET RESEARCH Place Seamless transport Increased accommodation capacity Wi-Fi city centre environment Reputation as cultural and leisure destination Leading conference destination Maximised potential of distinctive built environment Product Diverse events and festivals programme Retain and grow retail position Development of new visitor quarters in Merchant City and Clyde Waterfront 32 33

19 APPENDIX B GLOSSARY OF TERMS & LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS Clean Glasgow Strategy The aim of the campaign is to make Glasgow a cleaner place for people to work and everyone to visit. Crossrail The project will close the gap over the River Clyde, allowing for a host of new rail connections to be made across Strathclyde and the rest of the country. crossrail.fs-server.com Culture and Sport Glasgow Responsible for delivering cultural, leisure and outdoor recreation services in Glasgow. Discretionary Business Tourism Conference which can choose where to meet. Glasgow 21st Century Wireless City To fulfil its ambition to be a world-leader, the city must continue to be at the forefront of ICT investment, particularly in relation to the telecommunications environment. There is growing interest in wireless services and many cities are investing public money in these technologies. Glasgow City Council Glasgow s local authority. Glasgow s Leading Attractions Group of Glasgow s attractions working together to identify common goals for the delivery of an enhanced visitor experience. Glasgow City Marketing Bureau Glasgow s place marketing agency with the role to position Glasgow in key national and international markets using the brand, to create customers and promote sustainable net economic benefit. Activity comprises development and implementation of the city brand Glasgow: Scotland with style; conventions, incentives, events, meetings and exhibition sales; conference and event accommodation bookings; event creation, attraction, management and marketing; public relations; the development of the website for the city region: Glasgow Tourism Accommodation Review 2004/05 Scottish Enterprise s 2005 audit of tourism accommodation in the City of Glasgow updates earlier versions concluded in 1999 and Glasgow Tourism Strategy Steering Group The partners are: Glasgow City Council, Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, Scottish Enterprise Glasgow, Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and VisitScotland. Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS) Scottish accreditation body for tourism businesses. ICCA The International Congress & Convention Association is the global community for the meetings industry with 870 members. International Passenger Survey (IPS) A survey of a random sample of passengers entering and leaving the UK by air, sea or the Channel Tunnel. Scottish Enterprise Glasgow Glasgow s economic development agency. Strategic Major Events Forum Chaired by Glasgow City Marketing Bureau with partners Glasgow City Council, Scottish Enterprise Glasgow, Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and EventScotland. The Forum determines strategic development for major events in the city. Trongate 103 Glasgow City Council, in partnership with nine Merchant City-based visual arts organisations, is leading the development of a major visual arts centre for the city. UNESCO World Heritage Status United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, an organisation which is concerned with the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. UNWTO United Nation s World Tourism Organization is a specialised agency leading international organisation in the field of tourism. VisitScotland VisitScotland is the national tourist agency. Its core purpose is to maximise the economic benefit of tourism to Scotland. VisitScotland does this by attracting visitors to Scotland, providing strategic direction to the industry, providing information and inspiration to visitors and potential visitors, providing quality assurance to visitors and quality advice to the industry, and promoting partnerships across the wider industry. It is the statutory lead agency for leisure tourism in Glasgow. VisitScotland Quality Assurance The scheme applies to accommodation, visitor attractions and other tourism businesses, giving tourists a guide using a scale of one to five stars to indicate the overall quality of tourism experience to expect. PHOTOGRAPHY: ANDY BUCHANAN, DAVID CLERIHEW, GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL/ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS, SECC/FOSTER AND PARTNERS, NISBET/WYLIE, SIMPLE, IAN WATSON, DRS GRAPHICS/GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL, TINA NORRIS, CHRIS CLOSE, CRAIG WATSON. THE WASSAIL BY CHARLES RENNIE MACKINTOSH GLASGOW MUSEUMS 34 35

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