Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Scottish Labour Manifesto

Available both to be read in chapters online or as a PDF the Scottish Labour Manifesto it's now online whichever way you chose to read it.

A small section specifically on tourism with the revisitation of Visitscotland.com and the insistence that it will be revamped with the ability to book online! Scottish Enterprise will also be stripped of tourism responsibilities and VS given the lead responsibility.

The following is lifted from the chapters on tourism and culture.

Tourism
Tourism is both a cornerstone of Scotland’s economy and a huge opportunity for growth and development in Scotland’s future. We must not allow tough economic times to halt the pace of progress. 

Scottish Labour will therefore boost the voice of the tourism industry. To do this, we will reduce the duplication between Scottish Enterprise and Visit Scotland, making Visit Scotland the lead organisation on tourism development. We also need to ensure the tourism sector uses the resources that are available to it to best effect and this will include improving the functionality of the visitscotland.com website, so that it can take bookings.

Many visitors to Scotland come for big events, like the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, but do not always take advantage of the opportunities to see more of Scotland whilst they are here. That is why VisitScotland and EventScotland will be tasked with delivering a ‘See More of Scotland’ campaign for event visitors.

To encourage growth in the sector, we will ensure that our cultural strategies – particularly those designed to promote Scotland’s galleries and museums – are fully integrated into transport and tourism strategies.

"From Burns in the 18th century, to T in the Park today, Scotland’s cultural life is world-renowned. The talent of Scottish artists continues to shape the world around us But it is perhaps the most difficult period in our recent history to argue the case for investment in art and culture. But Labour believes that culture matters.

"Scottish Labour believes that we need strong leadership in this area more than ever as we pass through the difficult times. Not only has the accessibility of arts, music and culture defined our nation’s heritage and culture, it has enhanced the quality of our lives. Scotland has a strong and proud track record as a nation of creative talent and we must capitalise on this potential to become world leaders in the creative industries.

"Scotland’s capacity for creative innovation is our ticket to economic growth. Investment in the creativity of our people is an investment in our future prosperity. And the vanguards of our heritage – from the Mining Museum in East Lothian to the National Museums and Galleries throughout Scotland – are key to  boosting our tourism industry and attracting increasing numbers of visitors to Scotland.

"Our approach will be rigorous, from widening access to music tuition for our youngest citizens, to providing support for the creative industries at the highest level. We will nurture the creativity of Scotland to benefit all of our people."
Iain Gray, Scottish Labour Leader
Our promises to Scotland
  • Deliver new jobs in the cultural sector by investing in the creative industries, with a Scottish Film Champion to promote collaboration between drama and film and drive forward new thinking as a first step
  • Deliver Scotland’s first joined-up music policy, ensuring that music is central to the school curriculum and delivering a new musical instrument fund for schools
  • Modernise library services to expand the provision of superfast broadband and e-book lending
  • Promote the widest possible access to the arts, by working to protect free admission to galleries and museums
  • Protect the international development budget and deliver support for development education

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