Travel industry reacts to Scotland’s no vote

As Scotland voted ‘no’ to independence, the travel industry has expressed its views on what the vote means to the tourism and hospitality industries.

Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association (SPAA) – SPAA president Jimmy Martin: ‘Now that the will of the Scottish people has been made known, we look forward to hearing which additional policies will be devolved from Westminster to Holyrood, and whether any of these will have the potential to impact our industry. Although it seems likely it will be ‘business as usual’, our political lobbying work will continue unabated.”

UKinbound – Chief executive, Deirdre Wells: ‘We are delighted that after a period of some uncertainty, Scotland has voted to remain part of the UK. While global attention on Scotland in recent weeks has understandably focused on the issues surrounding the referendum, now is the time to remember that as an international tourism destination, Scotland has and will continue to have, extraordinary appeal and enormous potential for growth in the future, thanks to its unique combination of incredible scenery, fascinating heritage, burgeoning cultural scene and friendly people.’

British Hospitality Association (BHA) – William Macleod, executive director, Scotland: ‘Tourism and hospitality are almost unique in their capacity to build international cultural understanding. What’s important now is that tourism is given every support to succeed, grow and compete internationally. The Scottish hospitality industry welcomes the clarity which follows the referendum vote that Scotland is to remain part of the United Kingdom. Hospitality and tourism are vitally important to the Scottish economy with some 15% of the population working in the industry.’

Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) – ‘Today’s ‘No’ vote brings to a close a protracted period of uncertainty, and means that travel companies and their customers can continue with the current regulatory and business systems. Some of the travel issues raised during the independence debate, such as Air Passenger Duty and consumer protection, remain live issues, and ABTA will continue to engage with these on behalf of its members in Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom.’

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