Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 21 June 2012
21 Jun 2012 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Visitor Economy
I will now take my friend and colleague Fiona McLeod to the real outdoors of Aberdeenshire West.
I begin by thanking the minister for not dipping into my constituency in his opening speech. I know that he is probably waiting in anticipation for a tour round my constituency, as happened in our previous debate on the subject. I think that he put on a “Brave” face about not being at the opening of the film in Hollywood. I am sure that his daughter, little four-year-old Natasha, will protect him during the scary bits when he goes to see it in Inverness.
I will now take members to my constituency. I was fortunate to be at Balmoral—that is, the real Balmoral, and Balmoral castle—when the Olympic torch went through my constituency. It was a wonderful event and the weather was kind to us. We went from Balmoral to Ballater, from Ballater to Aboyne, from Aboyne to Kincardine O’Neil, and from Kincardine O’Neil to Banchory. The streets were lined with people waving their saltires. There were a few union jacks, I must confess, but there you go. It was patriotic and well attended and it was a wonderful occasion.
Let me take members to my constituency and what it has for people to enjoy in the great outdoors. In and around my constituency, we have about 34 Munros. We have visitor centres throughout, including a wonderful one in Oyne, at the foot of Bennachie. We have the fantastic mountain bike trail at Pitfichie—that is another wonderful name in my constituency—near Monymusk. People who want to visit woodlands can go to Durris, where there are wonderful woods and forests and people can go mountain biking and rambling or even do some small-hill walking.
My constituency is awash with tourist attractions. We have royal Deeside, with fantastic salmon and sea trout fishing, which is very good this year. I tell anglers who might wish to visit the constituency of Aberdeenshire West that people are making fantastic catches on Deeside. We have Strathdon, which is not to be outshone by its royal Deeside neighbour. It has lots to offer, such as forest walks, hill walks and fantastic scenery. The area is awash with outdoor activity.
We have stone circles from Banchory to Tarland, Aboyne and Echt—people can go round my constituency to see them. We are famous for the battle in which Macbeth was fatally wounded in 1057, at Lumphanan. He bore no resemblance to Shakespeare’s Macbeth—it was the true Macbeth at the battle in 1057.
The Scotch Whisky Association is celebrating its centenary, and I was a guest at its centenary party in Edinburgh. To those who think that the whisky trade is just for the purist, I say that whisky cocktails have been introduced. My hand was shaking and the glass was full of ice and I am not a whisky drinker, but people told me that I would enjoy it: enjoy it, I did. I was advised at that event that, to celebrate the Queen’s jubilee, Royal Lochnagar distillery—in my constituency at Balmoral—has produced 60 bottles of whisky that are priced at £100,000 each. I am sure that the Queen was gifted one to celebrate her royal jubilee.
My constituency has many attractions in the great outdoors. We have camping and caravan sites. I urge everyone in the chamber to think about getting in touch with their MPs and with the Chancellor of the Exchequer to ask that VAT be brought down to 5 per cent for the tourism industry. We in Scotland need that. We need to inject money into and to support our tourism sector. The chancellor missed a great opportunity to inject investment into the economy.
Presiding Officer, I have taken you round some—but not all—of my constituency. If you are interested, I would be delighted to take you round my constituency any time.
I urge members to look at what is going on in my constituency in the summer—in particular, to look at the Echt show. The new Echt show song is a version of Take That’s song “The Flood”. I sincerely hope that the weather does not match the song and that the young farmers’ intentions are achieved. The Echt show song has had 13,500 hits, and I encourage members to view it on YouTube and to encourage others to view it, so that it is a much bigger YouTube top hit.
I begin by thanking the minister for not dipping into my constituency in his opening speech. I know that he is probably waiting in anticipation for a tour round my constituency, as happened in our previous debate on the subject. I think that he put on a “Brave” face about not being at the opening of the film in Hollywood. I am sure that his daughter, little four-year-old Natasha, will protect him during the scary bits when he goes to see it in Inverness.
I will now take members to my constituency. I was fortunate to be at Balmoral—that is, the real Balmoral, and Balmoral castle—when the Olympic torch went through my constituency. It was a wonderful event and the weather was kind to us. We went from Balmoral to Ballater, from Ballater to Aboyne, from Aboyne to Kincardine O’Neil, and from Kincardine O’Neil to Banchory. The streets were lined with people waving their saltires. There were a few union jacks, I must confess, but there you go. It was patriotic and well attended and it was a wonderful occasion.
Let me take members to my constituency and what it has for people to enjoy in the great outdoors. In and around my constituency, we have about 34 Munros. We have visitor centres throughout, including a wonderful one in Oyne, at the foot of Bennachie. We have the fantastic mountain bike trail at Pitfichie—that is another wonderful name in my constituency—near Monymusk. People who want to visit woodlands can go to Durris, where there are wonderful woods and forests and people can go mountain biking and rambling or even do some small-hill walking.
My constituency is awash with tourist attractions. We have royal Deeside, with fantastic salmon and sea trout fishing, which is very good this year. I tell anglers who might wish to visit the constituency of Aberdeenshire West that people are making fantastic catches on Deeside. We have Strathdon, which is not to be outshone by its royal Deeside neighbour. It has lots to offer, such as forest walks, hill walks and fantastic scenery. The area is awash with outdoor activity.
We have stone circles from Banchory to Tarland, Aboyne and Echt—people can go round my constituency to see them. We are famous for the battle in which Macbeth was fatally wounded in 1057, at Lumphanan. He bore no resemblance to Shakespeare’s Macbeth—it was the true Macbeth at the battle in 1057.
The Scotch Whisky Association is celebrating its centenary, and I was a guest at its centenary party in Edinburgh. To those who think that the whisky trade is just for the purist, I say that whisky cocktails have been introduced. My hand was shaking and the glass was full of ice and I am not a whisky drinker, but people told me that I would enjoy it: enjoy it, I did. I was advised at that event that, to celebrate the Queen’s jubilee, Royal Lochnagar distillery—in my constituency at Balmoral—has produced 60 bottles of whisky that are priced at £100,000 each. I am sure that the Queen was gifted one to celebrate her royal jubilee.
My constituency has many attractions in the great outdoors. We have camping and caravan sites. I urge everyone in the chamber to think about getting in touch with their MPs and with the Chancellor of the Exchequer to ask that VAT be brought down to 5 per cent for the tourism industry. We in Scotland need that. We need to inject money into and to support our tourism sector. The chancellor missed a great opportunity to inject investment into the economy.
Presiding Officer, I have taken you round some—but not all—of my constituency. If you are interested, I would be delighted to take you round my constituency any time.
I urge members to look at what is going on in my constituency in the summer—in particular, to look at the Echt show. The new Echt show song is a version of Take That’s song “The Flood”. I sincerely hope that the weather does not match the song and that the young farmers’ intentions are achieved. The Echt show song has had 13,500 hits, and I encourage members to view it on YouTube and to encourage others to view it, so that it is a much bigger YouTube top hit.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick)
NPA
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-03400, in the name of Fergus Ewing, on growing the visitor economy.15:13
The Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism (Fergus Ewing)
SNP
It is only 15 weeks since we last debated tourism in the chamber. As the minister with responsibility for tourism, I am delighted to be in a position so soon...
David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Lab
I was going to say that I have been invited and that I would be happy to give my ticket to the minister in the event that he is not invited personally.
Fergus Ewing
SNP
There is universal generosity and courtesy. Of course, I hope that Mary Scanlon will also be able to attend. The First Minister yesterday said that my four-y...
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
He is behind you.
Fergus Ewing
SNP
Excellent. I welcome him and thank him and all his colleagues on the tourism leadership group for their work on the strategy. The strategy was not devised in...
Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Lab
I pay tribute to the tourism leadership group’s work and its report, “Tourism Scotland 2020: The future of our industry, in our hands”.I will talk about a nu...
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
I, too, welcome the increase in tourism business that the minister outlined. I share other members’ views on the Olympic torch relay, which has undoubtedly b...
John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP)
SNP
The member makes an important point about Scottish products being available in our hotels. I have sometimes been in hotels in which there has been a disappoi...
Mary Scanlon
Con
I discovered this Dark Island ale, which looked like a pint of Guinness to me, but I am told on good authority that it is well worth trying.On the point abou...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith)
Lab
We move to the open debate and I ask for speeches of six minutes.15:43
Chic Brodie (South Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
As a member of the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee, I am delighted to speak in this debate, particularly as it comes on the back of yesterday’s announc...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
I ask the member to draw to a close, please.
Chic Brodie
SNP
I am just about to finish.Scotland is a brand. Brands that have stories have meaning, and brands that have meaning have impact and resonance. Our tourism ind...
Margaret McCulloch (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
From the Falkirk wheel to Lanarkshire’s great country parks, there is a wide range of premier visitor attractions in my Central Scotland region, which I am o...
Kevin Stewart (Aberdeen Central) (SNP)
SNP
Will the member give way on that point?
Margaret McCulloch
Lab
No. I am tight for time. I am sorry. I will cover that point next.The performance of our ground and air transport is vital to our competitiveness as a destin...
Fiona McLeod (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP)
SNP
I join the minister in welcoming the work that the Scottish Tourism Alliance has published in the past week, which was encouraging for me to read because the...
Mary Scanlon
Con
I, too, have been reading briefings. I remind the member that Glasgow is the UK’s second-top retail destination.
Fiona McLeod
SNP
My credit card will attest to that, no problem.As I was saying, Strathkelvin and Bearsden is just next door to the fantastic city of Glasgow. In fact, Strath...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Thank you. There is an invitation for everyone.16:02
Dennis Robertson (Aberdeenshire West) (SNP)
SNP
I will now take my friend and colleague Fiona McLeod to the real outdoors of Aberdeenshire West.I begin by thanking the minister for not dipping into my cons...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott)
Con
I thank Mr Robertson for the kind invitation to visit his constituency this summer, which I may or may not take up. Nonetheless, I am sure that his constitue...
Hanzala Malik (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
I welcome the opportunity to take part in the debate, because tourism is a key part of the Scottish economy, as many members have said. A vibrant and thrivin...
Dennis Robertson
SNP
I encourage Hanzala Malik to enjoy the taste of Grampian festival when he visits my constituency.
Hanzala Malik
Lab
Dennis Robertson is going to get me into trouble with my imams.United Kingdom Border Agency immigration clearance officers have not been helpful with visa ap...
Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee City West) (SNP)
SNP
I think that all members in the chamber agree about the importance of tourism and treating our tourist guests with respect. Does Hanzala Malik believe that i...
Hanzala Malik
Lab
Again, a member is trying to get me into trouble.The issue is the policy on immigration rather than who makes the decisions. Tourism is important for us beca...
Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee City West) (SNP)
SNP
It is a privilege to take part in the debate, and it has been great to hear examples of Scotland’s offer for tourists.The figures released by VisitScotland c...
Kevin Stewart
SNP
If a son of Dundee offered £50 million for a project that was backed by the majority of Dundonians, what does the member think Dundee City Council’s reaction...