Abstract
This research explores recent, current and future challenges and opportunities facing accommodation businesses, a sector which has a vital role to play in the economic and social vibrancy of many rural and island communities across Scotland. The research provides a picture of the recent ‘real life experiences’ of these businesses in a period which has seen the UK leave the EU, the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis, in addition to other legislative and policy developments.
The NISRIE team undertook in-depth, online qualitative interviews with a number of owners/managers from accommodation businesses in rural and island communities, and individuals from business representative organisations from the tourism sector. The sample included a range of ownership structures and business types in a geographical spread of locations across rural and island Scotland.
On the basis of the evidence gathered from the interviews, we suggest the following issues be considered by policymakers seeking to support businesses across rural and island communities in Scotland:
Improving the recruitment and retention of skilled labour.
Addressing the long-standing issue of a shortage of housing supply and its unaffordability.
Ensuring reliable, good quality transport infrastructure (public and private, on land, sea and by air) and digital connectivity.
Improving understanding of the circumstances, challenges and opportunities of rural and island businesses.
Engaging rural and island accommodation businesses in designing new legislation and policies from the outset and on a continuous basis is critical to achieving their buy-in.
Ensuring policies and legislation are much more joined-up to ensure clarity and reduce complexity for businesses.
Supporting businesses to achieve greater environmental sustainability and to demonstrate their ‘green’ credentials.
Ensuring policies and legislation, where possible, are flexible enough to recognise different circumstances.
Monitoring the ongoing impacts of the cost of living crisis, including higher energy prices, for businesses.
Facilitating the growth of new tourism activities, including health and wellbeing type experiences, and of the sustainable growth of local economies, including through the community wealth building or circular economy legislation.
Recognising the role of rural and island businesses in their wider communities, beyond simply creating income and jobs and encouraging supportive business networks to form.
The NISRIE team undertook in-depth, online qualitative interviews with a number of owners/managers from accommodation businesses in rural and island communities, and individuals from business representative organisations from the tourism sector. The sample included a range of ownership structures and business types in a geographical spread of locations across rural and island Scotland.
On the basis of the evidence gathered from the interviews, we suggest the following issues be considered by policymakers seeking to support businesses across rural and island communities in Scotland:
Improving the recruitment and retention of skilled labour.
Addressing the long-standing issue of a shortage of housing supply and its unaffordability.
Ensuring reliable, good quality transport infrastructure (public and private, on land, sea and by air) and digital connectivity.
Improving understanding of the circumstances, challenges and opportunities of rural and island businesses.
Engaging rural and island accommodation businesses in designing new legislation and policies from the outset and on a continuous basis is critical to achieving their buy-in.
Ensuring policies and legislation are much more joined-up to ensure clarity and reduce complexity for businesses.
Supporting businesses to achieve greater environmental sustainability and to demonstrate their ‘green’ credentials.
Ensuring policies and legislation, where possible, are flexible enough to recognise different circumstances.
Monitoring the ongoing impacts of the cost of living crisis, including higher energy prices, for businesses.
Facilitating the growth of new tourism activities, including health and wellbeing type experiences, and of the sustainable growth of local economies, including through the community wealth building or circular economy legislation.
Recognising the role of rural and island businesses in their wider communities, beyond simply creating income and jobs and encouraging supportive business networks to form.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) |
| Commissioning body | Scottish Government |
| Number of pages | 34 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Print publication - 26 Oct 2023 |
