It’s a seafood and sunset kind of night 🌅 🦞 🌅🦞

Visitors booking into Inverness hotels have dropped by more than 9,500 in the last year. It is feared further reductions could come as a result of the planned #visitorlevy, which would increase room prices: pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/invern…

Fiona is talking about the significant challenges facing our sector from STL licensing to the FHL Abolition and Visitor Levy.

Business tell FM cut regulations, speed up planning, work with Starmer👇 heraldscotland.com/news/24558102.…

The The City of Edinburgh Council City Council would like to know YOUR views on its Short Term Lets Licensing scheme – Click below to view their consultation & let then know what you think before it closes on 14 October 2024: consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/sfc/short-term…

This is gloomy news on softening of domestic market and “rebound” in outbound holidays in 2023 vs 2022. UK must focus on competitiveness! We have a brilliant product but high taxes and upward cost pressures - and our domestic guests have less discretionary spending power

Not the time to be planning any new taxes on top of all the existing ones which are already suppressing growth in our visitor economy #VisitorLevy

“Visitors already face a cumulative cost burden.. directly impacting our competitiveness as a destination. With an evident decline in domestic visitors, we are acutely aware of reaching a price tipping point that our int’l visitors might also be unwilling to pay” - Very true!:

‘Price sensitivity is a critical factor for many tourists, particularly in relation to our domestic market. Implementing the tax could risk alienating a portion of the market that is already grappling with affordability issues.’ heraldscotland.com/news/24566142.…

Are you a Member, Patron or Supporter of the STA? A reminder that registration is open for this month’s AGM and Networking event on Tuesday 24th September 2024, 10am-12pm, at Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium. Register here👉tinyurl.com/mt6y9tw2 We hope to see you there👋

“A proposed charge for motorhome users heading to [Skye] is gathering support, with number plate recognition believed to be the key to introducing the fee” The Scotsman Only fair to charge high-impact motorhomes, not just low-impact B&Bs & cottages scotsman.com/news/scottish-…

We call on The Highland Council to reassure accom businesses across the Highlands that the level of #VisitorLevy they are considering will not be as high as Edinburgh’s 5% (ie 25% tax inc VAT). They must quickly confirm that the damaging rumours of a 12% VL (ie 32% tax) are untrue

“If Scottish Government doesn’t have a clear understanding of which policies are effective, it cannot make informed decisions about which ones to keep and which ones to cut”- Fraser of Allander Institute There’s an “implementation gap” between policy & reality- Our Scottish Future thetimes.com/article/d2e96a…

Govt policies on business should be evidence-based & workable. We, ASSC News & other small business reps have spent years trying to help Scottish Government achieve policy effectiveness thru making its laws workable in practice. Sadly we have not been listened to on #STLL & now on #VL

Was your business badly affected by the pandemic? Did you receive timely & sufficient help & support from your Council, Scottish Government and GOV.UK ? Make YOUR views known by completing the survey below now:

If you are a B&B, guesthouse or self-catering business in Edinburgh, how have you found the STL Licensing process for your business? Do tell The City of Edinburgh Council at the link below what YOU think:

The Scottish Government botched STL licensing scheme found to be illegal in Edinburgh for a 3rd time. Hundreds of businesses saved from shutdown by the ASSC News . Kate Forbes MSP needs to stop the economic damage being wreaked across 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 B&Bs and Self Catering.

It’s deeply shocking that it has taken a trade association & grouping of small businesses to show that the Council of our capital city has an illegal policy: and not only once, but three times

"We're looking forward to seeing an even greater number of visitors this year with a huge influx of visitors to Scotland, drawn by the delights of whisky." 🥃 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 At our annual Spirit of Scotland showcase, we spoke to Marc Crothall MBE, Chief Executive at ST Alliance, about the ties