VERY belatedly, I would like to write in full support of Iain Stuart's letter of May 8.
In Fort Augustus, which I visited on April 13, the tourist office was closed and derelict. The town was teeming with visitors and I helped two of these to find it. The large brown sign still pointed to the place that I remembered but it was not there and on closer inspection, the building was derelict and looked as though the bailiffs had done their worst. A tiny handwritten notice, low down in the window, explained that it would move to a new site – details not given – probably in June. This was not of much help to visitors in April. Surely such a move could have been arranged during the winter period.
I was saddened to read Mr Stuart's list of closed offices, as I have in the past used all those he mentions and had excellent service backed up by enthusiasm and good local knowledge. Both of these qualities are not always evident now in the offices that do remain open. Some staff seem to be demotivated, feeling that they "are only shop assistants". Others clearly have no local knowledge and can only say "The computer says there is a bus from the train station". As that particular inquiry related to Falkirk, which has three railway stations, the information was not much help to the German visitors and I decided to intervene. They were most grateful and,to my surprise, the assistant was grateful too, saying: "I didn't know about that". It was not her fault, but that of the managers of VisitScotland, who failed to make sure that she had been properly trained. The internet can be useful in outline planning of a tour but it cannot replace local know-how and it certainly does not convey enthusiasm.
At a time when Scotland is attracting visitors in record numbers, it would seem that VisitScotland is not always providing the service required and perhaps it is time to consider reverting to local control of the network of tourist offices.
Brian Patton,
28 Foulden Bastle Holdings, Foulden, Berwickshire.
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