So, check this out: those tourist info centers you used to find all over Scotland? Yeah, they’re shutting down. Why? Because apparently, social media is stealing all their thunder.
According to News STV on Saturday (30/3/2024), all those tourist info spots under VisitScotland are closing their doors for the next two years. Seems like nobody’s been dropping by lately to ask for travel tips.
Seems like tourists coming to Scotland are all about hitting up social media to figure out where to go next. They’re booking their stays and planning their activities way before they even set foot in their destination.
Social media makes it a breeze for travelers to get all the info they need without having to talk to anyone in person. Plus, there are tons of travel gurus out there dishing out tips left and right.
Nowadays, almost two-thirds, or about 64%, of international tourists coming to Scotland are booking their trips through tour operators. Hardly anyone’s swinging by the tourist info centers to ask about cool places to check out.
“VisitScotland is going on digital strategies and hyping up all the cool attractions,” said VisitScotland.
John Lamond, the bigwig Minister for Scotland, thinks this move is a bummer. Closing down these offices is gonna leave a lot of tourists in the lurch.
“Shutting down tourist info centers is a real blow. Sure, online tourism is all the rage, but not everyone’s plugged in. Those centers from Lerwick to Dumfries make sure that tourists, especially the older folks, can get the info they need,” he said.
The Scottish tourist info centers, known as iCentres, are gonna keep chugging along as usual until the end of September. VisitScotland’s talking with local officials to figure out what’s next.
“I’m urging the Scottish Government to think about how this is gonna affect local businesses and all the visitors to areas where tourism’s a big deal,” he added.
Lord Thurso, the head honcho at VisitScotland, says that the tourism game’s changed big time in recent years. People just aren’t hitting up those info spots like they used to. But hey, they’re doubling down on online info and booking, so maybe it’s not all bad.