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August 19, 2004
Inverness airport: need for cheap flights
According to a Salmond/Sturgeon press release from Inverness about the need for low cost flights to Scotland, 10 August 2004:
"Mr McConnell owns Inverness airport. He has been warned repeatedly that the charges are putting off low cost airlines. Ryanair wanted to fly to and from Inverness but Highlands and Islands Airport Ltd could not or would not come to an agreement. Now, Ryanair and other low cost airlines are flying to and from the European accession states like Latvia. People who should be coming to the Highlands are instead visiting Riga and other European cities. The drop in tourist numbers is a devastating blow. The Labour/ Liberal Executive has been in power since 1999. They have had the power to act but have done nothing to secure the tourist industry in the Highlands and Islands.
We should be an all the year tourist destination but it is expensive and becoming more inaccessible than anywhere else in Europe. In our joint manifesto we made it clear that we are committed to a New Age of Improvement for Scotland's infrastructure and will through the Scottish Trust for Public Investment buy out the PFI and make Inverness airport work in the interests of the people of the Highlands and Islands." Alex Salmond
"Tourism is the largest industry in the Highlands. The drop in visitor numbers will impact on the whole economy. We know that the Highlands and Islands are unique, with scenery unsurpassed anywhere in the world. It should not be marketed just to those who are rich enough to fly in their own jets. We need to attract the low cost carriers because that in turn will mean more money for the guest houses, bed and breakfast houses, the shops and tourist attractions. And of course, having low costs routes gives greater opportunities for the people who live in the Highlands and islands who will find their own travel horizons opened up. If action is not taken now tourism in the Highlands and Islands will wither on the vine and our fragile tourist industry and economy will go with it." Nicola Sturgeon
Statistics:
Visits to Scotland fell in the first quarter of this year to 191,000 from 195,000 in the same period last year. The biggest drop was in visitors from EU countries who fell from 82,000 to 68, 000. US visitors (biggest overseas market for Scotland) fell from 58,000 to 55,000. Everywhere else in Britain had an increase from the first quarter of 2004 compared to first quarter of 2003. Wales increased from 86,000 to 110,000. England increased from 708,000 to 796,000.
Source: www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=1905&More=N
My comment:
There is nothing much for me to add to that. Mr McConnell and the tourism people have some explaining to do. The figures are pretty damning. And it's not just Inverness Airport that needs to be opened up to the budget airlines. It's not possible to buy reasonably priced tickets from most places in Europe to Edinburgh either.
Posted by Simon Holledge at August 19, 2004 07:01 PM