What is the policy/strategy/function/trying to achieve/do?

The North Lanarkshire Tourism Strategy sets out the ambitions for the tourism sector in the area and how the council can best support the industry with the many challenges it currently faces.

VisitLanarkshire, the well-established and successful area marketing brand is a partnership with South Lanarkshire will continue to deliver campaigns to increase the number of visitors from outside the area to our attractions, town centres and rural areas. Support for the industry is also delivered with VisitScotland and Business Gateway Lanarkshire.

In a non-Covid year, the tourism sector is worth £215.20 million to the North Lanarkshire economy, welcoming 1.82 million visitors and employing over 3000 people.

We have ensured our strategy is aligned with the national strategy, Scotland Outlook 2030 – responsible tourism for a sustainable future. North Lanarkshire Council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and the campaign ACT 21 has further galvanised the commitment to take realistic action to curb climate change locally.

There is a need to support the sector following long periods of closure during lockdown. Although the council administered more than £37 million in business support via the various Scottish Government Grants, this period is now over, and businesses are looking to recover and grow.

The bold vision of the national strategy for Scotland to be a world leader in 21st Century Tourism will require all areas to modernise their offering and North Lanarkshire Council will support this growth.

Our Shared Vision:

By 2026 North Lanarkshire will be a sustainable, resilient, and leading tourist destination more able to offer authentic and memorable experiences which provide value for money and are accessible to all.

​Aims:

We will build business resilience, sustainability, and profitability.

We will attract, develop, and retain a skilled, committed, diverse and valued workforce.

We will create and develop an attractive, competitive, and sustainable destination that offers authentic and memorable experiences.

Background:

Work to develop the tourism industry in Lanarkshire started with the Lanarkshire Strategic Tourism Marketing Project which came to an end in 2008 and received European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) funding. There have since been various pan-Lanarkshire tourism strategies. This will be the first North Lanarkshire Tourism Strategy, so will take a different approach to how the sector is supported with more partnership working across council services.

The legacy of this work is the VisitLanarkshire brand, website and associated social media and marketing campaigns. We will continue to market the area in partnership with South Lanarkshire because the branding is well-established and has grown over the years of campaign activity.

Tourism in North Lanarkshire was decimated by the pandemic. Visitor numbers in 2020 fell from 3.69 million visitors a year to 1.07 million visitors, a drop of over 70%. Similarly, economic impact from the sector fell from £29.48million to £7.87million, a loss of 73%. Prior to the pandemic these measures had been on an upward trajectory, and met the mission of Tourism Lanarkshire 2020, to grow tourism expenditure in Lanarkshire by 2.5% per year from 2016 to 2020.

Employment in the sector fell over this period from 3180 in 2019 to 1117 in 2020. We know that anecdotally there is currently a shortage of staff and skills shortages in key areas such as chefs and other hospitality roles.

If this is a budget saving, how will the saving be achieved?

The North Lanarkshire Tourism Strategy is not identified as a current budget saving, however, by creating synergies, bringing resources, financing and innovative ideas is expected to maximise revenue savings and generate income and capital efficiencies across the Council’s portfolio of assets and services.

If this policy is subject to the FSD what does it suggest about the impact or potential impact on socio-economic disadvantage?

As the North Lanarkshire Tourism Strategy contains a broad range of actions which span across a number of different areas, many of the actions have an indirect impact on socio-economic disadvantage but nonetheless a significant indirect impact through improving people’s life circumstances and communities of place through the creation of more resilient businesses, more tailored employment support programmes and more attractive and sustainable local tourist destinations that are value for money and accessible to all.

Give details of the impact it has on groups and individuals

The North Lanarkshire Tourism Strategic aims have the potential to benefit all North Lanarkshire residents and visitor. The stakeholders in the NL Tourism Strategy are local residents, local companies, media, employees, government, tourists, business associations, activists and tourism developers.

The Tourism Strategy Steering group has been developed in consultation with all relevant council services which contribute to the successful implementation of this strategy. This includes: Roads, Country Parks, Active and Creative Communities, Employability, Education, Development Planning, Growth Programme, Corporate Comms, and the Communities Team. We also continue to collaborate with South Lanarkshire, Visit Scotland, Business Gateway, New Collage Lanarkshire and work with Scottish Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland.

In addition, a tourism survey was administered by the Enterprise Team to invite feedback from businesses to help inform the development of the North Lanarkshire tourism strategy.

Some of the headline survey results are highlighted below:

• Top Challenges facing the industry
  • Largest was cash flow (23), then restricted reopening (21), then Not aware of trends and developments in the sector (19)

• What would address these challenges?
  • Largest was improved digital connectivity (15) funding for vehicle charging points (12) expert help to reduce energy/food waste (10)

• Most have sustainable accreditation or in-house policy
• 19 (of 34) have an accessibility statement

Age (a particular age or range of ages): People of working age. Pandemic has an impact on employment.  Older people want to use the facilities.  Young people accessing the facilities.

Disabled people and people with long-term health conditions: Disabled people will have a view on venue accessibility.  Disabled people have low employment rates. Experience poverty – cost will be a concern and access issues.

Women and men, girls and boys: Employment – certain sector jobs will be more flexible.  Women as the main carers within families.  More accessible jobs.  Single parents accessing the facilities.  Cost to single parents.

People defined by their race, colour and nationality, ethnic or national origins: Unemployment rates for BAME community are higher.  Employment opportunities and upskilling.  More likely to live in poverty.  Price reductions.  Asian and Pakistani people may experience language barriers – don’t read or write language. Promote language line.

Pregnant women and new mothers (including breastfeeding mothers): Changing facilities – Breast feeding friendly authority/facilities.  Destinations are accessible and welcoming to breast feeding mothers.

Lesbian, gay and bisexual people: Promotion material includes images of same sex partnerships and destinations are open and inclusive to same sex partnerships.

People transitioning from one gender to another: Facility access. Welcoming and understanding and gender-neutral facilities.  Training of staff to ensure greater understanding and combat potential prejudice.

People of different religions or beliefs or non-beliefs: Dietary requirements. Wearing face coverings. Halal and kosher options. Understanding.

Other Groups:

Children and families: Making sure that the venues meet the needs of different families.

Homeless people: Potentially negative impact. Difficulty accessing through a booking system.

Library facilities may offer a refuge.

Care leavers: Employment opportunities – access to employment

Carers – paid / unpaid, family members: Carers who assist and support older people, individuals with long-term conditions will have a few on affordability access, transport links.

Asylum seekers: May have a view on facilities that are free.

Employees – full and part time. Including SES, MAs etc: Link to MA’s access to opportunities with the tourism sector.

What actions/measures will be put in place or are planned to mitigate any adverse impact or promote equality?

Age (a particular age or range of ages): Office for National Statistics (ONS) statistics show that the distribution of tourism workers is fairly even through the age groups, although there is a higher proportion of workers between 16-29 years old.

Disabled people and people with long-term health conditions: Include details of accessibility statement.

Employees – full and part-time. Including SES, MAs etc: The Culture and Business Fund Scotland (CBFS) is designed to support business sustainability following C-19, including the retention of employees.

What is the result/recommendations of the EqIA?

Introduce the policy.