Perthshire has been left in dismay following the closure of its last remaining tourist information hubs, leaving the county without any facilities to cater to visitors. VisitScotland shut down the Perth High Street office and the Pitlochry centre at the end of September as part of a wider decision made in March to close the iCentre network across the country. Prior to the pandemic, tourist information centres in Aberfeldy, Dunkeld, and Blairgowrie had also closed.
Other VisitScotland offices that have either closed or are scheduled to close include locations in Dumfries, St Andrews, Stirling, Aberfoyle, Ullapool, Aberdeen, and Edinburgh. The Perth office employed three core staff members who were given the option of voluntary redundancy or redeployment within the organization. This move has faced criticism, with locals expressing their disappointment on social media platforms.
Sue Macnab expressed her frustration, saying, “Absolutely ridiculous decision. Not all tourists want to rely on their phones using up their data.” While Eric Gordon added, “Very sad to see another High Street casualty, VisitScotland is closing all its remaining visitor centres.” In response to the backlash, a VisitScotland spokesperson defended the decision, stating that most visitors plan their holidays beforehand using online sources or travel agents. They emphasized the need to reach visitors at an earlier stage of holiday planning to influence their travel decisions.
VisitScotland highlighted social media and local businesses as alternative sources for tourist information, indicating that they will focus on inspiring visitors through their online platforms such as social media accounts and visitscotland.com. Although there are no longer any VisitScotland-operated information centres in Perthshire, the organization acknowledged that many local businesses and attractions in the area provide guidance to visitors, and information can be accessed through their website.
The closure of the tourist information hubs has sparked concerns about the impact on tourism in Perthshire and the ability to provide essential information and support to visitors. Despite this, VisitScotland remains committed to working with partners, industry stakeholders, and businesses to promote Scotland as a year-round tourism destination. As the tourism landscape evolves, the emphasis is shifting towards digital channels for disseminating information and inspiring travel planning.