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View Full Version : County lady scoops Scotland.



horseman
28-Oct-07, 12:10
B/B owner Joan Campbell has nabbed the number one award in Scotland, the silver thistle no less, real biggie,for tourism an all round Scottish awareness,what a lovely plus for the area
Publicies what we all know-Caithness is a
lovely place to be.
Congrats to the lady an her staff an may they keep it up.

bekisman
28-Oct-07, 12:42
Congrats to Joan, on her award and her retirement - well deserved.

It's a pity that VisitScotland (VS) - the 'governing body' for accommodation providers - cannot give the same excellence.
In the Highland area in 2001 there were 1,057 Members who ran B & B's, Guesthouses, Hotels who belonged to VS.
In 2003 there were 950 members, in 2005 there were 755 and this year there are trifling 665.
That is terrible. In actual fact there are more accommodation providers now, so it is not the lack of providers but the high cost of being part of VisitScotland which effects the smaller property, along with the 10% of each booking being passed to VS.
Until a very through shake up this diminishing return will continue.

thebigman
28-Oct-07, 12:50
Good result for Joan even if B & B is in Sutherland not Caithness.

pat
28-Oct-07, 13:17
Congratulations. to Campbell family
I run a 4*B&B - only use Visit Scotland to inspect and grade property and services, definitely not to advertise or booking referral.
Cost me around £170 to get inspected this year. It would have been around another £170 plus 10% of every booking referred by VS if I had taken out the advertisement part, which is with the local Visit Scotland not the inspection and grading section.
I would not touch my local VS with a barge pole - not living in Caithness/Sutherland
I advertise by word of mouth and internet, do not have my own web site! - more than happy with guests, mainly have repeat guests or details passed by happy guests or researched well on the internet.
If you are a B&B owner get graded and do your own advertising.
The grading is fairly expensive, stars are an indication of the quality of establishment, letting guests know of standard - no need for much advertising unless you wish to be full all year round.
I certainly would object to paying 10% of all referrals - a set fee yes, a set fee + 10% of referrals is a hefty price before you start earning.