A Difference Of Interpretation? A content analysis of the ‘Evidence’ of the Scottish Area Tourism Board Review, 2002-2004

Abstract

The Scottish Area Tourism Board (ATB) Review, 2002-2004, based upon submitted‘evidence’, found in favour of the dissolution of the ATBs. Upon their dissolutionautonomous local tourism groups have emerged and, further, two Area TourismPartnerships (ATPs) have proposed the formation of membership based Areaorganisations. This suggests that the current structure of Scottish tourism is dysfunctionaland invites the question of what constitutes an effective structure? What issues need to beconsidered? The ATB Review invited responses from the tourism industry to the questionof whether there was a need to change the existing ATB structure and what might thesechanges be. These responses have been published by the Scottish Executive, as a series of“Annexes” which include ‘summaries’ of each of the 322 responses. These summariesprovide insight into the issues of concern and their significance.The aim of this paper is to establish the issues that need to be considered when examiningthe structure and dynamics of the Scottish tourism industry by examining the issues raisedin the ‘evidence’ contained within the “Annexes” listed in the Scottish Government’sanalysis of responses to their ‘Call for Evidence’ on the Review of ATBs? A simplecontent analysis has been used to identify the issues and their significance, bothgeographically and by respondent type. The findings have been compared with thosepresented in these “Annexes”. It is suggested that there is an alternative interpretation ofthe evidence. This interpretation disagrees with several of the points raised in the Annexes.The content analysis reveals that two thirds of respondents were in support of the retentionof the ATBs, with only one sixth of respondents in favour of their dissolution. The issuesraised by the respondents were diverse, but a basic frequency analysis reveals the threemain concerns. The most important of which was the need to improve ATB funding. Thesecond highlighted the necessity to improve ATB relations with other organisations (e.g.other ATBs, VisitScotland and Scottish Enterprise), while the third emphasised theimportance of Local Authority involvement