FAIR WORK AND THE FUTURE OF TOURISM

Resilience, recovery, renewal – no matter which way we look at it, it is clear that the future of tourism is going to be very different. Not just here in the Highlands and Islands, but worldwide.

And perhaps most significantly, the future is already being viewed very differently in the minds of employees or potential employees. Issues such as an employer’s approach to wellbeing or sustainability are now front of mind – and soon the concept and principles of fair work will be equally important to many. Indeed, faced with having to employ an increasingly local workforce, and a multi-generational workforce in many rural areas, tourism businesses which commit to a fair work ethic will be the ones best positioned to succeed and prosper in the future.

And, yes, we recognise this is a big ask in difficult times – but it’s being done for good reason. We believe that implementing the principles of fair work will not only improve opportunities and your bottom line, but it will also help to improve the reputation of the tourism sector on a local and international basis, which in turn will help to attract more visitors to our area and improve economic growth.