This week came further issues for the MV Lochnevis and MV Finlaggan, bringing more cancellations. Rob McKinnon, chief executive of Outer Hebrides Tourism, said while the return of the MV Loch Seaforth was welcome, the islands have been hit hard by regular under-provision and he has written a letter to Transport Minister Graeme Dey calling for action. He said: “With a month-long 20% reduction in capacity, the damage is not limited to the tourism sector, with empty supermarket shelves, chaos for hauliers and islanders being unable to travel. “CalMac have had no option but to prioritise island traffic and freight, meaning tourism is particularly badly hit with space for visitors reduced by 30-40%.”
SCOTTISH tourism leaders have said bookings cancellations because of ferry disruption is costing individual businesses tens of thousands of pounds as a further wave of service call-offs has placed more pressure on the sector’s summer reopening. It comes alongside a warning that inadequate ferry provision is set to cause more businesses to fail as the start of the much-anticipated tourist season already looks to be a washout with the CalMac fleet still struggling to cope minus its largest vessel, the MV Loch Seaforth, which has been under repair for a month. It is claimed this has “left freight service in tatters and supply shortages across the islands”.
The Isle of Harris has launched a responsible tourism campaign as travel restrictions ease. Two community land trusts in Harris – the North Harris Trust and West Harris Trust – in partnership with the local tourism organisation Outer Hebrides Tourism, have been working hard in preparation for the anticipated staycation boom . While tourism bodies and operators are very keen to welcome visitors back once again, they also recognise the importance of striking a balance between visitors enjoying the best of the islands “whilst at the same time holidaying in harmony with the local environment and local communities”. A visitor management plan for Harris funded by NatureScot, including comprehensive consultation with the local community and tourism industry representatives, highlighted five key areas of concern. Part of this work was to then develop a consumer-facing campaign that could communicate these core messages out to visitors, both in planning for their trip an