More than half of visitor attractions in Scotland struggle to recruit new staff

An organisation representing Scotland’s visitor attractions has launched a campaign to boost recruitment as a survey revealed more than half are having trouble finding new staff.

The Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions (ASVA) said 55% of the 850-plus tourist destinations in Scotland experienced challenges recruiting staff last month.

The body has warned the recruitment difficulties were not only limiting attractions’ performance but also their post-pandemic recovery, and it has now launched a recruitment drive to get more people working in the sector.

Gordon Morrison, ASVA’s chief executive, said the sector provided more than 17,000 jobs and there was a “huge range of exciting roles available in every corner of the country”.

“The range of fantastic job opportunities within our sector is unparalleled and, for those who want it, there is a hugely enjoyable and fulfilling career to be had working in some of Scotland’s most iconic, awe-inspiring venues, locations, and world-class experiences,” he said.

The attractions sector is a major contributor to the Scottish tourism economy, and in 2019 there were more than 65 million visitors to Scottish attractions.

Heritage tourism alone is estimated to be worth £1.8 billion to the Scottish economy.

As part of the recruitment drive, the ASVA has produced a short film which features footage from a range of its member organisations and attractions including Historic Environment Scotland, The National Trust for Scotland, and Belhaven Brewery.

The video features attractions staff speaking about what it is like to work in the sector, and the range of roles it offers.

Mr Morrison said: “A common misconception is that working in tourism is a job, not a career. We hope this video goes some way to dispelling this.”

The ASVA said it was also working with partners, such as the Department for Work and Pensions, to support recruitment in the attractions sector.

As part of its campaign, the video will be shared with academic institutions to ensure the sector is highlighted to students and alumni, ASVA said.