THESCOTTISH Tourist Board is streamlining its internal structure in an effort to improve its performance and prepare for the new Scottish parliament.
The number of departments is being cut from eight to seven. The marketing and convention arms are being merged, as are the finance and planning operations. However, a new competitiveness department will gather and interpret market intelligence and make sure Scotland is competing effectively against rival destinations.
The external communications department is being strengthened, with the aim of forging links with the 129 members of the Scottish Parliament, their staff and the lobbyists surrounding them.
Chief executive Tom Buncle said the changes were based on an internal review that the STB carries out every five years. “This will make us fit to face the future,” he said. “We recognised there were things we needed to do – and do more of – in order to do better. Tourism will have a higher profile under the Scottish parliament, because it is so important to the economy.”
Two senior executives, finance director George Inglis and planning and development director Gordon Adams, have taken early retirement. Buncle said no redundancies were planned but said departmental directors were reviewing future budgets and staffing needs.
Buncle said the restructuring was not done to save money. The STB has just been given a ú1m funding top-up by the Scottish Office, taking its budget for 1999 to ú20.3m.
(Travel Weekly January 6).