Clyde Cruises achieves four-star tour award from VisitScotland’s Quality Assurance scheme
Annique Armstrong, VisitScotland, and Hamish Munro, Clyde Cruises
Edinburgh, Scotland, 2016-Nov-10 — /Travel PR News/ — A family-run business, which is more than a century old, has achieved a four-star tour award from the national tourism organisation at the very first attempt.
Greenock-based Clyde Cruises was given the accolade by VisitScotland’s Quality Assurance (QA) scheme in recognition of the excellent quality of its river cruises and boat trips, which it runs throughout Scotland. The QA scheme is a benchmark for quality across the tourism industry and operates across accommodation, visitor attractions and food sectors.
In 1913, the Munro family set sail on their quest to give visitors an aquatic view of Scotland. Over the last century, four generations of the seafaring family, including current Managing Director Hamish and Financial Director Gillian, have developed and expanded the company from small boat trips around Greenock and “doon the watter” of the Clyde to excursions around Aberdeen, the Caledonian Canal and Loch Lomond.
Julie Reece, Sales and Marketing Manager at Clyde Cruises, said:
“We at Clyde Cruises are really pleased to receive a four-star tour award from VisitScotland. Our cruises have been developed over the years to offer a wide range of opportunities, whether you are looking for an exciting element to add to your Scottish holiday, a family day out or new perspective on our beautiful Scottish scenery. It’s great to see our hard-work receive this recognition.”
Annique Armstrong, Regional Director at VisitScotland, said:
“I would like to congratulate everyone at Clyde Cruises for their four-star Quality Assurance Award. It is a superb achievement, particularly on the first time of asking. Clyde Cruises gives visitors from all over the world a brilliant way to experience what Scotland has to offer and I wish the company every success in the future.
“Our Quality Assurance scheme helps businesses to reach their full potential and truly shine. The scheme is about more than just the ‘stars’ on the door – it’s about the entire visitor experience, about investing in your business and making it as economically sustainable as possible.”
VisitScotland star awards are indicators of quality and provide reassurance to visitors. The national tourism organisation offers support to businesses to ensure they meet and exceed the high standards expected by visitors.
VisitScotland is Scotland’s national tourism organisation. Its core purpose is to maximise the economic benefit of tourism to Scotland.
The organisation’s core objective is to contribute to the Tourism 2020 Strategy ambition of growing tourism revenues by £1 billion by 2020.
This will be supported by seven overarching strategies:
Marketing: we will market Scotland and its outstanding assets to visitors from all parts of the world, including the promotion of Scotland to people living in Scotland to visit different parts of the country
Events: we will support the national events strategy and its delivery, and sustain, develop and promote Scotland’s international profile as one of the world’s foremost events destinations
Internationalisation and International Engagement: we will utilise all our platforms to enable Scottish-based tourism businesses to better understand international opportunities and market to a global audience and we will work within One Scotland Partnerships to optimise the potential of Scotland’s Diaspora and our strategic partners at regional, European and global levels
Customer Experience: we will provide information and inspiration to visitors both locally and globally via their preferred medium of choice
Quality and Sustainability: we will provide support and advice to businesses, with the goal of improving the quality and sustainability of the tourism sector in Scotland. We will provide quality assurance to visitors through our Quality Schemes
Inclusive Tourism: we will strive to make tourism in Scotland inclusive and available to all
Working in Partnership: we will listen to and work with the industry, partners and communities to shape our offering and support
VisitScotland works together with tourism businesses to make tourism a success for everyone and ensure the industry continues to grow.
The organisation employs 700 people and has offices and VisitScotland Information Centres across Scotland.
Spending by tourists in Scotland generates around £12 billion of economic activity in the wider Scottish supply chain and contributes around £6 billion to Scottish GDP (in basic prices). This represents about 5% of total Scottish GDP.
The Scottish Government is the Managing Authority for the European Structural Funds 2014-20 Programme. For further information visit www.gov.scot or follow @scotgovESIF
Where possible, a Gaelic speaker will be made available for broadcast interviews on request (Far an tèid iarraidh, agus far am bheil sin nar comas, bruidhinnidh neach le Gàidhlig aig agallamh)
For information about business events in Scotland go to www.conventionscotland.com 2016 Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design
2016 will shine a spotlight on Scotland’s achievements in innovation, architecture and design through a wide-ranging, variety of new and existing activity.
The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design started on 1 January 2016 and will end on 31 December 2016.It will build on the momentum generated by the 2015 Year of Food and Drink as well as previous years including Homecoming Scotland 2014, the Year of Creative and the Year of Natural.
Through a series of exciting events and activity, the year will showcase Scotland’s position as an “innovation nation”, its outstanding built heritage, and its thriving, internationally acclaimed creative industries sector.
The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design is a Scottish Government initiative being led by VisitScotland, and supported by a variety of partners including Creative Scotland, Architecture + Design Scotland, Scottish Tourism Alliance, Scottish Enterprise, The National Trust for Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS).
The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design is supported by £570,000 of Scottish Government funding.
The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design events fund is managed by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate.
Barbara Clark
Head of Corporate Communications
Corporate Media, Partnership Communications, Internal Communications Barbara.Clark@visitscotland.com
0131 472 2212
Out of hours – 0131 472 2324
