Page 188 - Microsoft Word - Guiding light final version 0955 1506 big print.doc

customers and what their interests were and what they would like to see when in Scotland. visiting. In the 80s visitors would be led by my expertise and open to suggestions of what would suit them. They now have a much clearer idea of what they want to experience when visiting. Nowadays many emails can be exchanged and many visitors prefer email communication before they visit and they often have a clear idea of what they would like to see based on what they have researched on the internet, or seen in the cinema. Sometimes I need to clarify what is realistically achievable and deliver the news gently that the whole of Scotland can’t be visited in a day! Now there is also the added enjoyment of being challenged with facts from the internet - no match for 35 years experience !
‘Getting around, particularly in Edinburgh was certainly different. In the 80s and 90s we could drive right along Princes Street and all the way down the Royal Mile. We were even able to drive coaches straight onto the castle esplanade and park there while we escorted visitors around the castle. I have experienced in the last 10 years a significant increase in walking tours, as people become more conscious of both their own health and the health of the planet
‘Tourism in the 80s was certainly more seasonal with the summer accounting for around 80 per cent of business. Now we see tourists all year round and Christmas and New year draws its own crowds with the world famous celebrations - making those thermals a necessity for the walking to tours! The types of tourists I take round have changed as well. The majority of visitors taking tours in the summer in the 80s came from America. Now Asia and Europe makes up many of the numbers as well as many visitors from the Middle East.
‘The experience of guiding and showing visitors around the city continues to grow with the city. We have seen the opening of the Scottish Parliament and the Royal Yacht Britannia, both drawing interest due to their high profile and ensuring the experience for visitors continues to grow. My passion for my job certainly grows with it.’
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