Scottish Ferry Fares

[2cv]

I’ve just seen that the RET is to be removed for motorhome use, so fare rises of 70% next year! Link

Also interesting to read some local opinion, see page 22 Link

 

[number14]

OK, I'll bite. Having quickly read the links, it seems that the Scottish government are heavily subsidising the RET. If I were a Scot (Welsh, since you ask) I would be happy to support residents of the Isles and any necessary commercial traffic.
In the interests of spending taxpayers money wisely, would I want to support tourist traffic - cars and motorhomes? Perhaps not so much. I guess it all depends on how much economic benefit is brought to the Isles by doing so.

Trouble is, the last two years of staycation have not helped with rational decision making.

 

[linkshouse]

I too live on an island that benefits from RET (at last, some 14 years after the Western Isle, but that’s a different story!) and thought it was as much to encourage tourism, by making it cheaper to get to the isles, as it was to support the local population.

Presumably Calmac and the island bodies assume that all tourists visiting the isles come in campervans/motorhomes. I wonder how tourism would fair if this increase was applied to all non isles residents?

Reading the survey link only convinces me more not want to visit these isles. Seriously, do local folk really think visitors should learn more about the community before visiting and stay longer when they do, so that they can become “more like locals” and reduce the number of changeovers for accommodation providers! Maybe they don’t quite understand that people go on holiday primarily for their own benefit and not for the express benefit of the area being visited.

I live in Orkney having Moved here 20 years ago and I certainly don’t see any of this attitude here. I have often thought about visiting the Western Isles to see how they differ but the more I hear the less I think I’ll bother.

 

[Vanterrier]

I think it is sad that so much of the report is based on SW Mull and Iona. Surely they dont really think that that area is typical of Islands?
Mull is so easily accessible to day trippers on huge coaches on single track roads and they primarily go there to visit Iona, not a typical attraction. I wonder how these findings compare with say the West of Mull and Ulva for instance? Or Vatersay or Jura etc etc...
Sad sad sad... and we are helpless to do anything about it.
K

 

[tapfitter]

It seems like they only want motorhome visitors that have lots of money, I think their economy will suffer, perhaps they may think again when no one visits.

 

[linkshouse]

It seems like they only want motorhome visitors that have lots of money, I think their economy will suffer, perhaps they may think again when no one visits.

I know we all like to protest about how much we spend locally but in truth as a percentage of total tourism spend I fear it is not particularly large. If however all non-island residents were treated equitably i.e. if ALL non-residents were charged at the higher rate then I think the tourism economy would most definitely take a serious hit. Maybe then they wouldn’t be so keen.

I was on the board of the local tourist association here on Westray for a number of years and we frequently bemoaned the fact that Orkney didn’t get the RET and how it would improve visitor numbers if we did. But then we welcome tourists, novel I know in an area that relies heavily on tourism!

 

[Vanterrier]

Well we were travelling in September this year and visited Orkney (met Linkhouse) then Harris and Lewis, the Uists, Skye, Mull, Iona, Islay and Jura and in a month I spent close on £2k incl. A few sites, ferries, fuel, groceries, gifts and hospitalities ( mainly meals and pubs).
I feel like I contributed to local economies, let's face it you cannot stock up your van for a month! So the buy-nowt-and -move-on criticism doesn't wash with me. Maybe the staycationing hire a van for a week brigade are causing some of the effects moaned about?
K

 

[El radge]

Well we were travelling in September this year and visited Orkney (met Linkhouse) then Harris and Lewis, the Uists, Skye, Mull, Iona, Islay and Jura and in a month I spent close on £2k incl. A few sites, ferries, fuel, groceries, gifts and hospitalities ( mainly meals and pubs).
I feel like I contributed to local economies, let's face it you cannot stock up your van for a month! So the buy-nowt-and -move-on criticism doesn't wash with me. Maybe the staycationing hire a van for a week brigade are causing some of the effects moaned about?
K

Maybe , though , I suspect , majority of them don't cook in the van .
I rent out a self catering apartment more than 90% of guests don't cook .
Vast majority of visitors will contribute to local economy .
I would assume some residents of islands will stock up anytime they visit the , much cheaper , mainland ?