Trading Standards seeking information from Highland tourist businesses
Highland Council Trading Standards has launched a survey to learn about the online experiences of local tourist businesses. The survey focuses on the interaction of Highland accommodation providers, tour operators, visitor attraction owners and other tourist businesses with the large 3rd party websites that have rapidly become very influential in the industry.
Trading Standards Manager David MacKenzie explained:
“The innovations of the internet have brought great benefits to Highland consumers and businesses. The tourist trade has seen particularly rapid changes in the way it operates, with the growing importance of large 3rd party websites providing services such as reservations, reviews and social media. But new developments can also bring drawbacks and Trading Standards has the role of monitoring trade sectors to make sure that Highland consumers and businesses are getting a good deal. Online surveys can be a good way to gather information, good or bad.”
The survey is very short and simple to complete and can be found at: www.highland.gov.uk/Tourism-survey-2016
Any information at all is of interest, however brief, and can be supplied anonymously if desired.
David MacKenzie added: “This survey is focused on the experiences of Highland businesses; on this occasion we are not looking for consumer complaints about holidays. For example, what have been the benefits to business of dealing with the big 3rd party sites? What have been the problems? Any suggestions for improvements? Highland Council Trading Standards is committed to the fostering of a successful local tourist industry and we need to know if the sector in its modern form is working well for local businesses. If you are involved with a local tourist business, we would be very grateful if you spent a few minutes completing our survey”.
The findings of the survey will be used to help determine whether there should be any intervention by Trading Standards in this area of trade.”