VisitScotland free Climate Action Accelerator Programme

Climate change is both one of the biggest threats and opportunities facing our tourism and events industry.

VisitScotland’s Climate Action Accelerator programme will help businesses across Scotland harness the many benefits that can arise from thinking positively and proactively about reducing emissions, working collaboratively with business leads and the communities they represent for long-lasting impact.

Delivered in partnership with Climate Springboard at the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute (ECCI), this innovative programme aims to accelerate climate action within tourism and events businesses. The programme is completely free.

The six-week online programme helps organisations calculate their current carbon emissions, create a practical climate action plan to reach net zero by 2045, and identify immediate steps to reduce emissions and costs whilst building climate resilience.

The accelerator will offer up several cohorts each year for three consecutive years.

Businesses interested in joining the Climate Action Accelerator can complete a short expression of interest. They can also visit the Business Support Hub for updates and resources or to register for VisitScotland’s business support newsletter.

Angus Tourism Framework

In April 2019, an Angus Tourism Framework was launched – produced in collaboration with tourism businesses and key stakeholders including VisitScotland and the Angus Tourism Cooperative. The framework has identified priority themes as follows:

• Industry Leadership & Collaboration
• Pride of Place
• Product & Experience Development
• Marketing

Action plans are in place for each of the four priority themes. The action plans are a collaboration between Angus Council, Angus Tourism Cooperative, VisitScotland and the tourism industry. For more information, see the Angus Tourism Framework action plan.

Visitor Levy

The Visitor Levy Act was passed in July 2024, giving all Scottish Local Authorities the power to tax overnight accommodation if they wish to do so.

With the levy, local authorities now have the power to generate revenue specifically for the benefit of the visitor economy.

Visit Scotland was appointed by Scottish Government to prepare Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities and is working closely with them to advise on the process they may wish to implement prior to introducing a visitor levy. See the VisitScotland website for more information.

No decision has yet been taken by Angus Council over whether to introduce a levy. The next stage in the process will be for the Council to undertake stakeholder engagement with organisations, communities and businesses, to help shape what a proposed levy scheme in Angus may look like. This has not yet happened.

The introduction of a scheme is a lengthy process and would take a minimum of 2 years to complete.

Short-term lets

The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short-term Lets) Order 2022 came into force on 1 March 2022.

The effect of that Order was that from 1 October 2022, the use of accommodation for a short-term let was an activity for which a licence is required under the terms of the 1982 Act.

See the Angus Council website for guidance and to apply for a licence.

See the VisitScotland website for advice and support.

Regional Tourism

The four local authorities (Angus Council, Dundee City Council, Fife Council and Perth & Kinross Council), Scottish Enterprise and VisitScotland are working together to support the growth of the tourism sector across the region.

A new regional tourism strategy has been developed following consultation with tourism businesses and organisations, which aims to grow the volume and value of the visitor economy in the Tay Cities region.