IT IS an unfair image of tourism in Scotland, but one which nonetheless abides: a backwater where even if you arrive only a minute late for lunch you will go hungry.
Great progress has been made in an industry worth £4 billion a year, but there
is, it seems, always room for improvement.
As hundreds of tourism businesses gather in Glasgow today to hear how they can better their customer service, The Scotsman decided to put some to the test with a snapshot survey of visitor attractions, hotels, and restaurants across the country.
The first test saw us pose as the group leader of a class of 20 French schoolchildren on a sightseeing tour this Thursday. Unable to get to the attraction until 15 minutes before closing time, we asked if it would be possible for closing times to be extended by half an hour.
Out of three of Scotland's top sites – Edinburgh Zoo, Edinburgh Castle, and Rosslyn Chapel – none was able to fulfil our request.
The second scenario involved a US businessman arriving on a late-night flight in search of a hotel. Posing as his PA, we apologised for the "late hour" of arrival, but inquired as to the possibility of booking a massage and a light dinner for around 1:30am.
None of the hotels we contacted – the Malmaison in Glasgow, the Atholl Palace Hotel in Pitlochry, and the Drumossie Hotel in Inverness – was able to meet the spa request, but all offered a light snack or soup and sandwiches.
The final scenario saw us again pose as the PA of a US businessman, looking to book a table for dinner. The request this time was to have the establishments supply a copy of the New York Times newspaper at his table.
One restaurant, Vittoria, in Edinburgh, granted our wish. A second, Glasgow's Ubiquitous Chip, offered to print out a copy of the paper's online edition (at a cost), while The Mustard Seed in Inverness said it could not help.
Initially, the most recent national survey of visitors to Scotland appears to paint a positive picture, with a 97 per cent visitor satisfaction level.
The detail, however, reveals disconcerting statistics. Some 40 per cent of visitors considered Scotland poor or very poor value for money, and a third said they would not recommend our food. Furthermore, a quarter of respondents said they were only "quite satisfied" with their trip, with more than one in five only "quite likely" to talk up Scotland as a tourist destination.
There is, of course, a sporadic shot in the arm. Last autumn, Scotland was singled out by Lonely Planet for its hospitable welcome, one of the top ten friendliest countries in the world, no less.
Speaking about the level of customer service in Scotland, Professor John Lennon, chair of the Moffat Centre for Travel and Tourism Business Development at Glasgow Caledonian University, said: "It's a case of, 'lots done, more to do'.
"People around the world are naturally well-disposed to Scotland. It is an iconic country, and the goodwill and positive perception is something we have to build on."
BID TO BOOST SERVICE LEVELSAS PART of the ongoing drive to improve customer service throughout the nation's attractions, hotels, and eateries, hundreds of businesses will today attend a major conference.
Scottish Enterprise's annual Customer Service Conference in Glasgow will welcome representatives from the private sector in a bid to help Scotland's hospitality trade improve the way it liaises with customers. Over 200 business leaders will hear from an array of speakers, including David Fairhurst, senior vice-president of McDonalds, and Ann-Marie Stagg, head of insurance services at Smile, the internet bank.
Professor John Lennon, chair of the Moffat Centre for Travel and Tourism Business development at Glasgow Caledonian University, said: "This conference gives smaller businesses access to training and approaches they normally wouldn't encounter."
VITTORIA WITH two restaurants in the capital – one in Leith Walk, the other on George IV Bridge, Vittoria is one of Edinburgh's best-known Italian restaurant names.
Marketing itself as "Edinburgh's happiest Italian family-owned restaurants", Vittoria emphasises its service, and it did not disappoint.
When The Scotsman asked if our US businessman could have a copy of the New York Times with his dinner reservation at the Leith Walk eatery, Linda McKeown, a member of the reservations staff, e-mailed to say she had contacted her local newsagents and should be able to locate a copy.
EDINBURGH CASTLEITS status as Scotland's most popular paid-for attraction suggests the customer services staff at the castle can do no wrong.
The Scotsman, however, had difficulty in inquiring if our school group could visit beyond opening hours. No-one replied to our initial e-mail, and when we called the visitor helpline we were transferred to a school bookings department.
Having rung out, we were given the number to retry later. On the third attempt, we reached a member of staff, who referred us back to the main helpline, where we were told the group could still gain entry to the castle, but that the closing time could not be changed.
EDINBURGH ZOOFOUNDED in 1913 by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Edinburgh Zoo is one of the most significant zoos in Europe, and is Scotland's most popular wildlife attraction, with more than 1,000 animals.
When The Scotsman contacted the zoo to see if its closing time could be extended by 30 minutes for our schoolchildren we received a prompt reply.
The zoo was "very sorry" but it would unable to meet our wishes. A customer service agent was helpful, even offering an incentive to arrive a little earlier.
"If you could arrive around 4pm, we could give you a reduction on the entry price," she explained.
ROSSLYN CHAPELHAVING enjoyed a remarkable boom in visitor numbers since publication in 2003 of Dan Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code, Rosslyn Chapel is now one of Scotland's most famous tourist destinations.
When we put our inquiry, no-one responded to our e-mail asking if the chapel could open for another half hour. In a follow-up telephone call yesterday, a member of the chapel's reception was sincere and apologetic, but said it would not be able to put back its closing time.
Having checked with a colleague, the person confirmed: "No, I'm sorry, it just won't be possible. The notice is just too late."
UBIQUITOUS CHIPAN AWARD-WINNING, fashionable restaurant in Glasgow's West End, the Chip, as it is known, prides itself on quality Scottish produce.
Staff at the eatery did not reply to our initial e-mail, but on telephoning the restaurant yesterday, we were given a promise of sorts. Having explained the request to one member of staff, we were told: "I doubt it very much. No-one stocks the New York Times."
A second staff member then told us the restaurant would be able to provide a copy, albeit a printed version from the newspaper's website. "The only way to do it is to download it," she said.
MUSTARD SEEDA CONTEMPORARY addition to the burgeoning restaurant scene in Inverness, The Mustard Seed, situated on the bank of the River Ness, offers a changing menu of seafood, game, vegetarian options, and Scottish beef, and has received good reviews in the press for its food and surroundings.
Its customer service, though, may need a little tweaking. No-one from the restaurant replied to our initial e-mail, but when we telephoned yesterday, a member of staff apologised, before adding that it would not be possible to supply a copy of the New York Times, given its unavailability locally.
MALMAISONTHE luxury hotel, located in the striking venue of a converted Greek Orthodox church, now shrouded in dark shadows and velvet drapes, is considered one of Glasgow's most stylish and luxurious places to stay.
When The Scotsman, posing as a representative of a US businessman, asked whether it would be possible to book a massage and meal in the early hours, a representative e-mailed back to say the latest time a massage would be available was at 5pm.
The staff member added, however, that the kitchen would be able to prepare a small bite for our client so that he could have a "light snack in his room".
ATHOLL PALACE HOTELTHE Atholl Palace Hotel and Spa markets itself as the "epitome of Scottish Baronial splendour" and is situated in woodland overlooking Pitlochry.
With prices as cheap as £69 for one person on a B&B basis during off-season, it offers tranquil surroundings at an affordable budget. Much is made of the four-star hotel's spa facilities, which allows it to welcome day guests, as well as holidaymakers.
The Scotsman, however, was told via e-mail that its US businessman could not receive a massage, as the staff clocked off at 7pm. For food, we were promised a "selection of sandwiches".
DRUMOSSIE HOTELA 44-BEDROOM hotel in Inverness, Drumossie is classed as a four-star resort by VisitScotland and markets itself as the ideal base to explore the Highlands.
On telephoning the hotel, a member of reception explained that, while they did not have any spa facilities, "an evening meal should not be a problem at that hour" for our visiting businessman. Having taken our number to confirm availability, reception staff did not call back. When we called at 5pm, we were told by a different member of staff that the catering service would be closed, but "soup and sandwiches" could be provided.
