VisitScotland is to close its network of information centres to focus on a “digital-first” strategy as more tourists plan their trips online.
First Minister Humza Yousaf accepted there would be “some level of concern” in the wake of the national tourism body’s announcement.
But he said the way that people get information when visiting places had “vastly changed”.
That echoed VisitScotland’s stance, with the tourism body maing the changes because it said there have been significant changes to the way people plan holidays, with most using travel specialists and online resources including TikTok, YouTube and websites to research and book.
To adapt to this shift in behaviour, VisitScotland said it will invest its resources and expertise in a strategy designed to influence people as they make plans before setting off on their trip.
All 25 information centres – known as iCentres – will operate as usual until the end of September as part of a phased, two-year closure programme.
A total of 170 staff will be affected – 120 permanent workers and 50 seasonal employees.
VisitScotland said there will be no compulsory redundancies and staff have been offered a range of options including reskilling, redeployment and voluntary redundancy.
Chairman Lord Thurso said: “The tourism landscape has changed significantly in recent years. The demand for iCentres has reduced while the demand for online information and booking has continued to grow.
“In order to continue building demand and growing the value of tourism and events, it is vitally important that we target channels we know visitors use to influence them to visit Scotland.
“Our research shows that as an organisation, we have a greater and more impactful role to play in providing information before visitors travel. Prioritising a digital-first model of information provision allows us to reach potential visitors at those early planning stages when we can shape their future travel decisions.
“Together with businesses and our partners, we want to build on success and ensure that across all areas of our work – marketing, destination development, business advice, insights and events – we prioritise the activities that will deliver for our industry and for Scotland.
“By evolving our work in this way, we will be able to invest in the activities that will accelerate sustainable growth in the visitor economy, helping create jobs, sustain communities and attract investment for the future.”
VisitScotland is currently engaging with stakeholders to discuss local arrangements.
It said the new strategy will target channels it knows visitors use to inspire and influence where they go, when they come and what they do, including promoting lesser-known destinations and quieter times of year.
It said tools using artificial intelligence are among the ways people now find and plan holiday experiences.
The organisation also said the role tour operators and travel agents can play in helping international visitors plan holidays to Scotland has become increasingly important, with almost two-thirds (64%) of international visitors to Scotland booking as part of a package.
Scotland Office minister John Lamont raised concerns about the decision.
He said: “The closure of all 25 VisitScotland tourist information centres across the country will be a blow to our towns and puts at a disadvantage the many thousands of tourists from the UK and beyond who use their services.
“While online tourism is growing, it is not available to all and these centres from Lerwick to Dumfries ensure vital information can be accessed by those tourists, particularly the elderly.
“I’d urge the Scottish Government to consider the impact this will have on local businesses and on visitors to areas where tourism is a huge part of the local economy.”
Asked about the issue at a meeting of Holyrood’s committee conveners, Mr Yousaf said: “I fully accept there will be some level of concern around the announcement.
“I think there is also a recognition that the way in which we seek information when we travel to tourist destinations has changed. Most of us here will use an app or we will go online.
“That it is not to say that visitor centres or information centres don’t have a place amongst some people, but the way people seek information, find information on tourist destinations, has rapidly and vastly changed.
“So my expectation of VisitScotland – and they know this – would be to engage with the communities based in these tourist destinations to ensure they fully reassure them about what is in place for people to seek information about these destinations, even when information centres are closed.”