Closing date for tourism's top job

A new chief executive is being sought for visitscotland

The deadline for applications for the post of chief executive of Scotland's tourist authority has arrived.

A firm of London-based recruitment consultants will vet the list of applications before drawing up a short list for the Scottish Tourist Board (STB).

The vacancy was created by the resignation of Tom Buncle in November following the publication of a damning report on the board's track record.

Interim chief executive Peter McKinlay will stay in place until a replacement has been appointed, although it is thought this could take several months.

Tom Buncle resigned in November

The current upheaval is the latest chapter in a disastrous year for the tourist board.

Figures published last year showed the number of foreign visitors coming to Scotland fell by 11% in 1999.

This prompted the then Enterprise Minister Henry McLeish to commission an independent review of the STB by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Radical shake-up

Their report, which was published in November, recommended a radical shake-up of the board, a cut in the number of directors and a change of name to 'visitscotland'.

It severely criticised the STB, saying there was "confusion and ambiguity" among senior management.

The criticism proved too much for chief executive Tom Buncle and he resigned days after the report was made public.

STB chairman Lord Jimmy Gordon immediately offered him the post of director of marketing, but he turned it down.

Former civil servant Peter McKinlay was then appointed as interim chief executive.

The former head of the Scottish Prison Service and chief executive of Scottish Homes will stay in place until Mr Buncle's successor is appointed.