Call to improve tourist welcome

The study said there were many tourist plus-points to the region

A tourism study has claimed the Borders is a top destination for travellers - but it needs to work on the welcome it gives to visitors.

The report, by the Moffat Centre for Travel and Business Development at Glasgow Caledonian University, has outlined many "plus points".

However, it said there were parts of the service which did need attention.

The biggest area for improvement was in the "warm welcome" which tourists should receive across the region.

Prof John Lennon from the university said the challenges must be faced.

"You have got fantastic natural scenery that I think really gives a positive entry point," he said.

When they are speaking to somebody they can really sell the area and make a visitor's stay a better one just by being friendly Fiona Drane VisitScotland Borders

"I think the first impression visually is positive.

"We then have to work on the people and the warm welcome."

He said some initiatives had already been set up to tackle the issue but it was also about a complete change of attitude.

"If we are going to be serious about being a visitor focussed destination then when the customer says jump the response is how high?

"We really will present problems for ourselves if we carry on with that kind of attitude linked to a kind of dim and distant view of tourism in the past which occurs Monday to Friday between nine and five."

Customer experience

Fiona Drane, of VisitScotland Borders said the answer was with all Borderers not just the tourist industry.

She said if the region wanted to be a top short-break destination the customer experience had to be top class.

"There is always room for improvement," she said.

"It is not just the tourism industry it is everybody in the Borders realising the importance of tourism.

"When they are speaking to somebody they can really sell the area and make a visitor's stay a better one just by being friendly."