Tourism industry in Scotland is celebrating: NO to independence

Almost 60 percent of those tourism professionals in Scotland who took part in a secret ballot at the Scottish Tourism Alliance’s annual summit earlier this month said they would be voting no to independence. Today this NO to Scottish independence was confirmed by the rest of the Scottish people. Scottish people yesterday voted to remain part of the United Kingdom.

The decision spared Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain a shattering defeat that would have raised questions about his ability to continue in office and diminished his nation’s standing in the world.

PM Cameron tweeted at 6.28 am:
I’ll be making a statement following the Scottish Referendum results just after 7am.

Defeated First Minister Mr Salmond said: “We have touched sections of the community who have never been touched before by politics. These communities have touched us… I don’t think that will ever be allowed to go back to business as usual in politics again.” He ended his speech by saying: “We shall go forward as one nation.”

Her Majesty The Queen is Head of State of the UK and 15 other Commonwealth realms. The Scottish people will remain to be her subjects.

32 per cent of tourism professionals were estimated to have voted yes in September, while nine per cent of those polled were undecided.

The ballot was held over two days at the Scottish Tourism Week conference , and attracted around 500 delegates from across the country.

Tourism is one of Scotland’s biggest industries, worth more than £11 billion to the economy each year and supporting around 200,000 jobs.

The STA has been a vocal campaigner for a cut in VAT rates for tourism businesses – a move the Scottish Government has not yet committed to, although ministers have outlined plans in the independence White Paper to cut air passenger duty by 50 per cent to boost international connections to Scotland.