The Scottish Wholesale Association (SWA) has joined the new Scottish Tourism Recovery Taskforce that will be responsible for strategic oversight of recovery plans in response to the covid-19 impact on the Scottish tourism and hospitality sectors.
SWA chief executive Colin Smith is to sit on the group that will be chaired by Fergus Ewing, cabinet secretary for rural economy and tourism and Jamie Hepburn.
SWA welcomes July tourism reopening
“The Scottish Government acknowledges the key role of wholesalers within the food and drink supply chain so I am delighted that the SWA has been asked to join this taskforce,” explains Smith.
“Wholesalers supply thousands of businesses operating in the tourism and hospitality industry and many of our members are in a precarious position after three months of next to no income.” He continues: “Yet they are still expected – with greatly depleted resources both financially and physically – to help the industry reopen as it moves out of lockdown.”
Smith acknowledges that it’s gong to be a challenge for the whole economy but the SWA hopes the taskforce will help ensure that businesses open successfully and transition from opening with a reduced customer base to surviving until normality returns.
