VisitScotland trims staff by one-third as tourism revenue falls

Scotland’s VisitScotland has slashed its workforce by about a third since the 2022/23 fiscal year, reducing full-time equivalent posts from 493 to 323, while its income dropped from £53.6 million to £45.9 million, a 14% decline. In a briefing to ministers regarding the 2027/28 Scottish Government budget, agency leaders cautioned that any further reduction in the core budget settlement would make delivering priorities “challenging,” pointing to inflationary pressures and constrained public-sector finances.

The organization recently completed a three-year strategic change programme, closed its remaining 25 iCentres, and repositioned itself to focus resources on high-impact tourism and events work. Although tourism generates £11.4 billion annually and supports 239,000 jobs in Scotland, VisitScotland says additional investment is required to capitalise on growing demand. The staffing cuts echo similar moves at Historic Environment Scotland, which has introduced a voluntary exit scheme. Officials stress the need to stay agile and prioritise activities that deliver sustainable growth for the Scottish economy.