The opportunity for independent businesses
Our research and experience with the creative sector in Scotland informed us that:
There is a lack of knowledge or experience to envision how creative industries could help independent businesses and increase the levels of innovation within an organisation.
There is a lack of confidence in building business opportunities amongst creative individuals/groups.
There is an interest from sectors to work with creative businesses, including tourism, healthcare, hospitality, and personal self-care, to create authentic, hands-on experiences but resilience to invest time or money in setting up these relationships.
While our original match-making model focused primarily on supporting collaborations between the tourism sector and creative industries, we acknowledge that the pandemic has been strenuous on independently-owned businesses across various sectors. We want to open this opportunity for them.
There are many challenges, post-pandemic, that independent businesses face that creative industries' input could support.
There is a desire for more joined-up thinking between people working in culture, heritage and the arts and those in the tourism, healthcare, and hospitality sectors.
Tourism businesses, for example, want a point of contact who would be able to arrange personalised activities for their clients.
There is a lack of confidence amongst creative individuals/groups in building business opportunities.
The challenges for tourism businesses acted as our first case studies and we found the following:
Trends in Tourism, as set out in the ‘Megatrends Impacting Scottish Tourism to 2025’ report emphasis that sustainability, technology and connectivity are what should underpin all changes in tourism going forward. The four ‘megatrends’ (defined as “long-term change in behaviour or attitude with global impact across multiple industries”) highlighted in the report were:
EXPERIENCE MORE
Developments in technology increase the desire for an enhanced visitor experience with trends suggesting that people are seeking authenticity and uniqueness.
THE EVOLVING TRAVELLER
Shifts in social trends such as: an increasing ageing population; smaller, non traditional family units etc. drive the need for a new way to travel.
LIMITLESS DISCOVERIES
Visitors are seeking more excitement and adventure in their travels pushing the tourism offer to be more inspiring and to include seamless connections.
TECHNOLOGY TO SIMULATE
The creation of Smart Destinations which use innovative technology to influence and improve the visitor experience.
Motivation for people to visit Scotland from the most recent VisitScotland Visitor Survey:
50% for the scenery and landscape
33% for the history and culture
24% because they have spent a holiday / short break here before and wanted to do so again
35% because Scotland is a place they have always wanted to visit