UPDATE: More than a thousand people sign petition to save tourist centre
A petition calling for the saviour of the Shetland tourism office in Lerwick has already received more than a thousand signatures – just hours after its launch.
The Shetland Tourism Association’s (STA) vice-chairwoman Sarah McBurnie launched the Change.org petition last night (Friday).
As of 10.30am today, it had gained more than 1,000 signatures – smashing its initial target in less than 24 hours.
The petition is seeking support to prevent the closure of the tourist centre in the Market Cross.
It is earmarked for closure in November as part of a nationwide shutdown of VisitScotland’s iCentres.
Shetland Islands Council, which owns the building, has issued a public notice inviting offers from people to buy it for £200,000 or to lease it for £20,000 a year.
The STA wants to takeover the building, but with the deadline for applications set for Thursday, the timescales are extremely challenging.
In a post on social media, the STA said: “The Shetland Tourist Office is the beating heart of tourism in Shetland and we need to save it!.
“Please sign this petition so we can let the council know that Shetlanders agree.”
The petition says the tourist centre is a “treasured local resource that has long stood as a beacon of our community’s hospitality”.
“It welcomes thousands of visitors from all around the globe every year and is equally precious to Shetland residents,” it adds.
The petition goes on to say VisitScotland’s planned changes, to digitise the service “fails to recognise the invaluable human touch the centre provides – the warmth, knowledge, and recommendations from our local staff”.
“The information centre is not merely a building where you can gather pamphlets,” it states.
“It is an embodiment of the very spirit of Shetland – welcoming, informative, and responsible.
“We need the Centre to be put back to Shetland’s ownership and control by Visit Scotland and under new local management.
“Let us save the Shetland Tourist Information Centre in Lerwick and protect this vital resource for our community and visitors. Please sign this petition to support our cause.
The STA’s newly appointed development officer Samuel Watt has been working on plans to save the centre.
“We at the STA are strong believers that an in-person tourist office is far superior to an online-only service for a place like Shetland, with the iCentre in the middle of town an ideal location for such an office.
“It is a great boon to tourism, and we believe, if sources are true, that it almost makes enough income to pay for itself, if not more.”
Visit here to view the petition.
Ruth Eide Knutson
My husband and I have visited Shetland for many years. We simply love Shetland. I am old now, 91, and my husband is dead, so I do not travel any more. But the the turistsenter meant much to us. It was so easy to find – in the middle of the townsenter. Shetland looses an importent place, if you close it.
Fred Schlomka
The Shetland Island Council needs to step up and solidify its position as a stakeholder with the Shetland Tourism Association by facilitating the organisation’s administration of the Tourism Centre. SIC should remove the property from public tender and come to an early agreement with STA, for the benefit of all Shetlanders, and especially to maintain Lerwick’s reputation as a tourist-friendly destination.
Denis and Jean Parker
My husband and I spent time online trying to organise our visit to Shetland but could not find all the information we wanted. A visit to the Tourist Information Office provided all the help we needed, offered with warmth, in-depth knowledge and endless patience. No digital service could replace what is so readily available from the TIO.