(TAN): VisitScotland, Scotland’s national tourism organisation, is gradually opening its iCentres — information centers — after a four-month closure.
The plan is to reopen 26 iCentres by the end of August, VisitScotland said. The first four — in Edinburgh, Balloch, Aviemore, and Jedburgh — opened on July 20, followed by the Aberfoyle one on the following day.
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The second phase will begin on July 27 and will include five sites in Oban, St Andrews, Pitlochry, Portree and Ullapool. The remaining sites will be opened on a rolling basis throughout August.
The phased approach is because VisitScotland is having to make internal changes to every one of the 26 iCentres to ensure that they are adapted for physical distancing, but also to continue to give visitors a warm welcome. There will be a range of safety features installed including Perspex screens, hand sanitisers and signage to ensure physical distancing with some dates possible to change on the dependence of materials and suppliers.
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The reopened iCentres will initially only offer an information service to visitors with the hope of reintroducing ticketing, accommodation booking and retail as soon as safe to do so.
Manuela Calchini, head of information at VisitScotland said: “Our iCentre staff have been working to get the centres reopened and are looking forward to being able to help visitors with face to face enquiries for the first time in four months…. Our iCentres are a significant part of the community and we understand that there will be a desire to open them as soon as possible – we share that desire and want to support the tourism industry and communities as we come out of lockdown, however the safety of our staff and visitors is paramount.”
