Coming home
What do you make of the Homecoming campaign?
Scottish Ministers are doing their bit this weekend - some, no doubt, under duress - by gallantly witnessing sundry soccer matches.
The reason? It's the Homecoming Scottish Cup - and a chance to punt the festival/concept/initiative, call it what you will.
The first minister, a self-confessed Jambo, is attending Peterhead v Queens Park.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill courageously fits in two games - Stenhousemuir on Saturday and the Edinburgh derby on Sunday.
A gushing news release informs us further that Adam Ingram will be in the stand for "arguably the most romantic tie of the round", Ayr United v Kilmarnock.
There writes someone who hasn't been at Somerset Park for a wee while - although, trust me, I get the Burnsian connection.
Bruce Crawford, minister for parliament and a fanatical Dunfermline supporter, is making the ultimate sacrifice and attending . . . Dunfermline v Clyde.
Education Secretary Fiona Hyslop gets the tie of the round - East Stirling versus the mighty Dundee United.
And there's more, too many to list - although, unaccountably, Finance Secretary John Swinney found himself unable to fit in the titanic contest that is Forfar v Forres Mechanics.
Something about a prior engagement.
Hope they all have a fine day and a splendid half-time pie - or, in the case of Forfar, bridie.
Despite this display of Ministerial dedication, it seems likely that the low-level muttering about Homecoming 2009 will continue. Is it fair?
Team Salmond is adamant that early organisational problems - that is, before they took over - have long since been tackled.
The enthusiasm of the promoters is palpable and impressive.
But herewith a few other moans and groans which I have heard. What's the purpose of Homecoming 2009?
Is it to attract expats from the diaspora back to Caledonia - or to foster a sense of Scottish patriotism within the existing residents?
Is it primarily about the arts - or about tourism? Is there much that is authentically new, or does it largely draw together events, like the Edinburgh Festival, which were happening anyway?
By what criteria should we measure success? Visitor numbers? Is that a reasonable guide in a year when the economy is destined for recession?
I freely confess that I am torn here. I am a sucker for Brand Caledonia. Tartan, Burns, the lot.
I think we should play that image for all it is worth. We should tell every visitor that their family name is an honorary sept of the Clan Cameron.
I am just not entirely sure, yet, of the added value of this particular initiative. However, I am quite prepared to suspend judgement until United have lifted the Homecoming Cup that is their right.
Prior to that, I'd welcome your views.
I'm 
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~29~RS~)
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I live abroad (South America) and have seen no advertising of the "homecoming". Nothing, not even in the British Council. Not sure how people are finding out about this. I traveled home for Christmas and New Year anyway to catch up with friends and family, which was nice. Going back for next Christmas too but not for any of the "homecoming" stuff, as I said, I have seen nothing about it, so couldn't tell you what events were even taking place...
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I think Labour are torn, here. From their initial idea, the SNP, and wee Eck in particular, have taken it on board wholesale and ran and ran with it. If it's a success, and that success should be judged in terms of visitor numbers and Scotland's world wide profile, it will make the SNP look good. If it's a failure, it will make the SNP look bad, but it will also damage Scotland's wider reputation.
Not knowing which side to cheer for, Labour resorted to their old stand by of stick their head in the sand and hope it'd all go away. Jim Murphy's attempt to reclaim the homecoming, although probably justifiable, now seem petty and reek of jealousy, as if they're trying to claim what could be Scotland's moment for their own ends. Accusing the SNP of ignoring resources available in terms of British embassies abroad was a bad move, especially viewed in light of responces from these very embassy when approached directly by the Scottish government.
Labour's problems in this area do stem from Gordie adamant assertion he would not work with the SNP, even if they became the democratically elected government of Scotland. He can't help himself but his ministers and MSPs do need to accept that opposing the SNP just for the sake of opposing the SNP, and regardless of the consequences, does them no favours with the electorate.
The homecoming should be a success, and Labour should do everything they can to help it be so. Whether they will, we can only wait and see.
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Brian
You must try harder. Scotland needs the employment. The Scottish Government can only do so much;we must also do our bit to help ourselves!
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Maybe it's because I'm on another planet, in the middle of nowhere, but I haven't heard much at all about this Homecoming, apart from the odd bit in the news. That can't be all the publicity?
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Where's Jim Murphy in all this? I thought he was over being 'snubbed' by the SNP over this and was dutifully riding to the rescue with renewed vigour awash in his newly reclaimed Saltires...
As someone who has friends who worked at the British Council I am not surprised that Homecoming has been ignored by them. I don't wish to denigrate all those who work there but such places really are jobs for the boys and girls.
Alex was completely right to have more or less ignored the FCO in publicising these events suspecting rightly IMO that they would not be given the priority they deserve. Again, we need to be independent, we need Scottish diplomatic staff, Scottish Embassies and Consulates to really do our bidding abroad.
I think Scotland should play up all aspects of its identity and if those kitsch elements which so many apparently cringe about are most successful in putting bums on seats then so be it. Tough times are here so lets just get on with it. But people are savvy, they know there's more to Scotland than that and if they prefer Trainspotting to Brigadoon as it were they'll find it aplenty but if people want romance let them have it. It'd be such a dreary world without it. I feel a Burns song coming on...
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As someone who shares his birthday with the Bard, I'm all for the Homecoming.
I know why January was picked, but it is not exactly the best time of year to pull in the tourists.
But can the politicians keep party politics out of it?
Erm.....nae chance.......
Stand by for fireworks whether it is successful or not.
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The Homecoming is about celebrating Scottish culture in general and burns in particular. It is big business and aims to bolster Scotland's economy through tourism and spin off's.
It is also about raising the confidence of Scots both at home and abroad and this scares many Unionists, who have already decided to attack the SNP's handling of the event.
One has to wonder what kind of individual is so scared of promoting his own country in such a fashion. How many countries around the globe have such a diaspora and what would they give to have the 250th anniversary of a Robert Burns like figure to celebrate in these troubled times.
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I think this is a good idea. For far to long our best export has been our people, time we tried to reap a dividend for this.
It costs little and reinforces our heritage and culture across the world, paints Scotland in apositive light. No harm in it, if it helps tourism then go for it.
We shouldn't be too hasty to judge the sucess of it, it may encourage more visitors but also it could encourage visitors for years to come.
It also reinforces cultural links with England, Canada and the US and many others. We spend too much time looking at why we are different, this is something positive for a change.
A good idea that should be supported by all.
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Maybe Brian could ask the powers that be to put a link on the BBC Scotland homepage.
Scotland 2009 YEAR OF HOMECOMING
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Re bluelaw
It would also be good if we could just get on with this without the anti UK sentiment. There are many Scots in England, many English in Scotland. This is a celebration of Scottish culture, don't turn it into a pathetic political point scoring exercise.
THis is the type of stupid attitude that stops Scots uniting.
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Brian, excellent blog as usual. On a point of pedantry however, your description of Forfar as "titanic" would be more accurately rendered as "Titanic".
The beauty of Homecoming is that it will be both a success and a failure, depending on your requirement and your choice of stats. Or alternatively you could just fiddle the numbers. But what sort of manipulative, duplicitous scoundrels would do that?
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Somebody, anybody, please get Sandi Thom to stop singing, and ruining, Caledonia.
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Brian
It makes me wonder just why Labour MPs and MSPs hate Scotland and the Scots so much.
It is gripe after gripe, ye cannie da that, we are too wee, too poor etc etc.
When I go to America people there always ask me why so many Scots run down their own country.
I usually tell them it is just Labour MPs and MSPs who are following the example set by Rifkind and Forsyth who would promote anything Westminster told them too no matter the damage to Scotland.
Hopefully the fate that befell Rifkind and Forsyth waits for many Labour MPs and MSPs.
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First things first; Homecoming is not going to cost much money. The cost in political energy can't be quantified.
That said, it's an utter, utter waste of time that will undermine the confidence of Scottish people. We've already seen a chorus of weak-minded, passive commentary on how the poor wee Scots need help from the big American business boys. No doubt this will reach a crescendo during Homecoming, drumming the familiar message home. Diaspora 'Scots' are better than real Scots.
As for building the brand, that is yesterday's business plan. Wedgwood, Jaguar and Viyella worked that angle. Quality, cost, reliability, that's what matters.
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The Homecoming is a great idea, but it could have been promoted much better.
But #5 decides to bring politics into things again.
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I'm not point-scoring. Time after time agencies and institutions which are meant to represent Scotland and further Scottish interests don't. Many within those agencies are paid at Scottish tax-payer expense very handsomely as well (and anecdotally at least become very defensive if called on their complacency). This is undoubtedly to do with the fact many of these people are English or British and understandably don't have the same interest as a Scottish person presumably would in Scottish cultural or economic events - I wouldn't expect the former to have the same interest either and don't really intend it as questioning their integrity even. That's not being anti-English. I think it's being realistic.
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Never was a truer word spoken about Somerset Park ... the only explicable reason for allowing a ground (and field) to fall into such repair - is that the home team will know the topography better than the visitors. I know several local junior stadia in far better shape with superior pitches.
To be honest, I am unsurprised that South America has not been getting a large share of advertising about the Homecoming Year ... the sensible strategy would to be focusing on web advertising and limited stuff in particular target countries: The US, Canada, NZ, Australia etc ...
I doubt the number of self-defining Scots (or hyphenated-Scots) living in South America would be too large.
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My apologies for my pre-occupation (obsession) with the Scottish press, but The Scotsman are running an article tomorrow that suggests a 17 (yes, seventeen) point lead for Labour over the SNP for Westminster, with the Tories only 7 points behind the SNP.
Oh, and Tavish Scott has accused Alex Salmond ofdeliberately misleading the Scottish parliament.
It's a well worn cliche, but I just have to say it ................... you couldn't make this up.
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#14 Anaxim
Interesting about-turning of the points - catches one's interest. But no "oh, so" charming tone, no subtle little niggle of counter attack, and no sparkle of intelligent humour. (Just sour.)
No, you are a long way from the toppling the top spot! ;-)
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Neil_Small147 writes:
"The Homecoming is a great idea, but it could have been promoted much better."
Come on Neil, don't beat about the bush, what aspects of the SNP's promotion of this event would you like to criticise?, constructively of course.
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#9 cynicalHighlander
Re website link.
I noticed it after my first post! I assume there will be ad(s) or something to have everyone else know. Anyway, could the SNP not do something similar and get their own website up to this standard?
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#18
The Scotsman and SOS have been trying to fashion a Tory revival in Scotland for some time now. To do so they must present a Tory v. Labour scenario but somehow have to manoeuvre the SNP downwards and out of the frame to get this.
No doubt the other papers will catch onto this as well.
Funny how all the actual by elections still show a swing to the SNP against Labour and no rise in the Tory vote.
The Scotsman and SOS have been the major victims of the Scottish Cringe disease and have turned themselves into jokes over the last decade. The company is almost broke and trading about 7p per share.
Serves them right
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Homecoming! Scotland in January -cold and dark with boarded up shops.
Given the sterling devaluation multi-lingual signs are something that Mr Salmond can do. Sponsoring the Scottish Cup - a typical SNP grandstand gesture - throw a view pounds at football clubs and maybe get a view votes.
I'm reminded of Mrs Thatcher visiting Hampden a few years ago and uniting (no pun intended) both sets of supporters and getting a good booing!
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20. At 10:22pm on 09 Jan 2009, greenockboy:
Who said anything about the SNP?
Politicians of ALL parties should be promoting it, and especially the councillors in their respective cities and towns.
I don't understand why they won't invest a little time and money. After all, if businesses make some money that keeps them going therefore more business rates for the council coffers.
As for Tavish Scott, I'm in agreement. He should be accused of misleading the public that he is a politician. Well, you could apply that to most Lib Dems anyway, with the exception of Vince Cable.
23. At 10:48pm on 09 Jan 2009, uk_abz_scot wrote:
Homecoming! Scotland in January -cold and dark with boarded up shops.
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I'm in agreement here. January is one of the worst months for tourism surely, unless you like skiing.
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#21 aye_write
The homecoming is not supposed to be linked to political parties and as the BBC is supposed to be impartial (choke) the Scottish page would be the ideal page as a lot of people around the World trust (used to) and link to the news pages.
"could the SNP not do something similar and get their own website up to this standard?"
Their site needs a complete revamp to make it user friendly as its a total nonsense for the passing browser and others, 2 out 10.
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Neil_Small147:
"I'm in agreement here. January is one of the worst months for tourism surely, unless you like skiing."
I am in disagreement. It's true January is one of the worst months being after Christmas. However there are people with money, and Scotland may be able to take a slice. Difficult but not impossible.
I would also like to point out. January is one of the worst months because of the holidays that have past. But not everyone celebrates holidays in December.
There you go. You want people with money, and people who do not celebrate Christmas (or other holidays in December) will bound to have some money kicking about.
I spotted a gap in the market =D
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Was Burns Night not celebrated in a different month many years before?
26. At 11:33pm on 09 Jan 2009, Thomas_Porter wrote:
There you go. You want people with money, and people who do not celebrate Christmas (or other holidays in December) will bound to have some money kicking about.
True, but then if we are trying to get a lot of the expats to visit I think most of them do celebrate Christmas.
What wll annoy me is that if it fails, then Labour will probably have a go at the SNP, which is abit unfair since was it not their idea in the first place?
Anyway, they might be scared off by the thought of Scotsmen all wearing the Jack McConnell style of kilt :p
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# 1
I'm sorry you haven't heard about the Homecoming. Friends I have in the US, Australia and New Zealand have known about it for nearly a year. But they do tend to keep an online eye on Scottish affairs.
The fact that the Scottish tourist organisation has to use the British tourist business to promote (from taxpayers money) such details perhaps delays things in your part of the world.
I know from my friends over the world they have heard of it via clan associations and family.
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#18 greenockboy
Re the Scotsman poll report you mentioned -
Amazingly it wasn't a straight lift from the Labour website - it must have been separately from them, since they'll print anything.
The poll is a YouGov UK poll, brpken down by "region", and there were precisely 164 Scots responding. Brownedov and I have both repeatedly warned (when the SNP were doing well in the Scottish segment of such polls) that the Scottish figures are of no statistical significance, as the sample is far too small.
The numbers are accurate. However, the last 6 polls by YouGov on voting intention for Westminster have been
Lab, 42, 38, 39, 43, 38, 40
SNP, 27, 30, 32, 29, 27, 30
so it's hardly news. The pattern suggests that Labour are ahead of the SNP in Scottish votes for the UK Parliament, while the focus has been on the economic crisis.
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#18,
I am surprised that with a carefully hand-picked 164 (presumably of Scotsman readers!) they only got such a small manufactured 'lead'.
Hootsman trying to pretend we aren't effectively in a two-party system!
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Most ex-pat Scots I know keep in touch with events at home via the internet. That's where the best return for expenditure exists. I've been aware of the 'Homecoming' for months thanks largely to the BBC - Even the scrapping over it in Parliament generates knowledge of its existence albeit on the political pages. Brian however can put a feather in his cap today - this blog is doing what no Scottish agency thus far has done (at least here in Australia), it's bringing the homecoming to the attention of those who may previously have heard nothing (as can be seen from some of the responses above). There's a job for you beyond the BBC Brian - should the homecoming be a success, you can cite this blog as a pivotal moment in making it happen :)
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Sean Connery should "come home"
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PLEASE get lightweight Clare Balding off Radio 4
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Brian
I just looked at the "draw" for the the Homecoming Cup. It looks like the balls were put in the hat in alphabetical order and removed as closely as possible to alphabetical order!
for example
Alloa - Aberdeen
Celtic - Dundee
Dunfermline-Clyde
Peterhead-Queens Park
East Stirling - Dundee Utd
Hibs-Hearts
Forfar-Forres
St Johnstone-Rangers
hmm - half the ties !
Enquiry time?
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@#34
Maybe the temperature from the famous Hot and Cold balls transferred themselves slightly to the ones around them?
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#25 cynicalHighlander
Thanks. Yes I realise it isn't meant to be all political - I don't mind if it is though!
Re website, I was attempting to suggest that even if, lets assume, the SNP had no involvement in the Homecoming one, would it not be quite possible for them to find out by looking into it, what they need to know to sort their own one. (I am programmed to look for the simplest way!)
Oblivion beckons again. I didn't expect I actually would miss you lot...
:-)
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The present government in Scotland seems, like the Jack Mcconnell attempt at government , to be obsessed with tourism. Tourism should be at the bottom of it's priorities, what we need is jobs, real jobs, not minimum or less wage jobs that tourism provides. Tourism provides a very few well paid jobs and lots of slave wage jobs for immigrants and the almost unemployable. The benefit to the community in general is I suspect minimal with the bulk of the earnings going into the pockets of a few individuals and a few multinationals south of the border. The enormous amounts of taxpayers money spent on tourism would be better spent on the people of Scotland, health, education etc.. Tourism, if it is sustainable must finance it's own advertising, the taxpayer should not be sharing this burden.
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#36 aye_write
e.g. No comparison
Mutual!
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37. kaybraes
I think you might be better to check your facts on the value of tourism in Scotland's economy remember foot and mouth disease.
In the present recession and falling output in manufacturing an industry which is presently contributing about 3% GDP is worth supporting.
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Not quite true #23. As far as I'm aware, the Scottish Govt did not pay a penny for the sponsorship rights to the Scottish Cup. Willie Haughie bought them, and offered them to the Govt for free. They have used them to promote the Homecoming.
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39. At 2:06pm on 10 Jan 2009, cynicalHighlander wrote:
37. kaybraes
I think you might be better to check your facts on the value of tourism in Scotland's economy remember foot and mouth disease.
In the present recession and falling output in manufacturing an industry which is presently contributing about 3% GDP is worth supporting.
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True, but then tourism is seasonable for the most part.
We do have the advantages of Hogmany and the Festival, but these only really benefit Edinburgh.
It is important to promote tourism. But it is equally important to ensure that there is a sound economic base as well.
As for the Homecoming Cup - Forres vs Forfar? That will bring in the crowds :p
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#40 I stand corrected re the finance point. Although I am not sure which pot of money the Treasury would put donations in. (Income, Capital, PPP, PFI or Forth Bridge collecting can).
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38. cynicalHighlander
Wow!
(wow)
Thanks. ;-)
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Nos 6, 23, 24, 26:
Re: 'picking January'
It's the YEAR of homecoming folks. Love it or hate it, you've got to endure it for much longer than it takes for the evenings to start getting lighter...
Although technically it's only about 10 and a bit months as I think the 'official' dates are from Burns night to St Andrew's Day but I am ready to be corrected on that (would be surprised if I wasn't, on this blog!)
34.
Brechin-St. Mirren being one of the other half? and demonstrating that if that was the plan, they didn't do it very well. Was that the sequence the pairs came out in, or was it that sneaky villain 'statistical variation'?
If the lottery balls came out 1,2,3,4,33,42 would that be steward's enquiry time too? Or just a case of us finding patterns in what is as random a selection as any other?
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Properly managed the Homecoming event could be a great success - I have already suggested to Alex Salmond that he should release the 1911 Census early, (as England is doing), but available only by personal visit to Edinburgh or local FHS centres, for this year.
This is the first Census that will show the many of the parents of Family History researchers worldwide and would provide a considerable incentive for those involved to make the trip. It would also lead to a boom in homegrown researcher's visits.
Local tours should be arranged throughout the year by Family & Local History Society groups and schools should be encouraged to take part to give children a sense of their local and familyhistory.
Local Libraries should hold photographic exhibitions with local people being encouraged to lend their old photgraphs and other memorabilia.
It is in all our interests, regardless of our political persuasion that this event is a major success and we should all be backing it to the hilt.
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Tourism as a world industry is bigger than oil incidentally.
Scotland doesn't have the capital to invest in supposedly more substantial non-tourist jobs. This is to do with Scotland not receiving all of the revenues it generates each year because the London Treasury treats Scotland like a child receiving its pocket-money and because Thatcher(ism) destroyed Scotland's manufacturing base. But with independence, all our revenues, the full and flexible legislative base and no doubt the confidence that an independent Scotland would enjoy gives Scotland a unique chance to to completely reverse her fortunes and create long term properly paid sustainable jobs.
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Re kaybraes
Your understanding of Tourism is as good as your knowledge of agriculture.
You make the point perfectly why for the remote parts of scotland Holyrood is no better than Westminster.
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Tourism is bigger than oil. Ancestry tourism, the primary focus of Homecoming, is almost certainly not. It's a niche interest for a pretty small group of people.
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#48 Anaxim
"It's a niche interest for a pretty small group of people."
Like Skiers, Anglers, Climbers, Sailors etc Oh and Labour party supporters.
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#48 opinion or fact?
If ancestry tourism encourages more people to visit Scotland then what is the harm?
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Ancestry tourism? Is that from some blurb or did you stay up all day making that one up? We need and demand an answer...
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#51 bluelaw
'Ancestry Tourism'
It's from online gaming where you go back to your area of origin and seek out all those that 'created' you - and blow them up.
It is a 'niche interest'.
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When we are an independent wee teeny nation with scandanavian tendancies it will be too expensive for tourists to come and sample our dreary weather and small minded insular ways.
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9. At 8:33pm on 09 Jan 2009, cynicalHighlander wrote:
"Maybe Brian could ask the powers that be to put a link on the BBC Scotland homepage."
Scotland 2009 YEAR OF HOMECOMING
But cH, the fact that the BBC has to be asked to do the obvious, demonstrates that their priorities do not lie in the UK as a whole but in that part which is projected as the UK, viz England.
As for Mr Taylor trying to reduce the importance of the Homecoming to that of United winning the HC, that is also typical of the unionists, you only have to look at how BBC Scotland news trivialise its news items.
Yesterday saw it open with murders and some other trivia THEN the Scottish Budget.
Enough said.
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Tourism is not a bigger world industry than oil. Don't be foolish.
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Ps. It doesn't matter if Homecoming works or not the first time it has been tried. I would suggest that it is repeated every 4 or 5 years and would become an event which would grow like the Edinburgh Festival has.
Anything which promotes Scotland on a global platform should be welcomed and supported by all. I don't care whose idea it was and I don't care for anyone who talks my country down!
Anyway, I actually expect a huge increase in European visitors to Scotland this summer, due to the Pound/Euro situation, which has deterred them in recent years. Look out especially for many Spanish tourists in Edinburgh and Glasgow this coming summer *;o) Tourism boom time is coming.
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#53 fortunately that is just your opinion and not a statement of fact, but it speaks volumes about your attitude towards your own country and people.
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Homecoming? What's that all about then? Realising you have roots and wanting to know more about them? Is that small minded? Not really, but ...
Perhaps if we called it 'a man's a man' and identified it as a reason to visit scotland as a place where education and reason won over poverty of purse and spirit, for a while , we could attract more than just tartan sniffers.
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#53 - don't worry your already there: both small-minded and dreary.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO5leiwEiTM
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Ooh it's getting quite messy this topic.
I'm all in favour of the Homecoming, provided polticians keep out.
I don't want blooming Labour posturing if it fails, and neither do I want the same from the SNP if it is successful.
As to the comments about priorities in the UK. Part of it is due to the population of Scotland compared to England. I travel a lot on business around the UK. And in Wales you get the same regarding news. The Welsh tend to be more nationalistic than we are generally.
The BBC tends to be London-centric, let alone England-centric.
Slightly off-topic. The demonstrations against Israel that have descended into violence by a minority - any word on condemnation by any of our Scottish politicians yet? People are entitled to protest - they are not entitled to use violence to do so.
(And before I get jumped on I do not support what is happening in the Middle East. But as usual the leaders of Stop the War etc refuse to accept that their protests have attracted a thuggish element.)
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#57 BoNGO_1
Who knows? There might even be a bit of an increase in European visitors long before the summer. Do you realize how cold it is over there just now? There has been no point recently in anyone heading for the south of France to get away from the cold spell, as even Marseille, which doesn't really do snow, has been under really quite deep snow to such an extent that the local authority has been so completely overwhelmed that the central government is sending a team to conduct an inquiry.
So there could be refugees from the south of France heading for the currently relatively mild weather conditions of even the north of Scotland any minute now. Well, maybe not. How would they know about them, in any case? Nobody is telling them anything about Scotland. No one ever does, I think. It might as well be on another planet.
Most mainland Europeans visiting the UK will spend their euros in London as usual this year, in the big stores of Oxford Street and the like rather than the branch of Harrods that Mr Al Fayed has established in Sutherland. Very few are likely to brave the uncertainties of UK public transport to make their way as far as Scotland, which, as any Englishman will tell them, is the frozen north, even when it isn't.
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#55 BoNG0_1
Always worth checking your facts before posting!
International tourism receipts represented in 2003 approximately 6 per cent of worldwide exports of goods and services
Have a look at "Oil and the Global Economy" by Kenneth Rogoff, Harvard University (2006)
"with oil constituting only a relatively small share of global GDP (roughly 4%)"
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CORRECTION
I think that in my #61 I put #57 instead of #56. Apologies.
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It's not neccessarily about the diaspora and getting in touch with your roots. It's about Burns and thereafter anything that that person chooses it to be.
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58. pro-loco
Very few Ancestry researchers are interested in 'tartan' - most just want to know their roots and the vast majority of these will have no interest or claim to a tartan - certainly the website for Ayrshire which has 1000's of hits has little tartan interest.
As for the term 'tartan sniffers' that is an insult to those people who are descended from Highland clans and wish to be associated with them. But then it is easy to insult people hiding behind an email.
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#58 pro-loco
"Perhaps if we called it 'a man's a man'..."
Yes, absolutely. The women can stay at home - they only want to spend hours trawling round the 'gifite' shops anyway...
(I only mention because who, often, decides where to go on holiday?)
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#51. bluelaw
'Home' after more than 100 years
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#57 GetOotYerKip
Yes, perhaps hypothetical but if pigs did sprout wings and this country was to become your nationalist fantasy scandanavian dreamland then there would be little or no tourism to these shores and we Scots would take oor holidays in more affordable places - fact!!
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#68 - Yeah, prove your fact. Go on, cite sources or take your small-minded bitterness elsewhere and spoil their party instead. Scotland doesn't need the likes of you, there are enough suffers of Scottish Cringe already. Fact!!
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While we will hopefully get more visitors this year, don't expect a mass return from all the ex-pats.
I know a lot of people who have emigrated and also have relatives abroad. None have expressed a strong desire to return. Yes, they miss their homeland, but while things are not always perfect abroad, there is little here to persuade them to return to stay.
Unless they have a strong desire to watch Forfar vs Forres. (sorry, couldn't resist it!)
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#59 pattymkirkwood
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO5leiwEiTM"
Patty, that little clip got me more anxious for independence than for quite a spell, more than any 'blethering' (no offence) on here.
It goes to show how much more effective that stuff is. I wonder, the independence movement's organisers should scour YouTube etc., gather this stuff up and without obvious announcement, see to saturating in boxes with it for example, as part of an independence campaign.
(Neil, under vid screen on above page, is that a name for one of your faces?)
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#68 salmonella
Your post consists of an unsubstantiated assertion which you describe as "fact". An assertion, whether substantiated or not, and whatever its merits or demerits may be, is not a fact.
As for the substance of the issue in question, it is arguable that, at the very least, an independent Scotland, which, by virtue of being independent, would have control over promotion of tourism overseas, which I have always understood to be a function reserved to the British Tourist Authority, or whatever it is calling itself now, would be in a position to give itself a more visible profile overseas, which in itself would arguably facilitate the encouragement of tourism to a very considerable degree. Scottish membership of the eurozone, which is SNP policy, would also be arguably invaluable in that regard so far as the European market is concerned.
The UK promotion of Scotland that I first noticed was a BTA poster in French at Dover Harbour with a picture of a Scottish bagpiper in Highland scenery underneath the words "Welcome to England". If you think that is adequate, you have no great ambition for Scotland, have you?
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'a mans a man' - just quoting the man - of course, the sense is supposed to be broader than that and inclusive of everyone despite the 'guinea stamp' but if you want to take offense on a gender basis, go ahead, prove my point.
'tartan sniffers' - although a little provocative, is aimed at those that believe belonging is derived from location and ownership rather than those that know the place they are proud to come from but are willing to say the old place needs improvement.
As posts are necessarily anonymous you will have to take my word that my own name is of an unimpeachable scottish highland origin and no real offense was expected to be felt by clansfolk - of any denomination, religion or gender anywhere.
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Is there any intelligent point to any of Salmondella's posts?
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
#73 pro-loco
You misconceive. Maybe you're male?
;-)
I was not taking offence, rather being constructive.
If your idea is to promote Scotland (or anywhere) effectively, ignore my point at your cost.
Re my #71
Oops, meant to say 'is that a face for one of your names?'.
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#74 sneckedagain
No.
At least RE provided some apparent support for his arguments (even if he was frequently proved wrong).
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Brian
Why are you referring to fitba' as "soccer"?
It's normal here in the USA, but wierd coming from the keyboard of a Dundonian!
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#78 oldnat
'Weird' is quite a weird word too. One could almost swear that this spelling of it must be wrong, and yet it is not. Weird.
I suppose you realize that in casting nasturtiums at any aspect of the Brahan seer's text you may be stirring up a hornet's nest, by the way.
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68. At 11:41pm on 10 Jan 2009, salmondella wrote:
#57 GetOotYerKip
Yes, perhaps hypothetical but if pigs did sprout wings and this country was to become your nationalist fantasy scandanavian dreamland then there would be little or no tourism to these shores and we Scots would take oor holidays in more affordable places - fact!!
------------------------
Scotland will retain tourism regardless of independence or not. Don't post nonsense like this unless you can back it up with facts.
76. At 01:27am on 11 Jan 2009, aye_write wrote:
Oops, meant to say 'is that a face for one of your names?'.
----
The one on the right.
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I have family living in Europe and Australia. They have no intention of spending their hard-earned money on a trip back here. And especially not if their visit was being used as political propaganda for Salmond and his gang, which, let's face it, it would be. They left Scotland for specific reasons - nothing's changed, so they won't be back!
Add why would they leave Oz in January to come here and freeze??
Additionally, we're not the 'tartan, golf and Burns' kind of Scot, and there doesn't seem to be much in the events list that would interest us anyway. I do wish the SNP would stop trying to brainwash us into accepting their Brigadoon vision of Scotland, and accept that those of us who don't understand a word of Burns are quite happy with that, and have no intention of being assimilated. Or will that kind of attitude be illegal in the McReich??
#23 - I was at that match - they were giving out red cards beforehand to wave at her - it was quite a sight! Though my father, despite despising her and her politics, did not join in the singing that accompanied that, which insinuated that she earned her pocket money by 'swinging her handbag'...
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#80 Neil_Small147
Did you click on the name link underneath the vid screen?
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#80 thank you Neil, you took the words right out of my mouth.
#81 who's actually trying to force you to take part in any Homecoming events? I've yet to see anything that makes it compulsory to take part, it's your choice what you want to do and how you want to behave towards the events, but why try and belittle it for others with such a negative attitude.
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#80 Neil Small
If we pursue the nationalists scandanavian dream we won't. How many people book their holidays to expensive countries. We don't so why would others come here if we become as expensive as these other countries we want to be?!
Get real!! Under this crazy nationalist dream Scotland will be expensive and England will be cheap. People go where they can afford to go and their money goes further? And that will include Scottish people seeking their holiday experience where their money goes further, perhaps even at English resorts - good news for Blackpool ;-)
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73 pro-loco
ok - but for your info.
In all my years of assisting people in research, (unpaid), I have only come across one who wanted to know if they were entitled to wear a tartan.
My area of expertise does not cover the Highlands, (my people had left the Highlands and were in Paisley by the early-mid 1700's), but I understand Inverness Library has a great research unit, one of the best in Scotland, just in case you should ever want to use it.
I know that Aberdeen FHS is one the biggest in Scotlland and it's facilities are superb.
Ancestry sources and facilities in Scotland are among the best, if not the actual best, in the world - I have recently returned from Northern Ireland and whilst I found the people there extremely helpful, their facilities are not a patch on ours - we are wonderfully placed for providing this type of information to those interested and, despite what you read on this site, don't for a moment believe that there are not massive numbers of such people in the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
I had a long distant cousin and his wife across from Australia last year, (common ancestors 3xggp), a distant cousin from California across a couple of years back, (common ancestors 2xggp - different branch of the family from the aforegoing), and another long distant cousin (common ancestors from Canada, (same 3xggp as 1 above but different branch from then on), coming across this year.
All of these I only discovered through my research over the years, and I have many others that have expressed a desire to come here, but the £ was always too strong in the past. This is not the case now!
Most of my fellow Family History Society's 100 members, (we are one of the smaller Society's in Scotland), can and do tell a similar story, and if this is repeated throughout Scotland, represents many, many thousands of visitors.
This is big business and Scotland does benfit and can benefit even more if we set out to do so, and part of that is extending the hand of welcome to our blood kin.
Who knows - we might even be related -:)
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#81 GlasgowGooner
Residents of any country may reasonably be expected to respect the culture or cultures of that country. Acclimatizing onself to the the country in which one lives is a matter of common courtesy and civilized behaviour, although that apparently does not come naturally to you. Are Scots to stop speaking Scots altogether and bury Scottish culture to accommodate those who choose to regard it as infra dig?
I remember being extremely favourably impressed by a bilingual intellectual in Alsace to whom standard French and standard German came equally naturally because of his franco-German parentage. On the German side of the frontier he spoke standard German, of course. On the French side he effortlessly switched to standard French except when speaking to natives of Alsace for whom the Alsatian Germanic dialect is the natural mode of expression. As he had courteously taken the trouble to familiarize himself with their dialect in associating with his Alsatian colleagues, he was able to communicate with them without forcing them to use either French or the German of Germany in the process. For historical reasons this was prudent.
This gentleman is a distinguished priest quite high up in the ecclesiastical hierarchy now but who still conducts religious services of various descriptions for residents of Alsace in their own tongue even though he is not originally from that part of the world. Needless to say, he is much appreciated in consequence of this.
My admiration for this sort of attitude and approach knows no bounds. Conversely, my admiration for the typical English or overbearingly anglophile attitude and approach to language and culture in Scotland can only be non-existent, obviously.
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"An assertion, whether substantiated or not, and whatever its merits or demerits may be, is not a fact."
Actually, an unsubstantiated assertion MAY be a fact, a substantiated assertion IS a fact.
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#84 still short on fact and long on opinion.
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#84 salmonella
More unsubstantiated assertion from you, I see. You surely cannot seriously expect anyone to take that seriously. If you do, the extent of your intellectual poverty would appear to be, at a conservative estimate, nothing short of breathtaking.
You are discrediting the anglo-unionist case. Independentists must love you.
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#84 salmondella
What a sad person! Have you a lifetime pass to a holiday camp.
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#84. salmondella
Aha! I have you now; you are afraid that if Scotland leaves the Union the "English" can't cope.
"A weak currency is the sign of a weak economy, which is the sign of a weak government" Gordon Brown, 1995
As an Englishman as well I'm sure my fellow countrymen will manage independence just as well as the Scots if not better.
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#84
Anyone who prefers Blackpool to Scotland deserves to spend a holiday in Blackpool.
I once spent a holiday in Norway even though it was rather more expensive than Blackpool. I remain convinced to this day that I made the right choice.
Wild horses could not drag me out of Scotland to Blackpool at any price whether Scotland becomes independent or not.
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More rubbish to rubbish!
I wonder if Norwegians would rather have more tourist dollars but the trade-off was to have Scottish living standards, average incomes and rule by Westminster? What do you think they or the Danes or Swedes would say?
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The Irish spend around nine times as much promoting Ireland as the Tourist Board in Scotland have to spend in promoting Scotland
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Salmondella:
#82.
"If we pursue the nationalists scandanavian dream we won't. How many people book their holidays to expensive countries. We don't so why would others come here if we become as expensive as these other countries we want to be?!"
Expensive country's? I guess those who can afford to do so. Flordia, in America, happens to be expensive, especially all the major tourist attractions. But people still go...
So, please explain. Why do tourists head for Florida despite Florida being expensive? (If anyone has been you know yourself)
"Get real!! Under this crazy nationalist dream Scotland will be expensive and England will be cheap. People go where they can afford to go and their money goes further? And that will include Scottish people seeking their holiday experience where their money goes further, perhaps even at English resorts - good news for Blackpool ;-)"
Your comment is ridiculous. How old are you? You must be younger then I am, because even I understand that people go to places they like rather then how expensive they may be.
Have you been to Ibiza? It's one of the biggest party zones in the world. It can cost you between 30-40 euros to go into the main clubs... Quite expensive don't you think...but hey people are still lining outside.
Heck, you are almost suggesting that Scots are cheap and poor and can't afford nice things... Well, between you and I, I have never stayed in a resort with less then 5 stars for many years ;-)
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84. At 12:19pm on 11 Jan 2009, salmondella wrote:
#80 Neil Small
If we pursue the nationalists scandanavian dream we won't. How many people book their holidays to expensive countries. We don't so why would others come here if we become as expensive as these other countries we want to be?!
Get real!! Under this crazy nationalist dream Scotland will be expensive and England will be cheap. People go where they can afford to go and their money goes further? And that will include Scottish people seeking their holiday experience where their money goes further, perhaps even at English resorts - good news for Blackpool ;-)
---------------
Hang on. I'm no fanatical SNP supporter (bluelaw and greenockboy will confirm this!). I sit in the middle, at the moment unconvinced by the arguments of either side. Each does have a few good points and bad points.
But tourism will always be there. It's always there in other countries including the more expensive ones.
Scottish people have been going to Blackpool for years, even if it has gone downmarket a bit recently. Liverpudlians go to North Wales. Other people visit other parts of the UK.
I have misgivings about how Scotland will fare in some areas economically if independence happens, and have yet to be convinced otherwise.
However, a lot of tourism in Scotland ties is culture based, and also from the fact we still have a lot of wild country (Lanarkshire included :P ). All sides, whether they support independence or not, should be helping to promote the tourist industry.
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#87 NicAChar
That depends on how well substantiated it is and on what arguments are deployed to what effect to challenge the attempted substantiation, which may, in fact, be based upon sound arguments but unsound evidence or vice versa. An assertion that is flawlessly substantiated would indeed qualify for acceptance as a fact, admittedly. With this qualification I concede your point.
Where there is no attempt at substantiation, on the other hand, no arguments can be deployed to counter the assertion or any basis upon which it is alleged to be made. Neither the assertion nor any defence of it can be tested. That is, perhaps, the more pertinent point here.
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#50 InMyKip
"If ancestry tourism encourages more people to visit Scotland then what is the harm?"
The harm is in implicitly discouraging people who aren't ancestry hobbyists from visiting Scotland.
An art-loving person might think about going to the Edinburgh Festival, but the ancestry-centric promotional material would put them off. Similarly nature-loving person might be put off going to the Cairngorms.
By all means promote ancestry tourism, but it should never be the central focus. The sad thing is that Homecoming could have been easily reworked into a more balanced event.
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#96 I can confirm that Neil some parts of South Lanarkshire are positively wild.
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#95 - Thomas, I think you've hit the nail on the head. Salmondella comes across very much as a third year school pupil, being fed an opinion by perhaps their geography or modern studies teacher. They certainly don't seem mature enough to have reached a reasoned opinion by themselves and, with the enthusiasm of youth, they think that because they've been told something by a respected elder, it must be the truth. As they get older, they will develop the skepticism (and dare I say cynicism) that many of us older posters exhibit, so perhaps, in the meantime, we shouldn't be too hard on Salmondella.
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#98 an unrealistic argument against the positive promotion of Scotland as a tourist destination for 2009 through it's cultural and ancestral links to the rest of the world.
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98. Anaxim
As my old uncle who was educated at Oxford was fond of saying:- 'what a load of tripe'
I can just visualise all over the world artistically minded people and those who are interested in visiting Scotland's beauty spots, are gathering together in little huddles:
"Don't go near old Scotia this year - did you see the advertising? - they are trying to encourage people with Scottish Ancestry to visit and you all know what that lot are like -you are almost certain to catch something, or they will be bringing out their notebooks microphones or laptops and ask you all sorts of personal questions like: 'where are your great great grandparents buried?' or 'Did your 4xgreat grandfather leave a Will?'
You would think they would have more respect for people visiting a museum!"
or:
"We were planning to go to the Cairngorms, then go to Loch Ness and see Nessie but these adverts for the Homecoming have put us right off - You know what these people are like, they get everywhere, they will be right up on top of Ben MacDui waiting to pounce out of the mist just like the 'Old Man' himself: 'Where was your grandfather born?' they will cry. Give you the fright of your life"
I don't know what that Alex Salmond is thinking of - Pity that nice young lassie Wendy whatshername didn't manage to get elected - she would never have allowed that Family History mob to set foot on Scottish soil - puts you right off our scones and treacle"
The mind doth boggle!!
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Tourism is one of these areas that everyone should be supporting as it helps the economy whether we are indendent or not.
If you want to bring your own views in yo cannot lose:
Nationalist - shows Scotland is still a tourist destination. Should help the economy if self-governed.
Unionist - helps the overall UK economy. More tourists helps with tax income therefore more pennies in the Treasury.
You cannot argue against it.
But don't use politics as to be honest most tourists don't give a monkeys about the independence issue.
We should all be in agreement here. That would be a first!
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#61 Francophone, Comment Ce Va?
I live in the centre of Glasgow and since the EUFA cup final, RCD Espanyol v Sevilla in 2007, I noticed a huge increase in Spannish visitors in the city centre last year... with these folk going home and talking to freinds along with the weak pound, my prediction will be bourn out to be 100% true.
Mark my words... you heard it here first!
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#62 Oldnat... sorry, oil is the one and only primary industry, without which, all other industries cease to exist.
http://
uk.youtube.com/watch?v=U7WvaMzAiPM
... ALL INDUSTRIES... agriculture... travel... manufacturing... the energy industry... services... construction... health...
... absolutely everything is dependant upon OIL.
Therefore in conclusion, you stated that tourism was a larger industry than Oil (or energy as I like to call it), yet tourism or any of the other industries listed above would not exist if it were not for oil.
... yeah you sure have a grasp on reality!!! *;o)
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@62 Oldnat, just for interest had a look at the link you provided in your #62 and suprise suprise, it confirms my point. *;o)
Tourism is on the increase yet energy availability (yep that stuff that makes it possible) is on the decrease.
... ever heard and understood the word sustainability?
*;o)
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#80 Neil_Small147
Neil,
This was on there:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ForteanJo
I remember you once wanted to put names to faces...! (There could be more than one, an imposter, or an impersonator.)
As an aquarian (if it was Burns's birthday you were referring to, not Brian's), you are supposed to fascinated by life's little mysteries...?
;->
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#101, 102
How unrealistic is it to imagine someone deciding between two or more competing destinations?
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# 81 GlasgowGooner (apt name for the post you provide... the 'Goon' bit that is! I'm guessing you support the Unionist fitba team in Glesgae? Naw? *;o)
Anyways, you speak of a the 'brigadoon version of Scotland'... well at least that is better than the Nu-Labour war mongering (Iraq-Afghanistan) criminal attitudes that we have to suffer from the unionists.
If you are so happy to talk of the reasons for your relatives to be happy leaving Scotland and never returning, then why do you not follow them?
Is it a low self esteem issue or are you simply just moaning about how the world has done you so wrong for the sake of it? (ie. feeling sorry for yourself?)
The thing is, in general, I see a Scotland whose' future is full of a possitive attitude, which will improve the lives of us all. I am pesronally sick and tired of moaners who are usually too lazy and have no ambition to better themselves or offer anything of themselves to the prosperity of their country. To be honest, there are far too many people who can talk a good game and yet, have personally done absolutely jack shinty to change anything of any significance what so ever.
Saor Alba
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#78, "Soccer!"... well Brian is an Arab, they are hardly purists!
*;o)
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#100
Great put down - and thoroughly deserved
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Bongo
Whether tourism is dependent on oil is irrelevant to the FACT that tourism is a BIGGER industry than oil.
How can anyone not be convinced by independence. Oil revenues alone would make Scots per capita amongst the richest in the world. Tell me, do you think the Norwegians *have to* worry about tourism or not?
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#108 by your logic Anaxim we should not advertise any tourist attraction of Scotland for fear of offending some other party, don't advertise walking holidays in case it puts of cyclists, don't advertise fishing holidays in case it offends the golfers, don't advertise cultural holidays in case it offends some other culture......as I said your argument against the Homecoming advertising was unrealistic, it remains unrealistic.
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I note that the latest YouGov poll on voting intentions for the Euro elections put the SNP on 35% same as Labour.
Tory and Libdem are at 11%.
So much for the "collapsing " SNP support we hear about.
This represents about a 25% advance in the SNP vote since the last Euro election campaign in 2004.
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108 Anaxim
This comment bears little or no relation to the content of your post 98 which was all about Ancestry related advertising having a negative impact on other tourists decisions.
Instead of criticising, and being totally negative, why not put forward some alternative ideas to make the Homecoming event a success; for it is important for all our sakes that it is a success.
Whether you like it or not, and I can see no good reason why you would not like it, it is extremely likely that you have a number of distant cousins out there that you have never heard of, hoping to make contact and possibly exchange visits in the future.
My Califorian cousin had made two or three trips over here, making contact with other relatives, before she found me, and I hope to persuade her to come over again soon, particulalry with the pound being so advantageous for her.
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In this example, tourism does depend on oil:
(Tourism is so big, oil is so big.
Even better, combine them!)
Oil Tourism
We have the boats, we have the accommodation.
You book your ticket for a rig to rig cruise, a stay on an oil rig...
Entertainmnent: watch those burley blokes, snap pictures...(hen nights).
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116. At 8:47pm on 11 Jan 2009, aye_write:
Think you are in your personal fantasy holiday here :p
Got an idea though. I buy my wife the firefighters calendar every year. Perhaps you could have an oil rig workers one. :p
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#116 aye_write
HSE would put there foot down on that one.
Trips to see Harry Potters birthplace I am sure JK might help!
Wonderful weather in January 12 degs today warmer than South of France.
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There is probably no family in Scotland without relatives in America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand not to mention England where it is reckoned that over 5% of the population is of Scots descent. I had NZ relatives over two years ago and they are coming back this year, specifically because they have picked up on the Homecoming theme. They thought Scotland was great and so friendly! At the moment I am engaged in a quest to find out what happened to Campbell relatives that emigrated to Wogga Wogga in 1922. If I find their descendents I'll invite them back as well.
If the Scottish Government was to give me and people like me something we could email worldwide we'd soon contact the estimated 50 million who claim some sort of Scots descent around the globe. There is over 1500 clan associations for instance all over the place.
"man to man, the world over" indeed.
There is no people to match the Scots in terms of world wide enterprise and success. Looking at some of the contributions to this blog, however, it appears that a lot of the dross has stayed at home sadly.
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#116, 117, 118
probably the NuLabour PC brigade (Brown's own NKVD) would either ban it........or tax it, one of the two.
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This might help the non believers.
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#115, #113
Imagine two supermarkets, both sending out leaflets of their products. One sends out a leaflet with a wide range of products, the other's leaflet concentrates heavily on wine. The wine-centric strategy might work, but it depends how popular wine is. People who aren't interested in wine will inevitably drift towards the other supermarket.
My view is that ancestry tourism simply isn't popular enough, and that in a recession, focusing on a broad mix of things is better. It'll all be online in a few years, and the number of potential tourists (25m) is small, compared to the billions of potential tourists interested in other things.
I would fix Homecoming by de-emphasising the ethnic component and making it a normal, sensible anniversary. Ancestry would be a footnote; Burns should be for everyone.
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#122 having looked at the Homecoming website I don't particuarly think the notion of Homecoming is broken, ancestry is only one component of the Homecoming event and I fail to see where it overwhelms other components of the Homecoming event. The Homecoming event looks sensible to me, promoting popular aspects of Scotland in a positive way.
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#122 Anaxim
What planet are you living in? A lot of people abroad try to connect to their past and have even fabricated facts to give them a link to Scots ancestry, status symbol. Have you not seen Roots if not I would recommend it.
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#117, 118, 120
LOL! Re calendar, encountering (a selection of) the real thing at bars in Aberdeen years ago, I'm afraid did not help to increase the mystique.
I'm not waiting on Alec's....or even Brian's. (Mr. Write & management team could pose carefully behind PC monitors, or, more likely, the Tassimo machine...I must suggest!)
Talking of pics, do you suppose it is ForteanJo in the link??
Perhaps in this 'slump', there should be deals on prices for travellers booking a trip as part of the Homecoming event. Yes, bribe them as well as recommend to them!
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The Scotsman have a story tommorow on the Forth bridge funding row that is headlined 'Murphy seeks to broker deal'
Mr Murphy said: "I'm inviting the SNP government and the Treasury to talks despite the way in which the SNP's played politics with this. The sums don't add up. They are trying to borrow money against budgets that don't even yet exist over a period of two decades.
I wonder what 'deal' he hopes to broker with these words, a career in the diplomatic corps doesn't beckon for Murphy.
The headline writer at The Scotsman is in line for the 'most inappropriate headline of 2009' award.
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122. Anaxim
Ah well we tried - none so blind etc. -:)
Do me a favour - go and visit some of the Genealogical websites - Rootsweb is possibly the best place to start - look at the volume of emails posted on these sites by people in the USA and elsewhere for your own name - who knows - you might hit on a rellie right away.
Spend some time there and you will perhaps get an insight into the number of people with roots in this country - this is a potential goldmine, neglected and practically untouched by previous Governments for many many years.
Salmond recognises this; he knows some of these people have been coming here, not because they have been given any special encouragement to do so by Government, but on their own volition.
Now he wants to attract those who need a bit of encouragement - let's all hope he succeeds.
As for the general world population - Visit Scotland has been trying to attract these people for years with presumably some success - I don't see that anything fresh is available to be tried at this stage in the game - our best chance is to appeal to our kith & kin, where we have something viable to offer, and hope they respond.
We, the ordinary Joe public must be positive and welcoming.
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#126 greenockboy
The amount of anti SNP propoganda is spreading in a lot of papers, a sign they are getting worried that they lose the goose that laid the oily egg.
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#126
Murphy says "SNP played politics with this issue". I thought that was what the SNP was for!
Actually correctly it's "SNP played politics with this issue AND WON".
But don't expect the media to report it that way (see my post on previous Taylor blog
" Opening the Government's purse")
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#104 BoNG0_1
Salut! Good to know that 'le foot' is coming in handy.
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119. At 9:17pm on 11 Jan 2009, sneckedagain:
I have relatives or Scottish friends in England, Eire, Canada, USA, Australia, New Zealand and as you said it probably applies to almost every family in Scotland.
Just as long as all 50 million don't try to visit at the same time.
As for contacting people, there are plenty of social networking sites out there on the Internet. They are the best way to get in touch.
Perhaps the Scottish Government could have considered advertising on these. Internet advertising is very cost effective compared to traditional methods.
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#114 sneckedagain
YouGov poll
Full details can be accessed via here.
As usual the Scots numbers are so small as to make the differences statistically insignificant (139), but they are
SNP : 34.9%
Lab : 34.5%
LD : 11.6%
Con : 11%
Green : 4.9%
UKIP : 1.9%
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Re funding for the bridge, and the lack of borrowing powers for the Scottish and Welsh Governments.
I found "The State of the Nations 2003", by Robert Hazell, University College, London Constitution Unit, interesting.
Talking about the proposed powers for the English Regional Assemblies he says -
"In some ways the financial powers of the proposed Regional Assemblies were stronger than those available to other devolved institutions in the UK......The White Paper also proposed significant borrowing powers for the purpose of investment by the Regional Assemblies. Such powers were not made available to the Scottish Parliament or the National Assembly for Wales ... although these were given recently by the Chancellor to the Northern Ireland Assembly"
One thing you can guarantee for New Labour and devolution - no consistency, no principles, and keep the nations on a shorter leash.
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#41 Neil
Well, I'm backing The Mechanics. It's about time my old home team had something to cheer about.
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I want to support Homecoming. I love Scotland, I miss it, and there are a number of reasons I'd love to come back on a more permanent basis than just a visit, but I'm not sure Homecoming will have any effect in my personal case. I'm not Scottish by descent (indeed, not even Scottish by birth, shock horror, but I grew up there from age 4 - 18 and even now am horribly homesick in this flat land of mud and suburbia they call the Midlands) - so the ancestry angle doesn't appeal; I grew up in Ayrshire surrounded by enough Burns-related stuff to saturate me for life; I don't play golf, I don't like whisky. The inventors/thinkers angle interests me, but then I think I probably covered most of those on school trips anyway...
And in the bigger picture, I don't want to risk moving back yet because my only work experience is in engineering and my engineer friends in Scotland have suffered in the jobs market of late. Perhaps that's selfish of me, but I'm okay here. For now.
So I may come home during the Homecoming year. I might even attend an event, if it happens to coincide with somewhere I want to be and something I'm interested in. But I feel like I represent part of the diaspora the government ought to be targeting - adults of working age who grew up in Scotland and are homesick for it, but have gone elsewhere in the years since. It worries me a little that there seems to be no effort at actually drawing people back for good. Tourism's great and all, but in 2010 it seems to me we'll be back where we were before.
(Oh, and I only know about Homecoming because of hanging around on the Scottish bit of this site. Have seen no promotion of it in England at all.)
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Although I support my local team, it would certainly perpetuate the notion of 'the romance of the Cup' to see the mighty 'Gers travelling to Forres for a midweek tie broadcast live on terrestrial TV.
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The Scottish Parliament should be given the right to give Scottish passports to those wishing them that were born in Scotland or are born of Scottish parents.
For me this would be one of the best reasons to come home!
A McG
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#136 The_Forfarian
It would perpetuate it even more if, by some stroke of unprecedented good fortune, the Can-Cans were to overcome such lofty opposition. That would be worth going 'home' for.
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Not been on for a while but reassuring to see an acceptance in some quarters (Bongo et al) that Homecoming year is likely to benefit from tourists choosing to go where there is more return for their dollar/euro etc. ;-D
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Homecoming will be a success. Labour will may it failed. Our southern neighbours and their media will ignore it ,not maliciously but benignly, through a genuine lack of interest.
But we should be planning the successor to Homecoming. We already have a well established brand, a large diaspora and both should be developed. So what in 2010 and beyond?
Its every Scots' duty to support Homecoming and shame on you Brian if your support is not wholehearted, fulsome and enthusiastic and seen to be so. This isn't about narrow party politics.
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#137, Alasdair_McGray wrote:
"The Scottish Parliament should be given the right to give Scottish passports to those wishing them that were born in Scotland or are born of Scottish parents."
Given Gordon Brown's keenness on introducing ID cards, it might help his cause if he was to allow a Scot to identify him/herself as such - rather than as a "UK National".
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#127 Sheneval
What strikes me about most ancestry sites is that they're rather old-fashioned and often covered in adverts. There are millions of other hobby sites on the Internet, with equally large numbers of devotees.
The idea that there's a rich seam of diaspora we can tap, is in my mind, decades old. It's a huge grey edifice that's been sitting on the Scottish political landscape for ages, but what has really come of it?
It's also a very passive doctrine. We need them to help us.
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#135 - All are welcome despite the prattling by some on these boards about 'ancestry tourism' blocking out the light for others.
I too am living abroad (in the US) currently, but miss home (Scotland) - even though I was born in Belfast.
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oldnat / pattymkirkwood
You've said you are in the United States. I was wondering if you'd had occasion to pick up how the population local to you views Scottish Independence (or how they were influenced by the Obama web campaign? Or Homecoming?). I'm not suggesting, like me, you are a bore!
Unlike in Kuwait, (where my Dad recently worked), I suppose quite a lot will have heard of Scotland!
I have some assumptions but I'll assume they're wrong, for the moment.
('Oldnat's North American weblog' is not requested, although I'm sure we'd all read it. Just realised, thats 'O NAW'!)
PS If too pesky to deserve replies I apologise! (?) The last chapter, first foray onto here, and a bit of a cheek (however brave), was of course, a release from a housewife's 'lifeslide' to oblivion!
(Which though imagined, denied, standard and commonplace, is a sober threat. Necessary unfortunately, though void of offence. Brig's hint would tap a goldmine!!)
;->
#138 Fit_Like
'The Can, Cans'. I can just imagine how their fans celebrate a goal!
(No?)
;->
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Oh, and whoever recommended the Homecoming should be embraced by schools etc., I can tell them that both the primary schools near to me are celebrating Burns's birthday (memorising extracts, reading competitions...) apparently as part of Homecoming, and also, so I was told, incorporating Homecoming into other school activities later on. So that's good.
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aye_right,
People have heard of Scotland, a whole lot of people in Michigan (where I am) can trace their ancestry back to Scotland to some degree.
Their thoughts on the political situation at home are minimal at best ... although strangely enough more people appear to know who Salmond is (due to a tour of the major news networks on his last visit), than could accurately tell you Gordon Brown's current job-description. Some are still quite shocked to hear that Tony Blair is no longer PM!
I have had a number of conversations in which people have confirmed to me that Edinburgh and Glasgow “feel” as foreign to, say, London as Dublin or Paris … but I would hardly classify that as political discussion – more the observation of tourists.
To some extent, I am living in the bubble of a University town; where people know their Burns and others fairly well. Indeed, some even talk of going to Alloway, Tarbolton … etc ... this year.
However, it would be ridiculous for me to claim that this is representative of my particular corner of Michigan or the US in general!
In my locality, there is genuine interest and curiosity, but there still remains the solid impression that at some level “England=Britain”. Repeatedly you will see the two terms used interchangeable, just like on the BBC back home ;-), in solid news programmes discussing troop deployment in Iraq (for example) you will see archival footage with saltires plastered on tanks and references to “English troop movements”.
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#144 aye_write
Sadly no celebrating last night's performance...
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#147 Fit_Like:
"Sadly no celebrating last night's performance..."
There was round our way ;o)
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#146 pattymkirkwood
patty, just noticed your post!
How very interesting. They sound like fair comments. I realise now I suppose it's much like how we would view other countries we don't have much to do with!
Thanks
:-)
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148
Well! Well! forfar-loon, have you got that feeling again, you know! like the one you had for the Glenrothes by-elections.
Time is a great healer?
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Incidently it should be pointed out once that the Homecoming is restricked to January. It is to last from Burns Birthday until St Andrews day. With events throughout the year. Its seems that a lot on the list seem to damming the January bit forgetting that' it covers a far longer period.
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My thoughts on the ‘Year of Homecoming’ are as follows. Is it realistic to expect lots of the Scottish Diaspora to return to these shores in celebration of Robert Burns? I ask this both as a proud Scot and as someone who is involved in the Scottish tourism sector.
When I was attending school in the west of Scotland during the 60’s and 70’s, we were not even taught about Robert Burns or his works. I am sure there are many Scots both at home and abroad who will have had a similar experience. My school days were very British schooldays and I think the current generation of schoolchildren will know more about the bard than I ever did. We got a lot more about that wee playwright from Stratford-upon-Avon than we ever got about any of our home grown literary talent.
As some of your contributors have already identified, this year will I think be a good one for tourism due to the current exchange rates and domestic economic constraints, rather than any sudden great desire by our Diaspora to return to these shores. As someone who has worked within the tourism sector for the past 15 years, I am often frustrated by this tendency of the tourism hierarchy to jump onto short term bandwagons rather than focus on the long term bigger picture. As for the ‘Brigadoon Image’, this is one of my personal pet hates. The main selling point for Scotland is in my opinion the scenery and wildlife and although our history is hugely important, the way it is portrayed and delivered is important too. It is a serious subject and deserves to be taken seriously and not dressed up to appeal to certain sectors of the tourism market.
There are many of my former classmates who have had to leave these shores to make their way in the world and for many this would have been down to the economic conditions in the 70’s and early 80’s, I can’t see that this being promoted as the ‘year of homecoming is going to suddenly make them decide to pop back home. If they want to keep in touch with Scotland and they can afford to do so, they will come back if and when it suits them to do so.
If we want to encourage expats to return to our shores and hopefully stay, we have to have the right economic conditions. It’s not the weather that made most of them leave in the first place.
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#152 bernerabankie
What you day is pretty much why I suggested promoting the HC event with promotions i.e. discounts on holiday packages, hotels maybe, or a voucher for a selection of attractions when you book - something. At this time a 'bargain' would feel good.
Obviously, if they can't afford to come, they can't afford to, but I mean 'bribing' those who are choosing a holiday abroad to choose Scotland. I'd have thought it could be done in a profesional and effective way?
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I may consider returning to my Homeland when two things happen. (A) When Alec Salmond pulls Scotland out the United States of Europe and (B) That the S N P is successful in creating an independant Scottish Republic and finally freeing the Nation from Hanoverian rule
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As someone abroad I have only just discovered the Homecoming 2009 campaign, and I think it's a fantastic idea! The TV advert and music were genuinely moving, and I played it over & over on the internet.
However, when I looked at your link to the new banknotes, I was shocked to see that 3 of the most famous Scots have been digitally altered to look like South Asians! Why on earth does Robert the Bruce have the face of an Indian actor? And where is my hero, Andrew Carnegie?
Every country has a right to preserve its own culture, and Scotland does, too. South Asians are a wonderfully clever people who have successfully colonized many countries throughout the world, but it is not fair to the ancient history of Scotland to allow it to be usurped in this way. Just as blonde Scottish women would never be allowed to represent ancient Indian princesses on Indian currency, Indian actors have no right to represent Robert the Bruce for Scotland. It's kind of like the story of "The Emperor's New Clothes", where everybody's afraid to say anything.
Come on, Scotland, don't be afraid to celebrate your own ancient historical culture and people. The world can join the celebrations happily, without trying to seize it from you in this way.
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