Scotland United, the annual tourism conference for Scotland, will be run as a bi-annual event after 2007, the Scotland United Conference Committee has announced.

The conference will be run as a smaller, more focused industry event this year, returning to a full-scale conference in 2007, and will continue as a bi-annual event from then on, with strategic events held every other year.

While in the last five years Scotland United has become the single biggest tourism strategy conference in Scotland, the publication of the Scottish Executive’s ‘Tourism Framework for Change’ in February has prompted organisers to adopt a different format this year.

The conference will be replaced by a strategic policy event which will take place at Cameron House, with an agenda focused on producing an industry response to the Tourism Framework document.

Delegates will seek to identify how the industry can achieve the objective of 50 per cent growth in tourism revenue, but will also discuss the barriers to tourism growth and the means of overcoming those barriers.

Gavin Ellis, chair of the Scotland United Committee and proprietor of Knockomie Hotel in Forres says that tourism is vital to the future prosperity of Scotland, and the industry has signalled its support for the Tourism Framework’s objective of achieving a 50 per cent growth in tourism revenues by 2015.

“The tourism industry in this country needs to perform at the highest level to ensure it continues to be a world player. The Tourism Framework for Change recognises this, but in order to progress it will be vital to maintain a clear focus on what needs to be done in order to achieve that goal,” he said.

“50 per cent is a tough target and this year’s summit will focus on identifying precisely what needs to be done to enable the industry to deliver.”

Alan Rankin, chief executive of the Scottish Tourism Forum, added that to ensure Scottish Tourism won world market share, there had to be an agenda for profitable growth.

“Such growth will make a return on investment for both the private and public sectors. The saying that ‘tourism is everyone’s business’ is true. Tourism brings massive economic benefits across Scotland so it is in everyone’s interest that we create a clear and uncluttered landscape to support and develop growth in the industry.”

Scotland United will return in 2007 as a full-scale event at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre where a progress report on the 2006 event will be presented.

Photograph: BHA chief executive Bob Cotton