Role of staffed Tourist Information Offices
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When I read about the ridiculous decision by Visit Scotland to close the Tourist Information Office in the seaside town of Musselburgh in East Lothian, I was racking my brain to think where it was. Then it dawned on me that it is located at the Old Craighall services on the A1. I always thought it was a bit of an inappropriate place for a Tourist Information office. The first problem is getting into the services, there is a very sharp turn just after you come off the roundabout, very easy to miss. There are also several other routes that you can use to enter Musselburgh by car. I think it was a ridiculous place to put it in the first instance.
I think that the best location for a tourist office is at an airport, railway station or in the centre of a town or city. I do believe it is a positive thing to have staffed tourist offices, as it is great to be able to speak to a person. However there is a limit to one person’s knowledge, it is expensive to have premises in a central location and the opening hours may not suit all travellers. You do wonder if the money could be better spent on 24 hour information kiosks connected to the internet with some printing facilities. That would also overcome any language barriers, as I don’t think that the majority of staff are fluent in other languages.
What’s your opinion? Have you found staffed Tourist Information Offices to offer excellent service?
