By Alan Keith

LAST week's U-turn by VisitScotland.com, which is to relaunch an information-led tourism website in April, is a triumph for the Scottish tourist industry's grassroots.

Without any fanfare, eTourism - the indebted Austrian company which runs the commission-driven website - and its chief executive, Marco Truffelli, have conceded all the points we at the customer-facing end of tourism have been arguing for years.

There are still outstanding "state aid" issues to be pursued, but the main points of contention have been resolved. A major change to the website, scheduled for April 2, will offer tourists a clear choice rather than deliberate obfuscation. They can obtain impartial information, including all accommodation providers' details, or access a centralised online booking facility.

Database search results are returned on a random basis, with no precedence given to those giving eTourism "allocation" of rooms on which to take undeclared commission. Direct phone numbers show on initial listings and website hyperlinks and email addresses show up prominently when the full details are accessed.

The number of eTourism's call centre in Livingston is positioned without undue prominence. In fact, most of these changes are already appearing on the website.

There can be only one interpretation of what has happened. After losing millions of pounds for investors, eTourism's board has accepted its original business plan was not achievable, and substituted one that will be acceptable to providers. While eTourism and VisitScotland are unlikely to admit it, it is probable that our campaign, and the support it has had from tourism and other businesses across Scotland, finally paid off.

We will want to look closely at the full details when the website relaunches, but are confident www.visitscotland.com will offer the type of service for businesses that should have been in place in 2002. If this is the case we will happily suspend the www.reclaimvs.com campaign. It would be churlish not to congratulate the tourism establishment for its change of heart. We hope lessons have been learned.

This decision is a triumph for the industry's grassroots over corporate spin and misinformation. Now the industry-wide aspiration for a "Scotland united" in the face of global competition for the tourist dollar can at last become a reality.

B&B owner Alan Keith led a six-year campaign to reform VisitScotland.com, via his website www.reclaimvs.com.