It is understandable, even traditional, for the host to be nervous before the start of a party. Scotland is no exception. The open invitation for everyone with "an affinity" with Scotland to come home during 2009 is a bold initiative whose ambition is both a strength and a vulnerability. Homecoming 2009 is underpinned by celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, the poet whose common humanity transcends national and political boundaries to make him the most internationally-recognised Scot. But it is equally aimed at visitors who want to gather with members of their clan at the biggest Highland Games ever held in Scotland, take part in a whisky or literary festival or play golf.
It is understandable, even traditional, for the host to be nervous before the start of a party. Scotland is no exception. The open invitation for everyone with "an affinity" with Scotland to come home during 2009 is a bold initiative whose ambition is both a strength and a vulnerability. Homecoming 2009 is underpinned by celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, the poet whose common humanity transcends national and political boundaries to make him the most internationally-recognised Scot. But it is equally aimed at visitors who want to gather with members of their clan at the biggest Highland Games ever held in Scotland, take part in a whisky or literary festival or play golf.
With hopes that the project will provide a substantial fillip for the Scottish tourist industry as the recession begins to take a toll of jobs and businesses, the SNP administration has been criticised for not doing enough to promote it overseas. The £200,000 television advertisement for Homecoming has only belatedly been aired in the US and with the Scottish Government investing only £5m, there is a real fear that Scottish tourism will fail to realise the full potential of the unique opportunity. The expectation that potential visitors will access Homecoming information via links from websites is an illustration of the difficulty in marketing a wide-ranging programme, involving hundreds of different events at different times and taking place across the length and breadth of the country. Personal recommendation, however, is the most powerful form of marketing and that makes it essential that visitors have a good experience. Homecoming 2009 has all-party support, but opposition MSPs are right to point out that it should be seized as an opportunity to provide more training for young people entering the tourism and hospitality industries. Good service is an essential part of a warm welcome.
Criticism that the year-long project is missing a single, focused event is dismissed by those who expect the clan gathering in Holyrood park in July to be the central attraction, particularly for North Americans of Scots descent. If numbers to events such as Celtic Connections, the Edinburgh International Festival and the Open Golf Championship at Turnberry, which would have taken place anyway, are significantly boosted, Homecoming 2009 will be judged a success.
Scotland's Enterprise Minister, Jim Mather, has assured MSPs that "the programme is ready to run and we have wind in our sails". In fact, hopes are pinned on the chill blast of recession working in Scotland's favour as the weakness of the pound gives foreign visitors a favourable exchange rate. That is an additional opportunity which was not expected when the project was first mooted and it must be seized and not squandered. Overseas visitors are a vital part of the Scottish tourism industry, but as more people in the UK holiday at home, they, too, must be made aware of the riches on offer in Scotland.
