BOASTING iconic sights such as the Quiraing, the Old Man of Storr and the Fairy Pools, it has long been an international tourist magnet.
But the Isle of Skye is suffering a hospitality staffing crisis as the holiday seasons gets under way, business leaders have warned.
Simon Cousins, a spokesman for Skye Connect, which works to support the development of a robust tourism economy, said firms were being forced to reduce their hours due to staffing levels.
Warning that current employees are increasingly feeling burnt out, he also revealed that a senior manager at one hotel was doing everything from breakfast, to housekeeping to the bar in the evening – and eventually had to be signed off. It comes as businesses gear up for the first summer free of coronavirus restrictions, although the new pressure of fuel prices is anticipated to impact on the success of this year’s season.
Against a backdrop of additional concern over Brexit’s effect on the availability of staff, Mr Cousins said a figure of unfilled jobs on the island was due to be published next month.
The Scottish Tourism Alliance has said there are 230,000 tourism jobs north of the Border which are either part-time, full-time or in the direct supply chain. As of May 23, the vacancy rate was 20 per cent – or the equivalent of 45,000 jobs.
Social media campaigns have recently been launched on Skye to attract people to the island’s hospitality industry. Mr Cousins said: “The irony is that, for those businesses that are busy, some are not able to offer the same level of service in the past.
“That is because there is a real staffing issue on Skye. It is an issue facing industry across Scotland, but we know the Skye tourism industry is particularly hard hit.
“We have got business who would normally offer seven nights service during prime season who are now offering four or five, so they can give existing staff enough time off.
“Those businesses who are trying to keep going with full service are getting staff with health issues. I know of one hotel where a senior manager was doing everything from morning breakfast, to housekeeping to doing the bar in the evening.
“He just got burnout and is now signed off. And it is only June. We have a situation where we have a housing crisis, a staffing crisis and a post-pandemic recovery.
“It’s just really, really tough for our businesses. All we want to do is deliver a service that visitors can expect. The last thing we want if for visitor to come and say, ‘Skye was lovely, but we couldn’t get a meal’.”
Fresh worries over staffing levels come in the wake of soaring visitor numbers in recent years, thanks to Skye’s outstanding natural beauty and dramatic landscapes. And although concerns exist over how companies will cope with inflation, staff shortages and Brexit, efforts are under way to ensure the island continues to pull in tourists.
The Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland is one of the organisations that has been working with local residents to protect and conserve its best-loved sites. Footpaths have been repaired at the Quiraing and a new car park, toilets and footbridges are now open at the Fairy Pools.
The bridges form part of ongoing work carried out by the Outdoor Access Trust (OAT) for Scotland on the Skye Iconic Sites Project (SISP). SISP is included within a wider programme of improvements, worth almost £9 million, that will see investment across the Highlands and Islands. It is hoped they will provide more and better-quality opportunities for visitors to enjoy the region’s natural and cultural assets.
Dougie Baird, OAT chief executive officer, said: “We’ve been hard at work installing two bridges that not only make the site more accessible, but complement the dramatic landscape at the Fairy Pools.
“Before the installation of the timber bridges, access across the burns was difficult in wet and high water conditions, causing habitat damage along the bank sides where visitors looked for a place to cross. Now the bridges are complete, visitors can enjoy safe crossings whilst the habitat can have a chance to recover.
“We are looking forward to the next stage of upgrading the pathworks nearby, which will further enhance this beautiful site.” Work is also under way to restore plants and wildflower habitats at the Old Man of Storr.
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