Developing People in Tourism 2003-2005: evaluation

The Developing People in Tourism project (DPIT) was designed to give training support and assistance to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in the tourism sector in the Borders. Management was by the Scottish Borders Tourism Business Forum (SBTBF) and delivery through staff based at the Scottish Borders Tourist Board (SBTB). The evaluation aimed to: assess the DPIT interventions according to their objectives; review the companies supported by DPIT; measure the economic impacts of DPIT; assess the cost effectiveness of the project; gather the views of participants, SBTBF, SBTB and Scottish Enterprise Borders on the project; assess how the various elements of DPIT fitted together; and make recommendations for the future.

Telephone and face-to-face interviews were held with participant companies, individual trainees, stakeholders and training providers.

The evaluation concluded that: DPIT generated primarily qualitative, rather than quantitative, benefits; DPIT will have a long term, sustainable impact; the biggest issue in sustaining outcomes was the ability of participants to devote time to training; a key impact was companies participating in networks; some trainees learned nothing new from the courses; some participants were concerned at the number of larger companies taking part; there is an ongoing interest among Borders residents in starting new businesses such as B&Bs; and tourism employers need more employees with 'core' rather than 'specific' skills.

Quantitative as well as qualitative targets should be developed for the future, using the Balanced Scorecard model; an aftercare process for participants should be developed; future courses should take place in the low tourist season; some form of ongoing facilitation of networking activities should be considered; pre-course information should be expanded to avoid the situation of trainees re-learning old knowledge; research should be commissioned to investigate what tourists to the Borders want; a training programme should be developed specifically for larger companies; a DPIT workshop should be developed for people wanting to start new B&B-type businesses in the area; and schools and colleges should be targeted in the promotion of part-time and seasonal labour for the tourism industry.