Scottish Tourism has taken a heavy hit since the Coronavirus crisis started to unfold. Edinburgh’s iconic castle saw visitor numbers drop by 87.2% (Source: Insider.co.uk) and many of the smaller attractions are still at risk of closing for good whilst the country battles to get back on its feet. Nobody could blame business owners for throwing in the towel in despair.
But, Edinburgh’s oldest walking tour provider, Mercat Tours Ltd, was determined to make the best out of a truly terrible situation.
Working closely with our TORCH Business Advisory Service team, Mercat used the lockdown period to ensure their business was fit for future, reviewing data and technology to restructure and simplify their business.
Margery McConnell, TORCH Senior Solutions Architect, commented:
“Mercat have chosen to invest in this process with money that they could have put elsewhere. So, for me, it’s important that they feel they can have informed conversations and ask those smart questions of their prospective suppliers.”
Following the engagement, The Data Lab provided access to a grant that allowed Mercat Tours to work towards their goals, introducing them to organisations from our trusted Scottish Supplier Network in order to implement the recommended TORCH improvements.
Learn more about the journey behind the Mercat/TORCH engagement in our Mercat Case Study.
