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Month: April 2022

Shortyz 2022 Awards – Vote for the ASSC!

Posted on by Fiona Campbell

The ASSC’s Chief Executive, Fiona Campbell, has been shortlisted to win the Shortyz 2022 Awards Pioneer Award!

“This award is open to individuals who can demonstrate innovation and leadership in the short-term rental sector. The successful candidate will be a business leader with exceptional vision and leadership, a strong financial track record and who over the last three years or more can show evidence of success.”

Fiona is honoured and delighted to be shortlisted for the Pioneer Award on behalf of the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers! Supporting self-catering in Scotland since 1978.

Many of our valued Partners  are also shortlisted, so please do vote for them too:  Click Book Stay (Sustainability Award), TouchStay (Sustainability Award / Best App or Website Solution Award), Operto (Best Home Automation Solution or Product Award / Innovator / Disruptor Award), Superhog (Best App or Website Solution Award), Fairbnb (Consumer Champion Award), Noiseaware (Consumer Champion Award), Bookster (Most Effective Use of Social Media Award), Sykes (Sustainability Award) and Beyond (Rising Star Award). We are proud to be working with such champions!

The winners will be decided by a public vote, and we’d love the ASSC to win. Please take 30 seconds to vote for Fiona!

The 2022 Shortyz Awards will take place in London on Wednesday 18 May.

VOTE HERE

Voting closes on 29th April 2022.

Joint Letter on Behalf of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce and the Edinburgh Tourism Action Group (ETAG) re Proposed Short-Term Let Legislation

Posted on by Fiona Campbell

Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce and Edinburgh Tourism Action Group (ETAG) have jointly issued a letter to City of Edinburgh Council.

In it, they call for “a level of balance and fairness … to protect Edinburgh’s long established and responsible short term let providers and the necessary diversity they bring to the city’s accommodation offering. Specifically:

  • Responsible short term let providers don’t only make a significant contribution to our critical visitor economy, but our culture and festival sectors by providing affordable and flexible accommodation for artists and performers who take part in the city’s 11 festivals annually.
  • They also provide much needed short term accommodation to people relocating to the city to work or study here, as they transition to more permanent situations.
  • They are used by large corporate businesses who are placing staff in the city on a short term basis, as a cost effective alternative to hotel accommodation.
  • Film companies who need to accommodate their staff whilst working from the new film studios in the city use short term lets.
  • They are also used by local families who need temporary accommodation whilst they carry out insurance or renovation work, families who wish to holiday affordably in the city and would not stay in a hotel, and visiting academics who often travel with their families.

Read the letter: ECC-ETAG Short Term Let Letter April 22

Self-Caterers Launch First-Ever Local Election Manifesto

Posted on by Melanie Allen

The Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers has launched its first-ever local government election manifesto.

Self-Catering: Local, Reliable, Sustainable: The ASSC’s Manifesto for Scotland’s Local Government Elections sets out the association’s four key priorities for Scottish self-catering as it recovers from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the manifesto, self-caterers are urging local politicians to commit to minimising the burden of short-term let licensing by working closely with small business, monitoring the impact of the policy, and pledging not to impose additional conditions on already hard-pressed businesses.

The manifesto also calls for an evidence-based approach to the use of short-term let control areas and for such decision-making not to be based on crude hearsay and anecdote.

Additionally, the ASSC is asking those who find themselves in power to reject the introduction of local tourism levies, should the power to do so flow to them from Holyrood.

Finally, Scotland’s self-caterers are imploring local councils to promote self-catering as a sustainable tourism option in their areas, drawing particular attention to the role that the industry has in helping the environment, and local economies, flourish across Scotland.

In launching Self-Catering: Local, Reliable, Sustainable, the ASSC hopes to encourage a step-change in thinking around short-term lets, cut through the often-inaccurate rhetoric surrounding what self-caterers do, and help local governments across Scotland understand and appreciate that there is a bright future for tourism in their areas, with self-catering playing a vital role.

ASSC_2022_manifesto

Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers Chief Executive, Fiona Campbell, said:

“I am thrilled to launch our manifesto ahead of these vital local elections.

“Hardworking and dedicated self-caterers across Scotland have had a really tough time throughout the pandemic and we need the help of our local politicians to get us back to doing what we do best.

“I would urge everyone standing in these elections to consider our moderate, sensible, and evidence-backed proposals and to think about the benefits that they will have for the communities they wish to represent.”

ENDS