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Homeless people in Scotland could be employed as 'tourism ambassadors' as part of an exciting new plan being proposed by the country's tourist industry.

In a paper titled Tomorrow's Tourist and The Information Society, VisitScotland's planning chief Ian Yeoman outlines a vision for the Scottish tourism industry over the next decade.

Among other initiatives designed to meet the challenges of the future, he proposes using Big Issue sellers to promote tourist attractions around Scotland and provide information about local restaurants, hotels and entertainments.

He also suggests they could take credit card bookings for events in exchange for a commission on sales.

Mr Yeoman said: 'Tourists want to meet locals, they want an authentic experience and Big Issue sellers are among the most polite and informative people on the street. They could easily sell theatre tickets, pass cards, information, or make diner reservations.'

The Big Issue Scotland has welcomed the idea, claiming their employees' knowledge of local areas puts them in an ideal position to help and advise visiting tourists.

Spokesman Michael Luby said: 'I think we are near to the idea of Big Issue vendors becoming ambassadors for different Scottish cities. They already provide a similar service anyway and often have people asking them for directions and advice about where to visit.

'Our sellers are all very polite and informative and we often get reports from members of the public praising them,' he added.

There are around 150 Big Issue sellers in Scotland at present, many of whom are homeless or living in temporary accommodation.


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