The STA responds to Britannia Hotels announcement

Marc Crothall, Chief Executive of the Scottish Tourism Alliance said:

“The Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA) has been in touch with tourism businesses all over Scotland throughout the night regarding the decision Britannia Hotels took yesterday to shed all staff from their jobs and accommodation in Aviemore by way of letter and its decision to close three hotels.

This is not reflective of the approach of any business we know, or our members and all have come out to condemn the deplorable actions of this company.

Aside from the approach, the letter sent to employees lacked any compassion or humanity in tone; it was cold, brutal and shocking.  We have never encountered anything like this.

This is the most difficult time that Scotland’s tourism industry will ever face; the crisis has hit every business, family and community.  We have seen nothing but compassion and respect across the sector, in the most dire of circumstances which is testament to the spirit and strength of the people who work in Scottish tourism.”

A spokesperson for Macdonald Hotels Aviemore Hotel, said:

“The entire hospitality industry is being hit really hard, with temporary closures and lay-offs across the board. However, when we heard of the situation at Coylumbridge Hotel, we immediately contacted the management there to offer their employees access to our staff accommodation at the nearby Macdonald Aviemore Resort to ensure they wouldn’t be put out on the street. Any workers from Coylumbridge Hotel who require accommodation should get in touch with Macdonald Aviemore Resort and we’ll be pleased to help them.”

We are hopeful that an announcement will be made within the next 24 hours to offer some comfort and reassurance to those who are losing their jobs on an hourly basis across all sectors.”