Partnership Development

Scottish tourism needs a “clear alignment of culture and produce”. That is the view of Professor Murray Pittock, Pro-Vice Principal of Special Projects at the University of Glasgow. In his role, Murray runs and develops projects that are relevant to the University. This is done in terms of its internal development, through initiatives like the Early Career Development Programme. Murray’s work also extends beyond the University to include engagement with external partners: chairing the Kelvin Hall project and the joint board with the BBC, for example. Scottish tourism is an area of special interest for Murray. As Scotland’s Knowledge Exchange Champion 2022, he notes that he has “done an awful lot of work that is linked to the use of tourism, culture and branding.” Food, as a cultural and commercial commodity, lends itself brilliantly to this kind of activity. 

A Disconnect Between Culture and Produce

Speaking about tourism in Scotland in comparison to Europe, Murray says that “the amount that cultural tourists spend is typically 40% higher than the average tourist”. The proportion of cultural tourists is twice as high in the major continental areas of Europe, however, than it is in Scotland. Murray believes that the reason for this is there is a direct alignment between culture and produce in European markets, which does not appear in Scotland. He uses France as a comparative example. The French idea of “location, terroir, and provenance as central to French culture, and not just French produce as separate from culture, is absolutely key to the appeal of France to the tourism industry”. Murray notes that France publishes data which shows that 95% of Parisians live within a five-minute walk to a bakery, and this data is intended to show that France is a culinary nation. This correlation between food, culture, and tourism is a vital part of Paris’s appeal. Scotland needs to improve these relationships to improve its tourism. 

Four Challenges to Scotland’s Food Sector

Murray identifies four key areas he sees as challenging Scotland’s relationship with food. Firstly, he notes the “historic divorce between culture and produce in government policy setting”, though he thinks this is being overcome. Secondly, Murray describes an issue with “supply chain viability and vulnerability” which has come to the fore during the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Thirdly, there is a lack of commitment to “the sweet-spot crossover between provenance and value for money and sustainability”. Murray thinks there needs to be a clear strategic line between making food available, making part of local culture, and making it affordable. Fourthly, “there is not a good linkage between provenance, local supply chains, and tourism”. These are four elements all of which need to be addressed so that Scotland becomes a country that gets the most out of its food sector, for locals and tourists alike. 

Knowledge Exchange and Food Culture 

Murray believes that the non-academic community is “absolutely vital to engagement with food and drink”. Historically, he says, academics have not worked at the interface of food and drink, except in key areas like agriculture. Arts and social science academics can bring something new to the party: an awareness of the cultural and marketing value of food and drink. Outside of the academy, Murray notes that there are many people and organisations who appreciate and engage with this way of displaying, marketing, and developing produce. Small businesses can see the benefit of local provenance, which makes the townscapes they live in better for everyone while simultaneously making food available. This is a “really important area for knowledge exchange” says Murray. Given that academic players have been marginal to this work in the past, it means the opportunity for dialogue are “very good indeed”. Murray thinks that working with passionate industry partners “is going to be one of the treats of the next few years”. Overall, the trajectory is positive.  There is huge potential for a country with very significant agricultural and marine resources to develop its produce tourism and produce export further. That, thinks Murray, is “why this Catalyst is so well timed”. 

 

Do you work in the Scottish food industry or have interests in Scottish food history? If you are interested in any of the aspects of food discussed here and would like to be involved in this Catalyst, get in touch by emailing Fraser Rowan at Fraser.Rowan@glasgow.ac.uk      

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First published: 18 July 2022