HELP- a call to arms!

**Richland** · 14th March 07, 06:26 AM

I'm On this!
This is a must do!

**cessna152towser** · 14th March 07, 06:27 AM

I've sent the following to each of the three recipients. As a native Scot my wording needs to have a slightly different take from what others are sending, but should make the point. I've sent as three individual e-mails since if sent to multiple recipients in an organsation these are often delted by spam filters.

Dear (name),

On the occasion of a get together in Dumfries for a Burns Supper weekend in late January, two Englishmen and an American were present in the tourist office in Dumfries, all wearing kilts for the occasion, when one of the English men asked Mr. Matthews whether many men wore kilts in Dumfries. Mr. Matthews replied that the only people who wore kilts in Dumfries were outspoken Americans, including a local guest house proprietor. This comment was not only derogatory of the guest house proprietor referred to, with whom the three gentlemen happened to be staying, but was grossly insulting of the American visitor who was present in the tourist office at the time with the two Englishmen.

Mr. Matthews comments, apart from being insulting to the American tourist present, were grossly untrue. I am a Scot living in Hawick in the south of Scotland and wear a kilt almost daily, including when I visit Dumfries, and I resent Mr. Matthews' assumption that because I choose to go kilted this implies that I am a loud mouthed American..

I understand that a written apology was sought from Mr. Matthews on behalf of the American visitor. As none has been forthcoming, the incident has received a certain amount of adverse publicity from the American visitor. Mr. Matthews failure to respond to the complaint letter means we have not heard his side of the story and compounds his arrogance.

As a Scot I do not wish this rude and arrogant image being presented to visitors by people purporting to be our representatives by holding down a front line job in a tourist office in a main centre such as Dumfries.

At very least, the impression I get is that Mr. Matthews needs to be given some training on tact and diplomacy. At worst you may need to consider whether he remains competent to hold down a front line post dealing with the public..

Yours faithfully,

Alexander J. Cunningham

**turpin** · 14th March 07, 06:29 AM

Here is what I sent.

Dear Messers Roughead and Colville, and Ms. Hill:

On Monday, January 29, 2007 three Guests of Scotland, two from England and one from the U.S.A., all wearing kilts, visited the Dumfries office of VisitScotland. One of them enquired of the man behind the counter, a Mr. Matthews, whether many people in Dumfries wore kilts. Mr. Matthews (who is alleged to be English) replied something to the effect that “The only kilts we see are on loud-mouthed Americans.” The three tourists were taken aback at the rudeness of the statement . Then Mr. Matthews went on to say, “There is, in fact, one loud-mouthed American living in Dumfries, who owns a guest house, struts around the town in his kilt and even does his shopping in it!” Mr. Matthews clearly was unaware that these three gentlemen were guests of the "loud-mouthed American".

Such an attitude from a representative for Scottish tourism can only be counterproductive to the objectives of your organization. Perhaps it is Mr. Matthews' English heritage that makes him so disparaging of both the Scottish National Attire and of the citizens of a country that pulled England's chestnuts out of the fire twice in the last century (current American politics notwithstanding). Surely this can't be representative of Scotland's well-known tradition of hospitality.

I am acquainted with said owner of the guest house, Mr. Robertson Wellen. You should know that Scotland has no greater advocate for tourism than he is. He has published thousands of pictures on the internet showing all of the aspects of Scotland that would encourage me to visit. I know for a fact that many of my acquaintances on this side of "the pond" have made trips to Scotland, and spent thousands of dollars in doing so, based primarily on information they have gained from this "loud-mouthed American".

I understand Mr. Wellen has requested a formal apology from your organization, and I strongly encourage you to do so. Any apology should include a statement of VisitScotland's position on the extent to which it values American tourism to Scotland. There are many of us over here planning (or planning to plan) a trip to Scotland, and VisitScotland is not the only way to go about it. Until such time as an apology is tendered to Mr. Wellen, with copies to the three guests, I think I can speak for many of us over here in saying that we will patronize other Scottish tourism promoters in preference to you. And there is always Ireland.

Sincerely

Wm. Turpin Ballard

Roswell Georgia, USA

**beloitpiper** · 14th March 07, 06:37 AM

I sent an E-mail. I hope they have the decency to aknowledge you!

**Robin** · 14th March 07, 06:37 AM

Working on it...

**beloitpiper** · 14th March 07, 06:43 AM

Here's a reply I got from John Beattie:

I am out of the office until 15 February 2007, and will respond as soon as possible on my return, if your enquiry is urgent please contact Marie Tolland (marie.tolland@visitscotland.com) who will assist in redirecting your query.

John

Now there's customer service for you....Feb. 15!!!