We’ve caught up with Tourism and Hospitality Industry Leadership Group (ILG) members Kat Brogan, Mercat Tours, and Chris Greenwood, Glasgow Caledonian University, to hear about their time in the ILG and the value the group brings to the industry as well as to them professionally. Here’s what they had to say.
Since 2014, I’ve led our two family businesses Mercat Tours and Mercat Tours International as Managing Director. With a dedicated team, I’ve helped establish Mercat Tours as market leader in quality, expert-led storytelling experiences of Scotland’s capital, WWI and WWII battlefields of Europe.
I firmly believe tourism is the most inclusive and inspiring sector in which to develop a career. It holds the power to create diverse, dynamic teams that attract passionate people to work and equally supports communities to thrive. "Tourism is Everyone’s Business – Where Everyone has a Place".
I’m a champion of Living Wage and Fair Work ideals and invest time working with Skills Development Scotland, Developing the Young Workforce and schools to connect young people with their city and aspire to careers in tourism.
My commitment to fair work and a "good business that does good" was manifested when Mercat was the first UK attraction to achieve BCorp accreditation in 2024. In addition, we were the first tourism business in Scotland to achieve Living Hours accreditation in the same year.
Based on my experience working in tourism, I was keen to represent the unique position and perspectives of important parts of our industry - visitor experience/attraction, SME, family business, female leader, Fair Work practices.
The ILG is a compelling opportunity to listen and learn from industry peers, understand the work and priorities of Government and influence policy at a strategic level to improve the experience of Scottish tourism for communities, workers and visitors to benefit all.
It has broadened my understanding of our sector and, in particular, the priorities shared across all industries in Scotland such as transport, skills and activity to achieve our net zero targets. There is a lot to be gained by increasing awareness of common goals and pulling behind shared solutions at a strategic, national level.
Curious and inspiring.
Be ready to articulate the perspectives, insights and advice on behalf of a unique part of our industry. Who do you represent, what is your expertise?
Listen, learn and influence on behalf of the industry.
ILG member Kat Brogan, Mercat Tours. Credit: Tony Marsh
I work as the operational head of the Moffat Centre for Travel and Tourism Business Development at Glasgow Caledonian University, which delivers commercial tourism consultancy projects and undertake academic research across a range of tourism disciplines. Having developed a career in data analysis and strategy, I began my journey in the tourism industry in VisitScotland’s Insight Department.
I supported the Scottish Tourism Emergency Response Group (STERG) and the tourism industry during the pandemic through delivery of insight and practical knowledge culminating in the production of the COVID Scenarios. Outputs from these being delivered as a toolkit to industry sectors to empower a business's strategic resilience. With the formation of the ILG I felt I had something to contribute to our understanding of the direction of tourism development and support businesses in their forward look of their sector and consumer markets. To that end I wanted to contribute to the successful delivery of the Scotland Outlook 2030 national tourism strategy.
It's empowering to be among a group that all bring their own skills and experience to contribute to the goal of a successful tourism sector. There is a broad range of backgrounds and representatives across many areas of tourism from hospitality to community tourism. It's a vibrant forum and it builds skills in strategic thinking, policy, and discussion. The group needs to consider both rural and urban locations and aspects of tourism from transport to net zero, and digital, you gain insight into areas of the industry you may not have had exposure or appreciation of in your day to day work.
Passionate, collaborative, forward-looking.
Don’t feel as though you aren’t qualified to apply. The ILG needs people from a broad range of backgrounds. So, your experience running a business, developing your staff, participating in a DMO or interest in net zero will all contribute to the plans and discussions taking place.
ILG member Chris Greenwood, Glasgow Caledonian University.
