Rural area

Brand Scotland is expected to update campaigns this year to attract more people to the country. The Scottish Government believes there is an opportunity for ...

“We have very different population, migration and immigration realities in different parts of the UK. But there are a wide range of initiative that may contribute towards it.” “So whether it’s doing a pilot on a rural visa scheme, or consideration being given to other pilot possibilities, I’m open-minded about trialling policy proposals to see whether they deliver the success that we hope they might and whether they can be rolled out more generally.” Parts of Scotland, as we know, has suffer disproportionately from depopulation. “We need to be careful to hear from local communities and their priorities about what they think is going to make a difference and if it’s possible to trial initiatives in particular areas that’s certainly something that can be looked at.” “One of the aspects of zonal proposals is whether that doesn’t just displace some of the same population challenges to areas close by but outside the particular zones. “It means government and agencies working better together to find tailored solutions to challenges while, at the same time, communicating effectively so that people not from these parts of the country realise there are opportunities to live in some of the most beautiful parts of Scotland.” “It’s going to be by understanding the needs, interests, concerns and expectations of communities that are suffering depopulation that we can deliver the right public policy outcomes to help people stay where they are from and encourage people to move there as well. “We need to make the most of communicating to people who might move, or are prepared to move, domestically or internationally, so they have a better understanding about parts of the country that are keen to see their population grow. “There isn’t a single solution that’s going to deal with all of the challenges of population decline. “I think there is an opportunity to localise that offering and incorporate into national messaging local content to make it easy for people to understand why different parts of the country have huge attractions.” “In places that are challenged by depopulation, and that’s now approaching half our local authorities in Scotland, people are going to have to be more forward-leaning about ‘here’s who we are and here’s where we are’.