Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you, convener, for allowing us to come along and put forward our case for the renaming of Prestwick airport.
The Robert Burns World Federation was founded in 1885. Its main objectives are to advance the education of the public about the life, poetry and works of Robert Burns and in furtherance thereof to encourage and arrange competitions among the general public, students and school children; to stimulate the development, teaching and study of Scottish literature—all Scottish literature, not just Burns—art, music and language; to conserve buildings and places that are associated with Robert Burns and his contemporaries; and to strengthen the bond of fellowship among members of Burns clubs and kindred societies throughout the world. Clubs, societies, individuals and corporate bodies that support the aims and objectives of the federation may be admitted as members. However, as the leading authority on Robert Burns, his life and his works, we interact on a daily basis with many people, both members and non-members.
Robert Burns is a global icon and is recognised worldwide. He is one of the top literary figures in the history of the planet and is comparable to all the greatest literary characters. The culture secretary, Fiona Hyslop, said:
“Robert Burns is Scotland’s greatest cultural icon, recognised and celebrated all around the world. His legacy is of incalculable value to Scotland and the country’s image abroad.”
However, it is not the sentimental aspect of Burns but the business case that is important and that brings us here today. Prestwick airport is Scotland’s other international airport. Renaming the airport would immediately identify its geographical location right in the heart of Burns country. We see it as a positive step forward to have the international airport almost in sight of Robert Burns’s birthplace. As a gateway to the region, it will potentially be seen by millions of passengers. Renaming the airport would be a fitting and relevant tribute to the memory of Robert Burns. More important, it could have an impact on the market, as it services an area that is rich in culture, heritage and tourist attractions.
We envisage that renaming the airport would increase its profile for Burns tourism and would provide an opportunity to improve passenger footfall to the area. That would be of advantage not only to Ayrshire, but to Dumfries and Galloway and to wider Scotland. There is an opportunity for the south-west of Scotland to capitalise on tourist value in respect of everything from spend on tour guides and ancestry research to golf and hotels—I could go on. From a marketing point of view, it is possible to capitalise on Burns throughout the airport and potentially increase footfall. Due to security, footfall in airports nowadays is mainly passengers as opposed to the cafe culture footfall that existed previously.
In physical terms, Prestwick is Scotland’s largest commercial airfield, although in passenger traffic terms it sits in fourth place after Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen airports. However, it has the potential to improve on that. Passenger traffic peaked at 2.4 million in 2007 following 10 years of rapid growth, which was driven in part by the boom in no-frills airlines, especially Ryanair, which uses the airport as an operating base. We understand that there has been a significant reduction in passenger traffic, with around 1.1 million passengers passing through the airport in 2013.
The federation has worked closely with the Scottish Government for many years on the promotion of Burns, as both organisations realise the value that Burns brings to the Scottish economy. It is reported that Robert Burns is worth nearly £160 million to the Scottish economy. The federation continues to encourage overseas visitors to Scotland, with Burns being one of the greatest focal points for those who visit Scotland.
Fiona Hyslop also said:
“The strength of culture is challenging us to think differently, to do things in different ways”.
So, we are doing things differently. We are working in partnership and collaborating with many other organisations nowadays. We would be delighted to work in partnership with the airport management to provide assistance wherever necessary to progress the airport’s future growth. The Robert Burns World Federation is keen to see the airport used to its full potential, as that would have a positive impact on employment in a region of high unemployment where the unemployment rate in several areas is currently above the national average.
Burns was the ultimate cultural activist, challenging the political mores of the day and envisaging a different future. We envisage a different future for the airport.
Thank you for listening. We are happy to take any questions.