[Iain MacIlleathain - Preseantair] ‘S iomadh duine a bhios a’ tadhail air Na h-Eileanan an Iar airson nan saor-làithean am-bliadhna agus iarrtasan dhaibh fhèin aca air àiteachan-fuirich, eadar gur e ostail a tha iad a’ lorg, no àite le còig rionnagan. A dh’ aindeoin gur e ceann àrd de mhargaidh a bu dhaoire, tha an earrann sin dhen ghnìomhachas air fàs gu mòr bho chionn deich bliadhna. Rinn Catriona NicIlleathain beagan rannsachaidh dhuinn.
[Catriona NicIlleathain – Neach-aithris] ’S e aon rud a th’ ann àite-fuirich a thogail ann an àite snog brèagha. Ach ‘s e rud gu math eadar-dhealaichte a th’ ann a chumail aig ìre còig rionnagan. Ach a rèir choltais agus a dh’ aindeoin an obair a tha an-sàs ann. Tha an t-iarrtas airson àiteachan-fuirich dhe leithid do luchd-turais nas motha na bha e a-riamh.
[Ailean MacCoinnich] Tha margaidh an seo – tha i air leudachaidh a-mach agus tha fios againne gu bheil rud againne ri thabhann ge bith dè an t-iarrtas a th’aig daoine. Tha naoi às a’ cheud a-nis de dh’àiteachan-fuirich, tha iad sin a’ tabhann còig rionnagan agus tha sinn a’ faicinn gu bheil sin a’ leudachadh a-mach cuideachd gu àiteachan eile, a bharrachd air àiteachan-fuirich agus tha rud aig daoine ri fhaighinn thar sin, agus tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gu bheil còrdadh gu bhith ac’ gu bhith faicinn gu bheil sinn a’ tighinn chun na h-ìre sin.
[Catriona NicIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Chan e a-mhàin an àireamh de dh’àiteachan-fuirich aig ìre còig rionnagan a th’air atharrachadh ach na tha daoine a’ sùileachadh bho na h-àiteachan sin.
[Rhoda Chaimbeul] Tha cùisean air atharrachadh, tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gu bheil na tha daoine a’ pàigheadh tòrr airgid airson fuireach ann an àite a tha iad a’ sùileachadh barrachd, tha iad ag iarraidh barrachd, agus tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gu bheil cùisean air atharrachadh mar sin. Tha, cuideachd, cùisean air atharrachadh air sgàth gu bheil tòrr a bharrachd na taighean a-nis aig a bheil còig rionnagan agus tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gu bheil sin a’ toirt buaidh air a’ ghnìomhachas cuideachd.
[Catriona NicIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Tha e follaiseach gu bheil na daoine a tha a’ tighinn chun nan seòrsa àiteachan seo a’ sùileachadh fìor àrd ìre a thaobh cofhurtachd agus goireasan, ach dè cho furasta ‘s a tha e an ìre sin a chumail an-àirde?
[Rhoda Chaimbeul] A h-uile bliadhna, tha rudeigin eile ùr a dh’fheumadh sinn a chur ann Feumaidh sinn rudeigin ùr a chur ann, air sgàth gu bheil iad a’ tighinn suas gu deich bliadhna. Agus, tha mi a’ smaoineachadh sa h-uile dàrna bliadhna, tha sinn a’ peantadh ‘s a tha sinn ga chumail, mar gum biodh e a’ chiad là a thàinig a’ chiad fheadhainn a-steach. Tha cosgais na lùib a bharrachd ‘s dòcha nach eil air na rionnagan eile agus tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gu bheil e cudromach gu feum sinn a’ cumail suas ris an sin, a h-uile bliadhna.
[Catriona NicIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Ach, aig àm far a bheil mòran dhaoine nas faiceallaiche na bha iad a-riamh a thaobh mar a tha iad a’ cosg an cuid airgid, ciamar a tha sin a’ toirt buaidh air a’ cheàrnaig seo dhen ghnìomhachas, nach eil saor a’ dol an-sàs ann, no a bhith a’ fuireach ann.
[Iain Fordham] Yes, a few years ago, maybe five, six, seven years ago, there was no five-star accommodation at all. Blue Reef, I think, were the first five-star self-catering type accommodation. We were the first five-star serviced accommodation and I think it’s reflecting the need that people have, they want to have a really good holiday experience, holidays are very precious to them. They want to use their holiday time making sure they are staying somewhere that’s really, really good, so that the holiday is not spoiled or wasted.
[Catriona NicIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Le barrachd na bha a-riamh de dh’àiteachan-fuirich aig ìre nan còig rionnagan anns na h-Eileanan an Iar, chan eil rian nach bi aig an fheadhainn leis a bheil iad ri a bhith ag obair rud beag nas cruaidhe airson dèanamh cinnteach gur ann thuca-san a thig an luchd-turais ge bith dè cho cofhurtail no cho snog ‘s a tha gach àite. Catriona NicIlleathain. BBC An Là.
[Iain MacLean - Presenter] Many people will visit the Western Isles for their holidays this year and they’ll all have their own needs for accommodation, whether it is an hostel that they want, or a place with five stars. In spite of this being the most expensive market, it is the section of the business that has grown in the past ten years. Catriona MacLean did some research for us.
[Catriona MacLean – Neach-aithris] It’s one thing to build in a lovely, beautiful place. But it’s quite a different thing to maintain a place at five stars. But it would seem that in spite of the work involved, the demand of accommodation of that type for tourists is bigger than it’s ever been.
[Alan MacKenzie] The market here – it is expanding out and we know that we have something to offer whatever the needs of people. Nine per cent of accommodation that we offer is five star and we are seeing that is expanding to other areas, outwith accommodation and people get something from that, and I think they like that, that we are meeting the standard.
[Catriona MacLean – Reporter] It is not only the number of accommodation at five stars that is changing, but people expectations of those places.
[Rhoda Campbell] Things are changing, I think that if people are paying a lot of money for a place, they expect more, they want more and I think that things are changing like that. Things, too, are changing as there are more houses now which are at five star and I think that this affects the business too.
[Catriona MacLean – Reporter] It is clear that people are coming to this type if place expecting a very high standard regarding comfort and facilities, but how easy is it to keep up that standard?
[Rhoda Campbell] Every year, there is something new to do. We need to put something new in, because they are coming up to ten years old. And, I think every second year, we paint and do upkeep, as if it was the first day that the first people come in. There is a cost involved, more, that maybe the other levels have and I think that it is important that we must keep up with that, every year.
[Catriona MacLean – Neach-aithris] But, at a time where more people are more careful than they ever were about how they spend their money, how is that affecting this corner of the market, which is not cheap to go into, or to stay in.
[Iain Fordham] Yes, a few years ago, maybe five, six, seven years ago, there was no five-star accommodation at all. Blue Reef, I think, were the first five-star self-catering type accommodation. We were the first five-star serviced accommodation and I think it’s reflecting the need that people have, they want to have a really good holiday experience, holidays are very precious to them. They want to use their holiday time making sure they are staying somewhere that’s really, really good, so that the holiday is not spoiled or wasted.
[Catriona MacLean – Reporter] With more accommodation than ever at five star in the Western Isles, there is no doubt that the ones who have it will be working a wee bit harder to ensure that the tourists come to them, for comfort and standard of each place. Catriona MacLean. BBC An Là.
[Iain MacIlleathain - Preseantair] ‘S iomadh duine a bhios a’ tadhail air Na h-Eileanan an Iar airson nan saor-làithean am-bliadhna agus iarrtasan dhaibh fhèin aca air àiteachan-fuirich, eadar gur e ostail a tha iad a’ lorg, no àite le còig rionnagan. A dh’ aindeoin gur e ceann àrd de mhargaidh a bu dhaoire, tha an earrann sin dhen ghnìomhachas air fàs gu mòr bho chionn deich bliadhna. Rinn Catriona NicIlleathain beagan rannsachaidh dhuinn.
[Catriona NicIlleathain – Neach-aithris] ’S e aon rud a th’ ann àite-fuirich a thogail ann an àite snog brèagha. Ach ‘s e rud gu math eadar-dhealaichte a th’ ann a chumail aig ìre còig rionnagan. Ach a rèir choltais agus a dh’ aindeoin an obair a tha an-sàs ann. Tha an t-iarrtas airson àiteachan-fuirich dhe leithid do luchd-turais nas motha na bha e a-riamh.
[Ailean MacCoinnich] Tha margaidh an seo – tha i air leudachaidh a-mach agus tha fios againne gu bheil rud againne ri thabhann ge bith dè an t-iarrtas a th’aig daoine. Tha naoi às a’ cheud a-nis de dh’àiteachan-fuirich, tha iad sin a’ tabhann còig rionnagan agus tha sinn a’ faicinn gu bheil sin a’ leudachadh a-mach cuideachd gu àiteachan eile, a bharrachd air àiteachan-fuirich agus tha rud aig daoine ri fhaighinn thar sin, agus tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gu bheil còrdadh gu bhith ac’ gu bhith faicinn gu bheil sinn a’ tighinn chun na h-ìre sin.
[Catriona NicIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Chan e a-mhàin an àireamh de dh’àiteachan-fuirich aig ìre còig rionnagan a th’air atharrachadh ach na tha daoine a’ sùileachadh bho na h-àiteachan sin.
[Rhoda Chaimbeul] Tha cùisean air atharrachadh, tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gu bheil na tha daoine a’ pàigheadh tòrr airgid airson fuireach ann an àite a tha iad a’ sùileachadh barrachd, tha iad ag iarraidh barrachd, agus tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gu bheil cùisean air atharrachadh mar sin. Tha, cuideachd, cùisean air atharrachadh air sgàth gu bheil tòrr a bharrachd na taighean a-nis aig a bheil còig rionnagan agus tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gu bheil sin a’ toirt buaidh air a’ ghnìomhachas cuideachd.
[Catriona NicIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Tha e follaiseach gu bheil na daoine a tha a’ tighinn chun nan seòrsa àiteachan seo a’ sùileachadh fìor àrd ìre a thaobh cofhurtachd agus goireasan, ach dè cho furasta ‘s a tha e an ìre sin a chumail an-àirde?
[Rhoda Chaimbeul] A h-uile bliadhna, tha rudeigin eile ùr a dh’fheumadh sinn a chur ann Feumaidh sinn rudeigin ùr a chur ann, air sgàth gu bheil iad a’ tighinn suas gu deich bliadhna. Agus, tha mi a’ smaoineachadh sa h-uile dàrna bliadhna, tha sinn a’ peantadh ‘s a tha sinn ga chumail, mar gum biodh e a’ chiad là a thàinig a’ chiad fheadhainn a-steach. Tha cosgais na lùib a bharrachd ‘s dòcha nach eil air na rionnagan eile agus tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gu bheil e cudromach gu feum sinn a’ cumail suas ris an sin, a h-uile bliadhna.
[Catriona NicIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Ach, aig àm far a bheil mòran dhaoine nas faiceallaiche na bha iad a-riamh a thaobh mar a tha iad a’ cosg an cuid airgid, ciamar a tha sin a’ toirt buaidh air a’ cheàrnaig seo dhen ghnìomhachas, nach eil saor a’ dol an-sàs ann, no a bhith a’ fuireach ann.
[Iain Fordham] Yes, a few years ago, maybe five, six, seven years ago, there was no five-star accommodation at all. Blue Reef, I think, were the first five-star self-catering type accommodation. We were the first five-star serviced accommodation and I think it’s reflecting the need that people have, they want to have a really good holiday experience, holidays are very precious to them. They want to use their holiday time making sure they are staying somewhere that’s really, really good, so that the holiday is not spoiled or wasted.
[Catriona NicIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Le barrachd na bha a-riamh de dh’àiteachan-fuirich aig ìre nan còig rionnagan anns na h-Eileanan an Iar, chan eil rian nach bi aig an fheadhainn leis a bheil iad ri a bhith ag obair rud beag nas cruaidhe airson dèanamh cinnteach gur ann thuca-san a thig an luchd-turais ge bith dè cho cofhurtail no cho snog ‘s a tha gach àite. Catriona NicIlleathain. BBC An Là.
[Iain MacLean - Presenter] Many people will visit the Western Isles for their holidays this year and they’ll all have their own needs for accommodation, whether it is an hostel that they want, or a place with five stars. In spite of this being the most expensive market, it is the section of the business that has grown in the past ten years. Catriona MacLean did some research for us.
[Catriona MacLean – Neach-aithris] It’s one thing to build in a lovely, beautiful place. But it’s quite a different thing to maintain a place at five stars. But it would seem that in spite of the work involved, the demand of accommodation of that type for tourists is bigger than it’s ever been.
[Alan MacKenzie] The market here – it is expanding out and we know that we have something to offer whatever the needs of people. Nine per cent of accommodation that we offer is five star and we are seeing that is expanding to other areas, outwith accommodation and people get something from that, and I think they like that, that we are meeting the standard.
[Catriona MacLean – Reporter] It is not only the number of accommodation at five stars that is changing, but people expectations of those places.
[Rhoda Campbell] Things are changing, I think that if people are paying a lot of money for a place, they expect more, they want more and I think that things are changing like that. Things, too, are changing as there are more houses now which are at five star and I think that this affects the business too.
[Catriona MacLean – Reporter] It is clear that people are coming to this type if place expecting a very high standard regarding comfort and facilities, but how easy is it to keep up that standard?
[Rhoda Campbell] Every year, there is something new to do. We need to put something new in, because they are coming up to ten years old. And, I think every second year, we paint and do upkeep, as if it was the first day that the first people come in. There is a cost involved, more, that maybe the other levels have and I think that it is important that we must keep up with that, every year.
[Catriona MacLean – Neach-aithris] But, at a time where more people are more careful than they ever were about how they spend their money, how is that affecting this corner of the market, which is not cheap to go into, or to stay in.
[Iain Fordham] Yes, a few years ago, maybe five, six, seven years ago, there was no five-star accommodation at all. Blue Reef, I think, were the first five-star self-catering type accommodation. We were the first five-star serviced accommodation and I think it’s reflecting the need that people have, they want to have a really good holiday experience, holidays are very precious to them. They want to use their holiday time making sure they are staying somewhere that’s really, really good, so that the holiday is not spoiled or wasted.
[Catriona MacLean – Reporter] With more accommodation than ever at five star in the Western Isles, there is no doubt that the ones who have it will be working a wee bit harder to ensure that the tourists come to them, for comfort and standard of each place. Catriona MacLean. BBC An Là.