Salmond urges support for Homecoming 2009 event

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond has said that 2009 will present an “enormous challenge” to the country as the full effect of the credit crunch is realized.

In his New Year message, Salmond stressed how important it is for Scots to pull together at this time.

He also urged all Scots to support the 2009 Homecoming event, which marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of poet Robert Burns, indicating that it could provide a much-needed boost to the country’s tourism industry.

Salmon said that the New Year is a time to spend with family and to look back as well as to the future, saying: “For many people, 2009 will be an enormous challenge, with the full impact of the economic downturn starting to bite.”

He continued: “At times like this, therefore, it is even more important that we pull together as a nation. The economic storm clouds are gathering. But I know we will weather this storm – and emerge even stronger, and well placed to prosper.”

In his message Salmond went on to say that the Scottish Government will be delivering a plan for economic recovery that is designed to help families and businesses.

He stressed that Homecoming Scotland 2009, with more than 300 events featured across the country, is an opportunity to, “turn a threatened tourism downturn into a visitor boom.”

Thanks to news.bbc.co.uk for the above quotes, for more information on this article please visit their website.

www.homecomingscotland.com