VisitScotland couldn't organise a p#ss up in a brewery. Over here in the Scottish Borders in 2001 visitor numbers were down on previous years, partly due to access to the countryside restrictions during the outbreak of animal foot and mouth disease that year and partly due to terrorist incidents in the USA making travellers more wary of flying. This was used by the local tourism manager as a justification for downgrading many of our tourist attractions, from all year round to open from Easter to end of October only. Even Drumlanrig's Tower and our local tourist office are set to close for the winter in two weeks time, to the bemusement of visitors from all over the world who continue to visit all year round and expect to find a tourist office open to help them find accommodation and facilities. Result, visitor numbers continue to fall. So much so that some of the Borders towns have set up their own go it alone tourist promotions - here in Hawick the Welcome Host scheme, the flags, and a few other initiatives are run by a local group comprised of and funded by local businesses including hoteliers. Looks like its time Dumfries booted out VisitScotland and set up its own tourist promotion group which would have the town and country's interests at heart, rather than just being there to give the manager a fat salary.