Press release -
I will survive!
A new guide produced by VisitScotland will ensure that visitors to the Edinburgh Festivals this summer are no longer left red-faced after incorrectly trying to pronounce Cockburn Street.
Sporty types, music lovers, fashionistas, history and comedy buffs are also advised on acts and performances to suit their preferred tastes within the tens of thousands of shows on offer during July and August.
The Edinburgh Festivals Survival Guide, produced by VisitScotland and supported by Edinburgh’s Festivals, is the national tourism organisation’s first ever handbook of its kind, detailing a selection of highlights from this summer’s events, plus insider hints and tips to make the most of the world’s festival city.
Tips include advice on looking out for Edinburgh’s new trams when crossing roads, starting the day early to secure the best tickets and bringing a bag for all the flyers picked up around the city as they may come in handy in deciding what to do next.
The 60-page guide is available to download for free online from visitscotland.com and reveals what to expect in Edinburgh throughout the season, from unusual show venues such as Sandy’s Boxing Gym, Adam Pottery and Morningside Library; to hidden city gems like Dunbar’s Close Gardens off the Royal Mile, Waverley Station market (every Friday) and the Signet Library pop-up champagne bar.
Valuable information on where to eat, what to bring, correct pronunciations and how to travel to the city are also included in the guide, as well as the history of the festivals, recommended LGBT bars and pubs, where to go if travelling further afield and the 10 most visited attractions.
VisitScotland Chief Executive Malcolm Roughead said:
“Attracting international and local visitors, famous faces and talented newcomers, Edinburgh is absolutely buzzing in July and August. Whether taking in a talk from a favourite author, enjoying live music in a library, watching comedy on Arthur’s Seat or experiencing The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo - we’ve created this survival guide to help people make the most of their time in Edinburgh.
From information on history, to exploring the Festivals on a budget, to travelling further afield to experience more of what Scotland has to offer; this free online guide is a must have for all festival goers this summer.
As Scotland welcomes the world this year for the XX Commonwealth Games, 970 Homecoming events and The Ryder Cup, I would highly recommend taking the time to explore the city and find out why the Edinburgh Festivals enjoy such incredible global recognition.”
Ken Hay, Chair of Festivals Edinburgh said:
“We welcome this initiative by VisitScotland which will help visitors to the city navigate the richness and diversity of Edinburgh during the August festivals. Edinburgh’s Festivals are distinctively Scottish and yet fiercely and famously international, attracting thousands of artists, performers and audiences from across the world each year. In a remarkable year for Scotland, this guide will assist the Festivals in capitalising on their enormous global value for the benefit of Scotland.”
The Edinburgh Festivals Impact Study, released in 2011, stated that the festivals over the course of the year generated £261 million of economic impact for Scotland, sustaining 5242 full time jobs in Edinburgh.
Visitors are also being encouraged to explore nearby regions including Perthshire, the Scottish Borders, Fife, Stirling and the Lothians in the ‘Exploring Further Afield’ section.
The Edinburgh Festivals Survival Guide, which includes an introduction by bestselling author and festival regular Alexander McCall Smith, is free to download from
www.visitscotland.com/edinburghfestivalsguide
For further information contact:
|
Jack Gorman Corporate Press Officer Tel: 0131 472 2283 Out of hours media enquiries: 07699 766986 |
Topics
- Tourism
Categories
- content marketing
- corporate communications
Regions
- Scotland
Notes to Editors:
- Follow us on twitter: @visitscotnews
- VisitScotland is Scotland’s national tourism organisation. Its core purpose is to maximise the economic benefit of tourism to Scotland.
- The organisation has three key roles:
- To market Scotland to all parts of the world to attract visitors
- To provide information – and inspiration – to visitors and potential visitors so they get the best out of a visit to Scotland
- To provide quality assurance to visitors and quality advice to the industry and partners to help the industry meet and strive to exceed customer expectations
- VisitScotland works together with tourism businesses to make tourism a success for everyone and ensure the industry continues to grow.
- The organisation employs 700 people and has offices and VisitScotland Information Centres across Scotland.
- 2014 is the year Scotland welcomes the world, when it hosts the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles and more than 800 Homecoming events throughout the country.For more information on Homecoming Scotland 2014, go to www.visitscotland.com
- The VisitScotland Information Centre network is a unique face-to-face channel engaging with around five million visitors and locals each year. Everyone who uses a VisitScotland Information Centre goes on to spend an additional £5.35, generating over £24 million for Scotland’s economy.
- According to a recent Deloitte study, tourism employs 270,000 people in Scotland in 20,000 diverse businesses. The same study calculates that the industry contributes £11 billion annually (direct and indirect impact, including day visits) and supports around 10 per cent of employment in Scotland. Almost 16 million tourists take overnight trips to Scotland.
- Where possible, a Gaelic speaker will be made available for broadcast interviews on request (Far an tèid iarraidh, agus far am bheil sin nar comas, bruidhinnidh neach le Gàidhlig aig agallamh)
- For holiday information on Scotland go to www.visitscotland.com
- For information about business tourism in Scotland go to www.conventionscotland.com
- For more information on VisitScotland’s annual review please go to www.visitscotland.org/about_us/our_focus/annual_report.aspx
