Press release -
Outlander puts Scotland on the map
To coincide with the US network premiere of Outlander tomorrow (Saturday 9 August), fans of the bestselling books can now follow in the footsteps of Jamie and Claire with a new interactive VisitScotland map.
The online guide highlights real locations featured in Diana Gabaldon’s first two Outlander novels as well as numerous visitor attractions and historical sites that have a strong connection to the Scotland-set literary phenomenon.
The map and accompanying travellers’ itinerary, which will go live at www.visitscotland.com/outlander from midnight tonight, form part of a wider VisitScotland marketing campaign entitled Scotland: The Land That Inspired Outlander.
Among the locations featured on the map are the Palace of Holyrood House and the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, where protagonists Claire Randall and Jamie Fraser meet with Bonnie Prince Charlie; Urquhart Castle and Loch Ness, where the characters go in search of the loch’s most famous resident; and Fort William, which also plays a key role in Gabaldon’s novels.
In addition, the VisitScotland itinerary features attractions such as Culloden Battlefield, the Highland Folk Museum at Newtonmore, and the Clava Cairns standing stones near Inverness, believed to be the inspiration for the fictional Craigh na Dun – the site where Claire is mysteriously swept back in time.
Mike Cantlay, Chairman of VisitScotland, said: “Our new map and itinerary is the perfect way for fans of the Outlander books to follow in the footsteps of Jamie and Claire and this interest will only intensify with the release of the television series. As well as highlighting real locations that feature in the books, our map and itinerary also reveal the best places for visitors to trace their ancestry, learn about the Jacobite Uprising, and discover the real Scotland – the land that inspired Outlander.”
Lorna Ewan, Head of Visitor Experience, Content and Learning at Historic Scotland, said: “The Outlander books feature a number of iconic landmarks in Scotland, while many of the fictional locations were inspired by real places. Craigh na Dun, a key location in the books, shares similarities with a number of prehistoric places including the atmospheric Bronze Age cemetery Clava Cairns, near Inverness. Picturesque Urquhart Castle on the banks of Loch Ness is also name-checked in the books, and is a must-see for Outlander fans.
“Outlander paints a vivid picture of many locations in Scotland and I am delighted that some of our most outstanding sites have provided inspiration for a story which has captured the imaginations of readers around the world. Furthermore, to date the TV adaptation of the books includes scenes filmed at two of our sites: Blackness Castle, which was used for scenes depicting Fort William, and Doune Castle which stood in for the fictional Castle Leoch.”
A number of Outlander tours already operate in Scotland, with Edinburgh-based Rabbie’s Small Group Tours set to launch its Blazing the Jamie and Claire Trail in October.
Yvonne Wagoun, Acting Managing Director of Rabbie’s Small Group Tours, said: “The Outlander book series has long provided a source of inspiration for many of our customers visiting Scotland. The excitement around the new television series has prompted a noticeable increase in enquiries, mainly from the United States and Canada, regarding which of our tours visit Outlander related locations, particularly over the last three months.
“Having already put together private Outlander themed tours on request, as enquiries increased, we responded by putting together a special Outlander itinerary, which is now on sale to the public.
“Once the series airs we are expecting to see a further increase in visitors – not only interested in taking part in our new Blazing the Jamie and Claire Trail tour but with a renewed passion for travel within Scotland.”
Outlander follows the story of Claire Randall (played by Caitriona Balfe), a married English combat nurse from 1945 who, while on her honeymoon in Inverness, is mysteriously swept back in time to the 18th-century Scottish Highlands. There she meets Jamie (played by Scottish actor Sam Heughan), a chivalrous young warrior, with whom she becomes romantically entwined.
Filming of the 16-part Sony Pictures Television series began last October, in locations including Glasgow, Perthshire, Fife, Edinburgh and West Lothian.
Caitriona Balfe said: “We travelled the length and breadth of Scotland and were filming in the most beautiful places so I can’t imagine people won’t come away with an idea of how beautiful Scotland is.”
To view the VisitScotland Outlander map and itinerary, go to www.visitscotland.com/outlander (from midnight tonight).
Topics
- Tourism
Categories
- corporate communications
- film tourism
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
