Press release -
Perthshire saddles up for tourism success
Breathtaking images of the Perthshire countryside are set to grace the television screens of millions of homes across the world as Scotland prepares to host one of the biggest events in the equestrian calendar.
From 10th- 13th September, up to 60,000 visitors are set to descend on Blair Castle as the event welcomes the Longines FEI European Eventing Championship 2015.
Many local accommodation providers are reported to be fully booked throughout the duration of the event, which VisitScotland believes will provide a major boost to the Scottish economy and an opportunity to showcase the region’s tourism offering.
Supported by VisitScotland through its event directorate, EventScotland, the four-day competition, the largest event to be held in Perthshire this year, will see 16 different nations compete for the first time in the grounds of the iconic fairytale white castle. The event is also the final opportunity for European entrants to qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Streamed online to a worldwide audience courtesy of the official channel FEI TV which will broadcast all phases live from the Longines FEI European Eventing Championship – available worldwide (subscription fee applies). Footage is also available on the BBC Sport Website and Red Button for the Cross Country (11.50am-4.05pm) on Saturday 12 September. Internet Protocol television (IPTV) and the BBC Sport Website for the Showjumping (11.20am-12.55pm and 1.55pm-4.00pm) Sunday 13 September. BBC2, 3.00pm-5.00pm European Eventing Championship Highlights Programme on Monday 14 September – (subject to change in transmission times).
It means that as well as capturing the excitement on the course, viewers will also be given a taste of the stunning scenery, rich history and diverse culture that makes Perthshire, and indeed Scotland as a whole, a popular choice for visitors.
Mike Cantlay, Chairman of VisitScotland, said:
“Blair Castle will be a spectacular setting for what promises to be a thrilling competition and another exciting highlight in Scotland’s events calendar.
“With 60,000 people due to attend the event and an audience of millions watching around the world, this is a unique opportunity to showcase Perthshire’s renowned tourism offering to both new and existing audiences from the UK and overseas.
"Tourism is at the heart of the country’s economy and Scotland is the perfect stage for events. With the finishing touches in place and excitement mounting we look forward to extending a warm welcome to visitors from near or far attending the Longines FEI European Eventing Championship.”
Alec Lochore, Event Director, said:
“It is an honour to host the Longines FEI European Eventing Championship at Blair Castle; the team has been building up to this landmark date for many months. We have some fantastic sponsors and event partners on board all of whom have played an important role in the planning of the competition. It will be a privilege to welcome some of the best riders in Europe who will assemble at Blair Castle to contend for the top honour of Individual and Team European Champions.”
The Championship forms part of UK Sport’s major events programme, which is investing around £40million of National Lottery funding to bring up to 100 world-class events to Great Britain to help build a strong legacy from London 2012 and the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. The Championship is also supported by EventScotland, who have a longstanding relationship with the team at Blair Castle.
This important Championship is part of UK Sport’s National Lottery funded #EveryRoadtoRio series, supporting British athletes’ preparation and qualification for Rio 2016, this summer’s event is the last major Championship before the Olympic Games. The Championship is also supported by VisitScotland, which has a longstanding relationship with the team at Blair Castle.
To find out more information and to book tickets please visit: www.blair2015.com
For further information on the Longines FEI European Eventing Championship 2015, Blair Castle
For all media enquiries and images please call 01458 250200 or email Blair@jbpromotions.co.uk. Atholl Estates is delighted to be hosting the Longines FEI European Eventing Championship 2015, Blair Castle 10-13 September www.blair2015.com
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- Twitter @BCIHT #Blair2015
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Topics
- Tourism
Categories
- perthshire
- eventing
- eventscotland
- corporate communications
Regions
- Scotland
Notes to Editors
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- 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’s core objective is to contribute to the Tourism 2020 Strategy ambition of growing tourism revenues by £1 billion by 2020.
- This will be supported by seven overarching strategies:
- Marketing: we will market Scotland and its outstanding assets to visitors from all parts of the world, including the promotion of Scotland to people living in Scotland to visit different parts of the country
- Events: we will support the national events strategy and its delivery, and sustain, develop and promote Scotland’s international profile as one of the world’s foremost events destinations
- Internationalisation and International Engagement: we will utilise all our platforms to enable Scottish-based tourism businesses to better understand international opportunities and market to a global audience and we will work within One Scotland Partnerships to optimise the potential of Scotland’s Diaspora and our strategic partners at regional, European and global levels
- Customer Experience: we will provide information and inspiration to visitors both locally and globally via their preferred medium of choice
- Quality and Sustainability: we will provide support and advice to businesses, with the goal of improving the quality and sustainability of the tourism sector in Scotland. We will provide quality assurance to visitors through our Quality Schemes
- Inclusive Tourism: we will strive to make tourism in Scotland inclusive and available to all
- Working in Partnership: we will listen to and work with the industry, partners and communities to shape our offering and support
- 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.
- According to a recent Deloitte study, the tourism economy supports 270,000 jobs in Scotland in 20,000 diverse businesses. The same study calculates that the tourism economy 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.
- For VisitScotland’s press releases go to http://www.visitscotland.org/media_centre.aspx, tourism statistics and frequently asked questions go to http://www.visitscotland.org/
- 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 events in Scotland go to www.conventionscotland.com
Year of Food and Drink 2015- 2015 is the Year of Food and Drink, a celebration of Scotland’s natural larder and the role that food and drink plays in shaping our economic success.
- Scotland generates over £2.5m per day through food and drink tourism.
- A series of themed months will create an appetite for key areas of Scotland’s food and drink industries – from seafood and whisky to berries and high-quality meat
- For more information, visit www.visitscotland.com/tastescotland
