Press release -
Scotland - ‘Scorchio’!
The country’s coastlines, parks and outdoor attractions could enjoy a bumper start to the summer holiday season this week, as Scotland sizzles during a mini-heatwave.
With the natural environment listed as the number one reason why people visit Scotland and with half of visitors engaging in sightseeing via car or on foot , the national tourism organisation, VisitScotland is using the warmer weather as a fantastic opportunity to promote a series of unique pocket guides to encourage visitors and residents to get outside and explore the country.
Themed around camping, families and outdoor activities, the free downloadable guides – which are available on visitscotland.com - are packed with tips on where to pitch your tent, ideas to entertain the little ones, or advice on how to enjoy the great outdoors.
Featuring everything from planning a night under the stars in Galloway Forest Park, the UK’s first Dark Sky Park, to sampling the treasures of the sea on Argyll’s Seafood Trail or introducing the kids to Scotland’s rare wildlife, the colourful ebooks contain a wealth of recommendations and information.
In celebration of the Year of Food and Drink 2015, the national tourism organisation has also recently created a new section on its website packed with tasty tips about picnicking in Scotland.
With its lush landscapes, breathtaking beaches and wonderful wildlife, Scotland is the ideal place to enjoy a spot of al fresco dining and VisitScotland hopes to equip virtual visitors with all the necessary ingredients to enjoy their own picnic when exploring the country.
Mike Cantlay, VisitScotland Chairman, said: “Come rain or shine, Scotland has landscapes, beaches and cities to rival anywhere in the world but warm weather is always a welcome bonus.
“This week, temperatures will be on par with those in southern Europe, which is fantastic news for our outdoor attractions, national parks and coastal communities, not to mention cafes, bars and restaurants.
“Whether it’s bagging a munro, strolling along one of our breath-taking beaches or taking a cold dip in a Loch, it’s easy to get wonderfully lost in the great outdoors of Scotland. These summer pocket guides are a great source of information and inspiration to help make summer in Scotland a time to remember.”
To download the Summer in Scotland pocket guides or for more information visit www.visitscotland.com/summer
Topics
- Tourism
Categories
- content marketing
- corporate communications
- year of food and drink
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 tourism 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
