Press release -
Tourism thrilled the radio star
Scottish radio and TV presenter Edith Bowman will crown Scotland’s tourism champions next month when she hosts the Scottish Thistle Awards.
The Fife-born star will be announcing the winners during a glittering national final at the Crowne Plaza in Glasgow on 5 March.
Born and raised in Anstruther, Edith spent much of her early life in tourism having worked at her parent’s hotel. She has described the Scottish Thistle Awards as ‘a fantastic opportunity to recognise those who work tirelessly to promote tourism in Scotland.’
Led by panel of industry experts, the awards celebrate tourism businesses or suppliers across the region who have gone the extra mile to offer an outstanding visitor experience.
With a particular focus on customer service, this year, for the very first time, members of the public were invited to nominate their tourism champions, with judges determining the final winners.
Entries were then made across a range of different categories including Friendliest Pub, Most Hospitable Hotel, and Our Warmest Welcome.Finalists will compete next month, not just for an award but also the opportunity to represent the region.
The Scottish Thistle Awards is led by several organisations, including VisitScotland, the Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland, Scottish Tourism Alliance, Highlands & Islands Tourism Awards and the Scottish Licensed Trade Association.
Edith Bowman said:
“Having grown up in a hotel in Fife, getting the chance to celebrate and reward those who work tirelessly to promote tourism in Scotland is a fantastic opportunity for me. I'm so very proud to be Scottish and wherever I travel in the world I'm always to impressed by people’s opinions and perception of our great land, culture and people. I can't wait to join everyone on the 5th to announce the winners and commend everyone for all their hard work.”
Stephen Carter OBE,Chair of the Scottish Thistle Awards Industry Panel, said:
“I’m delighted that Edith will be joining us for the final of the Scottish Thistle Awards in under two weeks. Having grown up in tourism, she is a fitting choice to help us reward the dedication and commitment of those in the industry.
“Tourism is one of our most important industries, supporting jobs, sustaining communities and contributing billions to the local economy.
“I wish all the entries the best of luck for the national final. It may seem like a cliché but they are all winners in the industry panel’s eyes. We know they are leading ambassadors in cementing Scotland’s position as the perfect place to visit!”
The Scottish Thistles Awards national final, part of the Scottish Tourism Week Signature Programme, will be held at the Crowne Plaza on Thursday 5th March.
Full details about the Scottish Thistle Awards please visit www.scottishthistleawards.co.uk
There are 13 Scottish Tourism Awards categories including:
- Forestry Commission Scotland - Best Outdoor/Adventure Experience Award
- J. Thomson Colour Printers - Best Visitor Attraction Award
- Best Holiday Accommodation Award
- Most Hospitable B&B/Guest House Award
- Fishers Services Most Hospitable Hotel Award
- Friendliest Pub / Bar Award
- Best Informal Dining Experience Award
- Auchentoshan Distillery and Visitor Centre - Best Restaurant Experience Award
- Our Warmest Welcome Award
- ScotRail - Best Event or Festival Award
- Creative Ambition
- Discovering Scotland Award
- Silver Thistle
Topics
- Tourism
Categories
- scottish thistle awards
- 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.
- 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
