Press release -
Are you the 1?
Communities, schools and businesses are being encouraged to get creative and make ‘one for the rail’ to help celebrate the first birthday of the Borders Railway.
A series of number 1s will be created in Edinburgh, Midlothian and the Scottish Borders to mark the first birthday of the historic line, which was formally opened by HM The Queen on Wednesday 9th September 2015.
The 30-mile route stretching from Edinburgh Waverley to Tweedbank has proved a phenomenal success with passenger numbers far exceeding expectations and businesses in the Borders, Midlothian and Edinburgh experiencing an increase in visitor numbers.
To mark the occasion, people are being asked to get into the spirit and create their own ONES and share them with the world on social media.
Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive of VisitScotland said: “The re-establishment of the Borders Railway has been a great success and we are encouraging everyone in the region to get involved and help spread the message far and wide about one of the best railways in the country.
“We are appealing to local businesses, schools and residents who love the Borders Railway to create their own number ones – whether it is made out of wool, baked by hand or features a famous beauty spot – the more unique the better.
“It was 12 months ago that the Scottish Borders, Midlothian and Edinburgh took centre stage at the opening ceremony and we want to continue to build on this success and invite everyone to join in on the first birthday celebrations.”
The Borders Railway opened following a £294 million investment by the Scottish Government to re-establish passenger railway services between Edinburgh through Midlothian to Tweedbank for the first time since 1969.
The development includes 30 miles of new railway and seven new stations with a timetable offering half-hourly services on weekdays and Saturdays, including peak time cross-Edinburgh services to and from Fife.
Figures released in May showed that the Borders Railway was 22% ahead on targets made prior to opening.
The original Waverley Route ran south from Edinburgh, through Midlothian and the Scottish Borders, to Carlisle. The line was named after a series of novels by Sir Walter Scott and served as an important export channel for both the wool and coal industries of that time.
The ones will be in the numeral sense i.e. 1 not one. Photographs can be shared on social media using the hashtag #mybordersrailway #1today
Learn more about what can be discovered in Edinburgh, Midlothian and the Scottish Borders at www.visitscotland.com
For more information on the Borders Railway, please visitwww.bordersrailway.co.ukTo book tickets for the Borders Railway, visitwww.scotrail.co.uk
Bill Jacobs from Peebles Golf Club creates a unique 1 to mark the first birthday of Borders Railway
Topics
- Tourism
Categories
- corporate communications
- borders railway
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’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.
- Spending by tourists in Scotland generates around £12 billion of economic activity in the wider Scottish supply chain and contributes around £6 billion to Scottish GDP (in basic prices). This represents about 5% of total Scottish GDP.
- The Scottish Government is the Managing Authority for the European Structural Funds 2014-20 Programme. For further information visit www.gov.scot or follow @scotgovESIF
- 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 Innovation, Architecture and Design 2016 - 2016 will shine a spotlight on Scotland’s achievements in innovation, architecture and design through a wide-ranging, variety of new and existing activity.
- The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design begins on 1 January 2016 and ends on 31 December 2016 and will build on the momentum generated by the 2015 Year of Food and Drink as well as previous years including Homecoming Scotland 2014, the Year of Creative and the Year of Natural.
- Through a series of exciting events and activity, the year will showcase Scotland’s position as an “innovation nation”, its outstanding built heritage, and its thriving, internationally acclaimed creative industries sector.
- The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design is a Scottish Government initiative being led by VisitScotland, and supported by a variety of partners including Scottish Government, Creative Scotland, Architecture + Design Scotland, Scottish Tourism Alliance, Scottish Enterprise, The National Trust for Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS).
- The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design events fund is managed by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate.
- Join the conversation at #IAD2016
- Events can join the 2016 Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design Partner Programme throughout the year by visiting http://www.eventscotland.org/YIAD_partner_programme
