Press release -

Jumping for 5 star joy!

Staff at Scotland’s largest trampoline park are jumping for joy - quite literally - after winning the national tourism organisation’s highest possible quality grading in recognition of the outstanding visitor experience they offer.

Following its first-ever assessment visit, Air Space in East Kilbride scooped VisitScotland’s top Quality Assurance award to be named a 5-star Activity Centre, taking the elite group of businesses across Scotland which can boast this superior designation to 24.

5-Star awards - which are only bestowed on businesses which achieve exceptional standards consistently across a wide range of aspects including customer care – are valuable assets which help their recipients promote the excellence of their facilities, activities and entertainment.

The VisitScotland Quality Assurance scheme, which has been developed and improved over 30 years, provides visitors with an independent, impartial and trusted guide to standards. Delivered by a dedicated team of experts who offer scheme members advice and support on how to not only meet visitor expectations but exceed them, the scheme aims to drive standards and encourage excellence whilst helping attractions and businesses reach their full potential and secure their success. That in turn delivers great results for Scotland’s tourism industry and economy.

Air Space, which is centrally located just outside East Kilbride, 8 miles from Glasgow, comprises 37,000 square feet of inter-connected trampolines - over 100 of them - providing a huge indoors spring-loaded urban playground for all ages.Visitors can freestyle jump - improvising their own moves in the main arena and launching themselves from one trampoline to the next -or try their hand at wall running and throwing themselves onto a giant air bag.They can also join in team sports on super-sprung pitches to experience them as never before with a dodgeball court, volleyball court, two basketball lanes, plus a penalty shoot out goal.

A wide range of activities is on offer at Air Space. These include - in addition to the general sessions, during which visitors have access to all areas of the park - fitness classes, special sessions for children and young adults with autism, classes in trampoline skills, and birthday parties.

Air Space Commercial Director Yan Stewart said:

“We are absolutely thrilled to receive a 5-star award from VisitScotland. At Air Space, we aim to provide a great customer experience that the whole family can enjoy all year round, and this award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of all our staff members.”

VisitScotland Regional Director Annique Armstrong said:

“My congratulations go to everyone at Air Space on this outstanding achievement; I’m delighted that the excellence of their visitor offering has received this Quality Assurance accolade. The 5-star grading is a fantastic marketing tool too so it’s great news - not only for the business but also for the East Kilbride area, as it will help enhance its reputation as a destination which offers a diverse range of great things to see and do.”

The team at Air Space are now looking forward to giving a special 5-star welcome to visitors this February half term. The centre will be open at an earlier time of 10am from Friday 10th February to Wednesday 15th February.

For information on Air Space, please visithttps://air-space.co.uk/

For more details on VisitScotland’s Quality Assurance scheme, please visitwww.visitscotland.org/quality_assurance.aspx

ENDS

For further information contact:

Ellen Drummond Ferroni, VisitScotland Corporate Press Officer

T: 0141 566 4019; M: 07801 820757; E: ellen.drummondferroni@visitscotland.com

Topics

  • Tourism

Categories

  • quality assurance
  • 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’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:
    1. 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
    2. 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
    3. 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
    4. Customer Experience: we will provide information and inspiration to visitors both locally and globally via their preferred medium of choice
    5. 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
    6. Inclusive Tourism: we will strive to make tourism in Scotland inclusive and available to all
    7. 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
    2017 Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology
  • 2017 is the year to delve into the past and discover Scotland’s fascinating stories through a wide-ranging variety of new and existing activity to drive the nation’s tourism and events sector, boosting tourism across Scotland.
  • The Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology begins on 1 January 2017 and will end on 31 December 2017. It will build on the momentum generated by previous themed years in Scotland including the 2015 Year of Food and Drink, Homecoming Scotland 2014, the Year of Creative and the Year of Natural.
  • The Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology is a Scottish Government initiative being led by VisitScotland, and supported by a variety of partners including Creative Scotland, Scottish Tourism Alliance, Scottish Enterprise, The National Trust for Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Built Environment Forum Scotland, Heritage Lottery Fund, Museums Galleries Scotland and Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland.
  • The Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology is supported by £570,000 of Scottish Government funding.
  • The Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology events fund is managed by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate.
  • For more information visit visitscotland.com/HHA2017 or join the conversation at #HHA2017

Contacts

Chelsea Charles

Press contact Scotland’s Themed Years Communications & Engagement Manager Contact for media enquiries on: Scotland’s Themed Years (i.e. 2018 Year of Young People; 2020 Year of Scotland's Coast and Waters; 2022 Year of Scotland's Stories) 0131 472 2067

Carrie MacWilliam

Press contact Senior Corporate Press Officer - National Contact for media enquiries on: Travel media (Scotland); Year of Young People; UK Marketing; Dundee; Fife; Angus; Perthshire 0131 472 2052

Amelia Whittaker

Press contact Senior Corporate Press Officer - Regional Contact for media enquiries on: South Region; Edinburgh and Lothians; Food and Drink; Scottish Thistle Awards 01750 723806