Press release -
Scotland declared as one of top countries to visit in 2014 by Lonely Planet
VisitScotland, Scotland’s national tourism organisation, has today hailed the news that Scotland has been recommended as the third best country in the world to visit in 2014 ahead of the likes of the Seychelles, Mexico and Malaysia.
According to Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2014, Scotland can take its place at the top table of world leading destinations because the “jam-packed schedule of world-class events, including the Commonwealth Games, the Year of Homecoming, the Highland Games, Ryder Cup at Gleneagles and Edinburgh Festival, make(s) it the place to be in the coming year.”
Whilst gaining this accolade Scotland was pipped at the post by Antarctica and World Cup host, Brazil.
Welcoming the announcement, Mike Cantlay, Chairman of VisitScotland, said: “It’s clear that 2014 is Scotland’s chance to shine on the world stage, and to have this commendation from Lonely Planet is a fantastic seal of approval.
Next year is simply a wonderful opportunity for Scotland. From the bells bringing in our year-long Homecoming celebrations on Hogmanay, to the biggest ever sporting events to take place in Scotland - the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, and the Ryder Cup, this could be the greatest ever chance for our country to be seen as a globally recognised, must-visit destination for many years to come.”
Scotland is set to welcome the world in 2014 with three momentous events: the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, the year-long Homecoming 2014 celebrations and the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles.
ENDS
For further information please contact:
James Fox
Corporate Press Officer
Corporate Communications
VisitScotland
Tel: 0131 472 2052
Email: james.fox@visitscotland.com
Topics
- Tourism
Categories
- corporate communications
- awards
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.
- 2014 is the year Scotland welcomes the world, when it hosts the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles and more than 800 Homecoming events throughout the country.For more information on Homecoming Scotland 2014, go to www.visitscotland.com
- The VisitScotland Information Centre network is a unique face-to-face channel engaging with around five million visitors and locals each year. Everyone who uses a VisitScotland Information Centre goes on to spend an additional £5.35, generating over £24 million for Scotland’s economy.
- According to a recent Deloitte study, tourism employs 270,000 people in Scotland in 20,000 diverse businesses. The same study calculates that the industry 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.
- 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
- For more information on VisitScotland’s annual review please go to www.visitscotland.org/about_us/our_focus/annual_report.aspx
