Tourism goes Forth and prospers

The Chairman of VisitScotland, Mike Cantlay has today (Monday 2 March) announced his full support on a vision to enhance tourism opportunities for the Forth Bridge as it approaches its 125^th year spanning the Firth of Forth on 4 March 2015.

With Network Rail’s ambitious proposal to create a Forth Bridge Experience (due to open in 2017), VisitScotland is keen to ensure that a much greater focus is put on all three bridges as a unique, exciting tourism destination to enrapture visitors from around the globe.

In 2014, the national and international interest in the iconic structures was evident with almost 20,000 attendances at the VisitScotland Homecoming event - the Forth Bridges Festival – the first of its scale and nature. The Festival is to be repeated in 2015 to celebrate the railway bridge’s historic anniversary and continue to raise the profile of the three bridges and the surrounding areas to visitors from home and abroad.

Whether it’s their sheer scale, innovative workmanship or architectural and engineering prowess, visitors travel all over the world to admire and photograph bridges. The top 5 most famous bridges in the world for tourism include:

• Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, United States - This world famous symbol of the United States’ west coast. The Golden Gate Bridge is located in San Francisco and is perhaps the city’s most famous attraction welcoming over 10 million visitors a year.
• Tower Bridge, London, England - Built from 1886 till 1894, this symbol of London is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London, over the River Thames. It is close to the Tower of London, from which it takes its name. Currently 350,000 visitors a year visit Tower Bridge.
• Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney, Australia – A steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour. The bridge carries roads for vehicles and railroads as well as bicycle and pedestrian traffic between the North Shore and the central business district of the city. BridgeClimb started in 1998 and attracts tourists and locals alike to climb the monument. There are day, twilight and night climbs and a group of twelve will leave for a climb every ten minutes.
• Brooklyn Bridge, New York, United States – Completed in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. It connects Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River. It has become one of the icons on New York from its opening day and today visitors walk the 5,989 feet (1825 m) of the bridge from end to end and back.
• Ponte Vecchio, Florence, Italy – The “old bridge” is a medieval stone arch bridge, famous for still having shops built along it as was once common. It is the only bridge in Florence to survive the Second World War. In the past the shops were owned by butchers but today the shops are mostly owned by souvenir sellers as well as art dealers and jewellers

Thousands of visitors cross the Forth Bridge by train every year and many more photograph and marvel at the famous landmark from viewing points in the North and South Queensferry area.

Mike Cantlay, Chairman of VisitScotland said:

“Spanning the Firth of Forth for 125 years, the Forth Bridge is one of the most unique, awe-inspiring and authentic bridges in the world and I congratulate everyone who has worked tirelessly to maintain this incredible structure over the years. My grandfather used to drive a steam train over this stunning bridge and so it has a very special, personal place in my heart.

“With the opening of the Queensferry Crossing next year and the Forth Bridge Experience the following year in 2017, the eyes of the world will be on these spectacular bridges, one from every century. We will be working with our partners to ensure tourism opportunities are grasped at every stage and the bridges and surrounding area achieve the potential they so rightly deserve”

Opened on 4 March 1890, the Forth Bridge is a Scottish icon that is recognised the world over as the most famous of cantilever designs. The world's first major steel structure, the Forth Bridge represents a key milestone in the history of modern railway civil engineering. A full-scale restoration project to return the bridge to its original construction condition was completed in 2012 and a UNESCO World Heritage nomination was submitted in 2014.

David Dickson, Network Rail Route Managing Director said:

"We know from years of arranging industry tours and charity visits to the Forth Bridge that there is an enormous fascination both with the structure and the story of its construction and maintenance. Our current proposal for visitor facilities has been developed to give people the chance to visit and learn about the bridge in a way which has never been possible before.

"Our research suggests that there is a strong interest from the domestic and international tourism market in visiting the bridge, however, we recognise that it needs to be delivered in a way which minimises the local impact. This is a welcome endorsement from Visit Scotland and we look forward to taking our proposals forward over the coming months."

Celebrations planned to mark the 125th anniversary of the Forth Bridge include:

• On Sunday 1 March, The Platinum Abseil Experience arranged by Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland and supported by Network Rail and Balfour Beatty will bring over 300 dedicated fundraisers to the bridge for a one-off event. The one-off event is expected to raise over £125,000 for charity.
• To coincide with the Platinum Abseil Experience, Queensferry Ambition has arranged its first market of the year, with traders selling local crafts & jewellery, Scottish game, cheeses, fresh bread & pastries, delicious food and much more. The market will be located on Queensferry High Street in the parking bays, High Street will remain open to traffic.
• Running throughout, the anniversary week, a Network Rail team will begin the epic task of guiding 250 people to the top of the Forth Bridge from Monday 2 March through to Friday 6 March. 300 charity abseilers participating in a one-off ‘top to bottom’ bridge visit on behalf of Chest Heart and Stroke, a community market in South Queensferry and a further 250 visitors brave the heights throughout the week in aid of Princes Trust.
• The highlight of the week will see two iconic aircraft from past and present take to the air next on Wednesday, 4 March, to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Forth Bridge. The fly-past of a model Spitfire and an RAF Typhoon, which will be visible from North and South Queensferry, will take place at 1.25pm.