Press release -
V&A Dundee opening strengthens Japan and Scotland links
The eagerly anticipated opening of V&A Dundee was among the experiences highlighted to travel trade and airline contacts during a visit to Japan by Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Europe and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop.
The renowned attraction, which will open on Dundee’s waterfront in September, marks a unique opportunity to position Scotland as a place to live and work, study, invest and visit to Japanese visitors, the Cabinet Secretary has said.
The stunning structure, designed by acclaimed Japanese architect Kengo Kuma - who also designed the 2020 Olympic Stadium in Tokyo - is expected to attract 350,000 visitors each year. It is the first V&A museum to be created outside of London and has become a valuable addition of Scotland’s cultural offering.
The arrival of the country’s first design museum, inspired by Kuma’s travels around Scotland, follows strong historical links between Japan and Scotland. It has been hailed as a ‘perfect illustration’ of the links between culture and tourism and Japan and Scotland.
Thomas Blake Glover, the Scottish Samurai, and Masataka Taketsuru, the father of Japanese whisky, are two examples of how the countries have prospered by citiziens’ interest in experiencing one another’s countries.
As a tourism market, the Japanese outbound market is forecast to grow, reaching over 30 million visits abroad by 2025. The recent ministerial visit aims to strengthen links between the two countries and showcase Scotland as one of the world’s most exciting visitor destinations.
Tourism Secretary Fiona Hyslop:“The links between culture and tourism and Japan and Scotland are perfectly illustrated at V&A Dundee.
“The museum will showcase the best of Scottish design and has made Dundee a must visit destination. It also demonstrates what can be achieved when our countries work together, with renowned award-winning Japanese architects Kengo Kuma & Associates designing the stunning building in one of Scotland’s vibrant cities.”
Christina Bruns, VisitScotland Senior Marketing Manager – Long Haul – said: “Scotland has many of the attributes that Japanese visitors enjoy – majestic landscapes, castles, whisky, luxury and unique experiences. We know that this market is extremely sophisticated, and that their travels are most regularly driven by the need for cultural experience. V&A Dundee will create an unmissable cultural highlight and will build on the strong links between Scotland and Japan, encouraging more visits to and from one another’s countries. Our aim now is to extend our famous warm welcome to even more Japanese visitors now and in the years to come.”
As well as the opening of V&A Dundee in September 2018, next year will see the countries come face to face in the Rugby World Cup in Japan. While earlier this year Scotland welcomed the Japanese Ambassador to the UK at Blervie House, Moray.
For more information about Scotland is Now, a global campaign positioning Scotland as a leading country to visit, live and work, study and invest in visit: www.scotland.org
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Notes to Editors
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- The organisation’s core objective is to contribute to the Tourism 2020 Strategy ambition of growing tourism revenues by £1 billion by 2020.
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2018 Year of Young People
- The Year of Young People (YoYP 2018) will inspire Scotland through its young people aged 8 to 26, celebrating their achievements, valuing their contributions to communities and creating new opportunities for them to shine locally, nationally and globally
- Central to YoYP 2018 will be a celebratory events programme that puts young people at the heart of its development and delivery, creating new and valuable experiences for young Scots and the wider public, with links to the inaugural 2018 European Championships.
- Over 200 young people throughout Scotland are currently being recruited to become YoYP 2018 Ambassadors. Ambassadors will ensure that people and organisations in their communities know about what’s happening and will lead on projects and activities to create events and opportunities to celebrate young people.
- The Year of Young People will have six themes which were developed in co-production with young people themselves:
- Participation – looking at how young people can influence public services and decisions which affect their lives
- Education – creating a stronger role for young people in shaping their learning
- Health and Wellbeing – supporting young people to lead healthier, active lives and have opportunities to learn about and improve their mental health and resilience
- Equality and Discrimination – broadcasting the value of young Scots, challenging negative perceptions of young people, and supporting young people to take leading roles in challenging discrimination in all its forms.
- Enterprise and regeneration – celebrating young people’s role in innovation, entrepreneurship and the Scottish economy as well as making Scotland a greener and more pleasant place to live
- Culture – celebrating young people’s talent and contribution to Scottish culture and arts.
- Further information on what’s happening and how people can get involved can be found on the new website www.yoyp2018.scot or @YOYP2018 on Twitter.
