2023 UCI Cycling World Championships event at Glentress. © Liam Moss |
Showcasing memorable event and festival experiences |
Events are a hugely important part of the visitor experience. They deliver memorable experiences and showcase Scotland, our values, and assets globally. This helps to attract people to live and work, study, visit, and do business here. They strengthen Scotland’s position as a world-leading destination. This enhances the reputation of our places, our sectors, and our communities; both domestically and internationally.
From large-scale sporting events that draw global audiences, to our much-loved annual cultural festivals and regional events across the country, Scotland’s quality, scale and world-leading event hosting capability is renowned. Investing in and harnessing Scotland's event portfolio is a strategic priority that is at the heart of our work to grow the value of the visitor economy.
Events give people a reason to travel to destinations. And we use our digital channels, e-marketing, and influencer collaborations, to utilise what makes them special and capitalise on the social media “buzz” they can bring. This helps us to extend reach, interest, and influence, to promote Scotland and its regions as must-visit destinations all year round. Find out more within the latest Tourism Insider marketing takeover.
Kind regards
Vicki Miller
Director of Marketing and Digital |
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Solas Festival, Perthshire. © VisitScotland / Luigi Di Pasquale |
Stimulating demand through events and festivals
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Events give people a reason to visit destinations, whether that’s from overseas visitors looking to attend a “bucket-list” gig or festival, or locals exploring areas they haven’t visited before. They often attract media coverage and generate a social media buzz extending reach, interest and influence in a destination. |
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A van with an advert promoting Scotland in Germany.
© VisitScotland |
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Germany is a key inbound market. It's well connected, typically has high rates of travel intent, repeat visitors, and a willingness among these visitors to explore new regions and experiences. Euro 2024 offered a unique opportunity to shine a spotlight on Scotland to a large potential visitor audience this summer.
Read more on our Euro's campaign |
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© Edinburgh’s Camera Obscura and World of Illusions |
| Taylor Swift (Scotland’s version) |
Gig-tripping has become a global travel trend, where visitors plan holidays around attending concerts. As part of the record-breaking phenomenon that was Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour, there was considerable scope to encourage those coming to the show to extend their stay and explore beyond Edinburgh.
Our activity |
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Edinburgh International Festival opening event, George Heriot's School. © VisitScotland |
Supporting events and festivals across our channels |
We aim to make Scotland one of the most desired destinations in the world. Using our digital channels, we reach new audiences with engaging and sharable content. Highlighting lesser-known events, experiences, and destinations is of key importance to encourage people to visit across the country. See what’s been happening across our channels. |
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TRNSMT concert. © VisitScotland / Luigi Di Pasquale |
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Tailoring how we showcase Scotland to different audiences and their interests is key to our email marketing. This allows us to inspire, inform, and keep them coming back to Scotland to explore new places at different times of the year. Also – learn how to get the most from your own email marketing.
More on email marketing |
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© Auchrannie Resort, Isle of Arran |
News from the marketplace |
Our work with the travel trade allows us to gain useful consumer insight, particularly on international visitors who use travel intermediaries to plan and book their Scotland holidays. Demand for Scotland continues to be strong with a return to traditional planning and booking patterns. Read more on this, plus new travel trends appearing. |
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Taking Scotland to the trade |
We’ve been busy over the last quarter engaging with travel trade audiences across our target markets and planning further events through to the end of the year. With so many of our international visitors using travel intermediaries to help plan and book their travel, tour operators, wholesalers, online travel agents and travel advisers are an important focus of our work. See how you can get involved. |
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Panel discussion at Journey The Business Events Conversation 2022. © VisitScotland |
The value of business events |
Business events is a crucial sector that provides a measurable contribution to Scotland’s visitor economy. Learn more about what business event organisers are looking for, the events and tradeshows we’ve attended and our PR and marketing activity to showcase Scotland as a premier destination for business events. |
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Get involved
Opportunities to be part of marketing activity |
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The Cowal Gathering, in Dunoon, Argyll. © VisitScotland / Kenny Lam |
Check out our marketing calendar and discover how you can align with our activity throughout the year to get the greatest reach. We're always on the lookout for exciting and inspiring experiences to feature in our seasonal activity. |
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The Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival.
© VisitScotland / Iona Spence |
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Our latest Expedia partnership campaign is targeting the UK and US markets with the aim of boosting bookings through autumn, winter and into spring 2025. If you have a listing with Expedia, update your profile and benefit from the extra traffic generated.
The campaign |
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VisitScotland Connect 2023.
© Newsline Media |
| VisitScotland Connect 2025 |
Planning is underway for VisitScotland Connect 2025. Our flagship travel trade event is set to return on 9 - 10 April 2025, to the P&J Live in Aberdeen. Eligible trade-ready businesses will be able to register interest for our 2025 event soon, with applications opening from 10 September.
More on the event |
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Greyhope Bay, Aberdeen.
© VisitScotland / Kate Abbey |
| Tell us about new or exciting products |
Know of, or have any, new and exciting tourism products launching in 2025? Our team highlight sustainable, innovative and exciting products to international media, keeping Scotland front of mind. Check out what we’re looking for and get in touch.
What’s new 2025 |
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VisitScotland, Waverley Court, 4 East Market Street, Edinburgh, EH8 8BG |
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