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Events, Festivals & Cultural Tourismin Scotland

Contents1 Introduction 04

2 Overview of events, festivals and cultural tourism in Scotland 08

3 Who are our ‘culture’ visitors? 20

4 Getting involved with existing opportunities 28

5 Working together: tourism businesses, cultural providers and event organisers 34

6 Links & resources 46

7 Next steps for Scotland 47

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Innovation in product and service development, and in business processes, is key to the future competitiveness of the Scottish tourism industry. In this fast-moving consumer marketplace, Scotland needs to continually make the most of its distinctive strengths and keep up with growing competition. The more you know about your customers, the better you can cater for them, the more satisfied they will be and the more money they are likely to spend with you.

Gathering and using good market intelligence to drive innovation is a quick, easy, cheap and effective way to improve your business. To support the industry in this area, a joint initiative has been developed by Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and VisitScotland, Tourism Intelligence Scotland (TIS).

Tourism Intelligence Scotland is a key initiative in supporting the industry to achieve growth and innovation in tourism.

Tourism Intelligence Scotland is where forward thinking businesses go for easy to use practical insights to inspire them to get ahead...

It offers businesses the opportunity to access, share and understand a range of useful information – and can help businesses to get ahead and stay competitive. Go to www.tourism-intelligence.co.uk to access the library of intelligence. There are insights, hints and tips on a number of topics for every tourism sector.

What are the benefits?Tourism Intelligence Scotland can help you to:

Obtain useful customer feedback and understand your customers better

Develop innovative products and services based on good market intelligence

Find inspirational and relevant information quickly and easily understand the Scottish tourism market better

Understand global trends that matter to you

Learn from other businesses, share useful insights and collaborate

Be more successful and stay one step ahead

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Register today: www.tourism-intelligence.co.uk or contact us on 0845 601 2454 or [email protected].

By registering with TIS, you will receive the popular TIS newsletter ‘Ear to the Ground’; each of the TIS guides as they are produced; and you will be the first to know about forthcoming events.

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EvENTS, FESTIvaLS & CULTUraL TOUrISm...

1. Walking Tourism...2. Scottish Tourism in the Future... 3. Knowing Our markets...

Scotland’s visitors, 2nd Edition4. Golf Tourism in Scotland 5. adventure Travel in Scotland6. Food & Drink Experience in Scotland 7. mountain Biking Tourism in Scotland8. Sailing Tourism in Scotland9. Wildlife Tourism in Scotland

Other specialist resources:• HowtoShineOnline:apracticalonlinetechnologyresource

• ListeningtoourVisitors

• Scotland’sHistoricProperties

• AtYourService–ApracticalguidetodeliveringthebestfoodanddrinkexperienceinScotland

• DestinationDevelopment:apracticalonlinetool

1walking tourism...

opportunitiesfor growth

85970 WALKING:85970 WALKING 1/2/10 16:39 Page 1

3Knowing Our Markets...Scotland’s Visitors

opportunities for growth

Second Edition

7Mountain BikingTourism in Scotland


SailingTourism in Scotland

8opportunities for growth 9opportunities

for growth

Tourism in ScotlandWildlife

4Golf Tourism in Scotland

opportunities for growth 6

Food & Drink Experience in Scotland


These guides are developed for Scottish tourism businesses, offering relevant insights that will help grow their businesses and also enhance the experience they offer Scotland’s visitors.

PDF copies of all guides in the series are available to download at www.tourism-intelligence.co.uk

Front cover: Witches in an outdoor performance of Macbeth at Glamis Castle, Angus. Credit: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint

Scotland’s rich cultural history and passion for celebration make it a natural centre for events, festivals and cultural tourism.

Virtually every visitor to Scotland will experience our culture in some form – perhaps through a visit to one of our museums or galleries, or by sampling an authentic food or nature experience, or by attending one of our renowned festivals or larger-scale events. For tourism businesses, these experiences provide a unique platform to exceed visitor expectations and give them lasting memories.

According to the industry strategy outlined in TourismScotland2020–Thefutureofourindustry,inourhands, events and festivals have become a tourism priority, offering a fantastic marketing opportunity to attract more visitors and encourage them to spend more and stay longer. It is the perfect time for tourism businesses to get involved with cultural events and experiences, and this guide will highlight why you need to act now.

For the purpose of this guide, we will focus primarily on regional and local events.

Image: Fireworks at the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, Aberlour. Credit: Rob McDougall/VisitScotland

Scotland’s events, festivals, culture and heritage are huge selling points and something we should be rightly proud of. The very best of our heritage and culture is currently being celebrated in the ‘Winning Years’, leading up to 2014 when Scotland will host mega events including The Ryder Cup and Glasgow Commonwealth Games, as well as the second Year of Homecoming.Such a global stage presents a fantastic opportunity to showcase the very best of Scotland to the rest of the world. We can only do this successfully, however, if the whole industry comes together to turn our cultural strengths into an appealing range of visitor experiences which are promoted to this global audience in an imaginative and creative way.The new strategy for Scottish tourism outlines ways we can achieve this, and it is therefore incumbent on destinations, communities and individual businesses alike to align themselves with this strategy and look at how they can contribute to helping Scotland realise its full tourism potential.

Iain Limond Director of JacTravel Group

aEvENTS, FESTIvaLS & CULTUraL TOUrISm...

1 InTroDuCTIon

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1. INTrODUCTION

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It’s time to celebrateThe Scots certainly know how to throw a good party! Whether it’s kicking up our heels for the Dashing White Sergeant or bringing in ‘the bells’ for Hogmanay, we’re a nation that loves to celebrate. We’ve always done it, we do it well, and we’re known for doing it well – just ask the 75,000 revellers from all over the world that joined the Edinburgh Princes Street party to mark the start of 2012! This enthusiasm for celebration is rooted in Scotland’s history of culture and tradition. Since the earliest days of the clans in the 12th Century, stories, skills, songs and art have been passed down through families and communities. Each generation since has carried and built on our legends and traditions to create a magical, vibrant culture that is truly unique today. This culture is alive and still evolving, integrated with our modern-day science, arts, literature and music, creating a rich melting pot of influential figures from Robert Burns to Ian Rankin, Douglas Gordon and Andy Goldsworthy. With such a wonderful culture and heritage to celebrate, it makes sense that we have become a nation synonymous with cultural tourism, events and festivals. Most towns in Scotland have their own fetes, gala days and unique traditional events to celebrate local culture. Highland games, whisky tasting events and music festivals take place all over the country but we also have larger events such as The Scottish Open and the Edinburgh Festivals, which attract attention the world over. But the rest of the world is catching up! To make the most of our wonderful culture, which is demonstrated so powerfully through our local and national events, we must come together to promote what Scotland has to offer. We can’t rely on the old stories to speak for themselves – we need to shout about them!

Did you know?A cup o’ kindnessWe all know that AuldLangSyne by Robert Burns is sung across the world on New Year’s Eve, but did you know it’s actually one of the most sung songs in the world, often polling second only to HappyBirthday?

HogmanayHistorians believe that we inherited the New Year celebration from the Vikings. The firework displays and torchlight processions held throughout many locations in Scotland are reminiscent of the ancient custom at Scottish Hogmanay pagan parties hundreds of years ago.

Snapshot of traditional Scottish Festivals

1314Highland GamesThe highland games held each June at Ceres in Fife is the oldest free games in Scotland. It began under a Charter awarded by Robert the Bruce in recognition of the villagers’ support at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.

Top image: Highland Dancing at the Cowal Games, Dunoon, Argyll. Credit: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint

1907The Stonehaven Hogmanay FireballsThe Stonehaven fireball walkers can be traced back to local fishermen performing back in the 1800s, and fireball ceremonies in general can be traced back to times before Christianity. The fire is thought to ward off evil spirits.

1801Burns nightThe first recorded celebration of the life and work of Robert Burns was held in July on the anniversary of his death, by a group of friends and acquaintances. Later the date was to change to the evening of the anniversary of his birth (25th January), which would become ‘Burns Night’.

1040The Braemar GatheringHeld every September, it is the biggest and most prestigious highland games event, attended by the Royal Family. The contests of strength – jumping, running, throwing and riding – were introduced by King Malcolm III as a means of selecting the most able men to be soldiers and couriers.

To find out more about traditional Scottish events and festivals please visit www.rampantscotland.com.

Image: Tossing the Caber. Credit: Rob McDougall/VisitScotland

Spread the word! Edinburgh may be known as the Festival City, but no matter where you are in Scotland, there will be cultural events and activities going on near you all year round. And whether they are world-class ventures or local gatherings, a significant proportion of the visitor spend from these events ends up in the pockets of tourism businesses. The Year of Creative Scotland 2012 has already seen the

cultural and creative sector working with tourism businesses to enhance existing activity aimed at the visitor market, developing new approaches to beneficial cross-sectoral relationships.Glasgow has its own position as a major international event centre, now hosting the early summer cultural bash Mayfesto and annual musical festivals including The Glasgow International Jazz Festival and Celtic Connections. Other multi-arts festivals such as the Merchant City Festival are becoming increasingly popular. Beyond the cities, the spirit of celebration reaches far and wide, including: whisky festivals in Speyside and on the islands such as Arran and Islay; outstanding arts festivals like The St Magnus Festival in Orkney; and music festivals such as the Belladrum Festival, Beauly and the Jura Music Festival. Scotland also has a particular strength in presenting high quality theatre for children – the highly successful and popular Imaginate Festival takes place in Edinburgh and tours throughout Scotland in May/June each year.

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1. INTrODUCTION

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In the world’s spotlightScotland has long been on the map for events such as The Open Golf Championship, last held in Scotland in 2010 in St Andrews, and the Edinburgh Festivals, which, according to Edinburgh Festivals Impact Study by BOP Consulting in 2011, were attended by 4.2 million international and local people in 2010. However, things are now moving to the next level. A new wave of initiatives created and supported by EventScotland and VisitScotland has put Scotland in the spotlight more than ever before and, on top of the amazing range of cultural events that happen throughout each year, there is a build-up of a series of activities in 2012 and 2013 that will culminate in a pivotal year for visitors in 2014. Will your business be ready?

All of these world-class events represent unique opportunities for tourism businesses in the build-up to, during and long after the event has passed. They will bring a host of new visitors and media interest, and the effect will be felt across the country.

How can this guide help your business?This guide will offer practical advice and tips in two ways:1. Show how tourism businesses can make connections with

cultural providers to make the most of Scotland’s existing events, linking in to their popularity and audiences as a way to grow their own businesses.

2. Demonstrate how tourism businesses, event organisers and cultural providers can work together to attract more visitors.

Six reasons to celebrate!Successful events and festivals can help your tourism business by:1. Increasing visitor spend in your area2. Encouraging visitors to stay longer3. Extending your tourism season or boosting your off-season4. Improving visitor awareness of your area 5. Increasing local pride and community spirit6. Strengthening regional values and traditionsSource: EstimatingtheEconomicImpactsofFestivalsandEvents:AResearchGuide by CRC Tourism

Did you know?Growing up fastThe Edinburgh International Festival started way back in 1947 in a post-war effort to boost morale and encourage the arts. That same year, eight theatre companies ‘gatecrashed’ by organising their own event, which grew into the Edinburgh Festival Fringe – and has since become the largest arts festival in the world!Since then, several more have joined the annual August showcases, and there are now 12 major festivals including the Edinburgh International Book Festival, The Science Festival, The Jazz and Blues Festival and the Edinburgh International Military Tattoo.

There are also cultural events going on throughout the year, such as museum and art exhibitions, special events and Doors Open Days, which are all attractive to visitors looking for an authentic Scottish experience. All of these events and festivals present an opportunity to raise the profile of Scotland. It is up to tourism businesses to make the most of what is on locally and use this to encourage more visitors to the local area and give them good reason to stay longer. This guide will show you how to do just that and grow your business at the same time.


Top: The Perth Festival Of The Arts 2012, by the River Tay. Credit: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint Bottom: Scottish Traditional Boat Festival, Portsoy. Credit: Rob McDougall/VisitScotland Bottom: www.sxc.hu | madmum (Ruth Harris)

Top: Living Iron Age Experience, Scottish Crannog Centre on Loch Tay, Kenmore. Credit: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint

2012• The Year of Creative Scotland 2012 has highlighted Scotland’s cultural

and creative strengths through a year-long programme of activity. The cultural and creative sectors have worked with tourism businesses to create exciting and engaging activities for visitors.

• The release of Disney Pixar’s film Brave showcased the culture and beauty of Scotland to a global audience of potential visitors, young and old.

• London 2012 Olympics generated a huge media coverage of the UK. The opening ceremony attracted a global television audience of one billion, selling the country’s unique history and culture to potential visitors.

•Nearly half a million people in Scotland turned out for the Olympic Torch Relay.

2013• Year of Natural Scotland 2013 will provide the opportunity to highlight

our unique natural heritage and celebrate our reputation as a land of outstanding beauty.

2014 • Two mega events have been secured for the first time – The Ryder

Cup at Gleneagles (which generated £82.4m for Wales when it was held there in 2010) and Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

• In follow-up to the success of Homecoming Scotland 2009, which influenced more than 95,000 visitors to Scotland and delivered £53.7m to the economy, Homecoming 2014 will encourage anyone with ties to or simply a love of Scotland to come and celebrate our unique heritage.

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22. OvErvIEW OF EvENTS, FESTIvaLS aND CULTUraL TOUrISm IN SCOTLaND

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oVErVIEW oF EVEnTS, FESTIVALS AnD CuLTurAL TourISM In SCoTLAnD

Come on a cultural tour…Cultural tourism is happening every day in Scotland, all around us. Whether a visitor is enjoying a trip to an exhibit at the Kelvingrove Museum in Glasgow, a whisky tasting at Edradour Distillery in Pitlochry, or a pottery class at Uig Pottery on the Isle of Skye, they will be absorbing something of the country’s unique cultural heritage. We know that culture and heritage are one of the most important parts of Scotland’s tourism offering as at some point they touch every visitor’s trip. While most visitors may not class themselves as ‘cultural tourists’, the ScotlandVisitorSurvey2011 by VisitScotland shows that nearly a third of visitors said that learning about Scotland’s history and culture was their top reason for choosing to visit. In the same way that events and festivals provide a compelling reason for visitors to come here and provide a memorable experience while they are here, cultural tourism is a fantastic resource for tourism businesses. Give visitors an authentic taste of Scottish life by making them aware of the cultural activities that takes place throughout the year. Tell them what is going on locally in the many theatres, museums and galleries, concert halls and music venues.

Definition: Cultural TourismCultural tourism in broad terms, includes:• Built, natural and historical heritage

(buildings, gardens, castles, stately homes)• Cultural heritage

(museums, galleries, traditional arts, culinary culture)• Contemporary culture

(music, film/TV, fashion, performing arts)

Culturalprovidersincludemuseumsandgalleries,artscentres,artists’studios,theatresandvisitorcentres.

Snapshot of cultural tourism in Scotland The table below is only a snapshot of the rich cultural offering that we have in Scotland. For more information on what visitors can see and do in your area please visit www.visitscotland.com.

Category offering in Scotland How to get involved

Architecture, Engineering and

Built Heritage

Castles, palaces and country houses

Falkirk Wheel, Falkirk

Forth Bridges, South Queensferry

Georgian House, Edinburgh

Mousa Broch, Shetland

Tenement House, Glasgow

New Lanark World Heritage Site, Lanarkshire

Crinan Canal, Argyll

Italian Chapel, Orkney

Provide information on local buildings of interest – how to get there, ticket details and opening times

Organise staff familiarisation trips to ensure they can effectively sell your local attractions to visitors

Film and TV Tourism Brave (Standing Stones, highland games, myths and legends, wildlife, forests, clans and culture)

HarryPotter - Glenfinnan Viaduct, Highlands, and Elephant House cafe, Edinburgh

Braveheart - Glencoe

Stardust - Quiraing, Skye

Balamory - Tobermory, Mull

ThePrimeofMissJeanBrodie - Edinburgh

TheWorldIsNotEnough and Highlander - Eilean Donan Castle, Kyle of Lochalsh

MontyPythonandtheHolyGrail- Doune Castle, Perthshire

If your business is near a film or film-related location, promote that in your marketing materials

Include images on your website that evoke the feelings of popular films. For example, Highland landscapes to emulate Brave

Literary Tourism Edinburgh - UNESCO City Of Literature (Writers’ Museum, Scott Monument, Ian Rankin Rebus Tours)

Scottish comics (The Dandy), Dundee

Beatrix Potter Garden, Dunkeld

Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, Alloway

J.M. Barrie (Peter Pan), Divach Falls (Drumnadrochit)

The Grassic Gibbon Centre, north of Inverbervie

Dan Brown (The Da Vinci Code), Rosslyn Chapel (Midlothian)

Abbotsford House (Sir Walter Scott), Melrose

Range of Book Festivals taking place across the country, throughout the year

Are there nearby locations that have featured in novels, or that are popular with authors? Promote that to your visitors


Main: Spirit of the West Festival, Inverary Castle, Argyll. Credit: Rob McDougall/VisitScotland

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magic of the moviesAccording to The Economic Impact of the UK Film Industry by Oxford Economics from June 2010, films depicting the UK are responsible for generating around a tenth of overseas tourism revenues, totalling around £1.9 billion a year.With Scotland becoming an increasingly popular film and TV location, there is a growing interest in film and TV location tourism from people who want to see where their favourite scenes were shot. According to VisitScotland, one in five overseas visitors to the UK are inspired to visit by images they have seen in films and on TV, and they spend around £3m a year while they are here.Braveheart had a massive effect on tourism in Scotland. The 1995 epic about William Wallace caused a surge in visitor figures to Stirling’s Wallace Monument from 40,000 to one million the following year, resulting in an annual turnover of £1m! The Dan Brown book, TheDaVinciCode, initially boosted Rosslyn Chapel visitor numbers by 72 percent, then after the release of the film three years later in 2006, visitor numbers jumped again to 175,000. VisitScotland teamed up with Sony Pictures as well as London and Paris tourism chiefs to promote the aspects behind the legends the destinations had to offer in a diverse marketing campaign. And the Cbeebies children’s show Balamory had a dramatic effect in the town of Tobermory on the Isle of Mull – in 2003, a year after filming began, visitor numbers rose by 40 per cent, bringing 160,000 extra visitors to the island. VisitScotland estimated the series contributed £5m a year to the tourist economy of Mull and the Western Isles.

Fun film facts!

• Scenes for SalmonFishingintheYemen starring Ewan McGregor were shot in Scotland.

• Filming for the Batman movieTheDarkKnightRises was done in the Cairngorms and had a crew working out of Inverness Airport.

• Glencoe has provided backdrops for the Bond film Skyfall and Scarlett Johansson’s Under the Skin.

• WorldWarZ starring Brad Pitt and CloudAtlas starring Halle Berry were shot in Glasgow.

Can you promote famous filming locations in your area? For more information about locations promoted to the film industry, go to http://locations.creativescotland.com.

national Museum of Scotland The management team at the National Museum of Scotland believes that running a changing, innovative programme of cultural events is key to attracting media and public attention, whilst at the same time driving new and repeat visits.Head of Marketing and Communications Jane Ferguson says: “We offer a year-round programme of events and exhibitions aimed at families and cultural audiences which generates visits to the city in off-peak periods, increases length of stay and attracts higher spending segments.As part of the Museum’s £47m transformation, we have also set out to re-position the site as an inspiring and unique space in which to enjoy cultural events as well as a day visit attraction. This means the launch of a new strand of exhibitions with associated evening events and after-hours events, such as ‘RBS Museum Lates’. We have also enhanced our presence as a venue for events such as the Science and Art festivals.The main reason people give for not visiting museums is ‘time’1 so our events and exhibitions programme offers new reasons to visit and spend quality time with family and friends. The events provide hooks that we can use in our marketing messages to remind people that the museum is there and that it provides a great day/evening out.” www.nms.ac.uk1 Ipsos MORI/Mintel

CASE STUDY

Did you know?Fabric of societyScottish textiles exports are worth £295m and our luxury cashmere and Harris Tweed are in high demand from overseas markets such as Russia, China and Japan - and by international designers including Vivienne Westwood and Christopher Kane.

Did you know?Get reel!Scotland has the highest level of film, TV and animation production in the UK outside of London, with more than 100 production companies and 300 facilities companies, with a combined turnover of £1.2 billion!

Category offering in Scotland How to get involved

Music Fingal’s Cave, Staffa (Mendelssohn’s overture)

Usher Hall, Edinburgh

Mareel, Shetland (UK’s most northerly music, cinema and creative industries centre)

Range of Music Festivals taking place across the country, throughout the year (T in the Park, RockNess, The Wickerman)

Provide visitors with information about local music listings – could you have a board updated with what’s on offer?

Could you organise a music evening showcasing local talent?

Theatre and Dance His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen

Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

Theatre Royal, Glasgow

Eden Court, Inverness

Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Pitlochry

Eastgate Arts Centre, Peebles

What’s on in your local theatre? Display a list of shows and times of what is on

There are public ceilidhs held regularly across Scotland as well as Scottish Highland Dancing displays – would your visitors be interested in an authentic Scottish experience?

Scottish Visual Arts, Museums and Galleries

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow

National Museums Scotland, various locations

National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh

The Lost Gallery, Bellabeg (Aberdeenshire)

Taigh-chearsabhagh Museum & Arts Centre, North Uist (Outer Hebrides)

The Culloden Battlefield Experience, near Inverness

Timespan, Helmsdale (Sutherland)

Could you offer season tickets to encourage repeat visits from local visitors?

Many galleries also have excellent food and drink offerings, so include details like that in recommendations to visitors

Textiles and Crafts Orkney Craft Trail

Scottish Borders Textile Trail

Tartan Weaving Mill, Edinburgh

Harris Tweed, Outer Hebrides

North Lands Creative Glass, Lybster (Caithness)

Johnstons of Elgin (Cashmere)

Are there workshops near you where visitors could see some of these traditional crafts in action, or even try them?

Scottish Borders Textile TrailRunning from Peebles to Hawick, the region’s cashmere capital, The Textile Trail brings together some of the best textile attractions in Scotland. It encourages visitors to take in a number of stops where they can enjoy shopping, eating and visitor centres showcasing the region’s famous tweed and knitwear industry and heritage. The trail also cross-promotes attractions throughout the whole area. For more information, visit www.visitscottishborders.com.


Image: National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh. Credit: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint


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Type of event Description Opportunities for businesses

Cultural tourism e.g Spring Fling, Dumfries & Galloway

Craft workshops

NTS’ Living History’ events

Scotland’s Gardens Scheme

Doors Open Days

Such as libraries, theatres, music, historical sites, museums, arts and crafts events, visual arts, performing arts, craft work, playing a musical instrument and creative writing.

Keep up to date with what is happening locally through your local press and online.

Provide information about cultural happenings in your area on your website.

Could you have a notice board for visitors where you give them tips about ‘local highlights this week’?

Consider what family friendly products are available and promote them to visitors.

major/Nationale.g. The Scottish Open Golf Championship (various)

World Pipe Band Championships, Glasgow

The Royal Highland Show, Ingliston

Large-scale event

Attracts international, domestic and local visitors

Commercially managed

Marketed internationally

Promote major events on your website as a way to get more hits and to incentivise visitors to visit.

Can you offer a deal that includes tickets and transport to the event?

megae.g. London 2012 Olympics and Cultural Olympiad

Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2014

Mega-scale event

Attracts international and domestic visitors

Commercially managed

Televised and marketed internationally

Mega events will often produce toolkits that businesses can use for marketing purposes, including logos and images. See the event website for details.

Can you theme a package or promotion around the event?

Type of event Description Opportunities for businesses

regionale.g. Fiddle Frenzy, Shetland

Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival

Perthshire Amber

The Lammermuir Festival, East Lothian

Medium-scale event

Attracts domestic and local visitors

Run by professional organisers

Marketed nationally

Link up with regional festivals by offering packages or deals that tie in with their core theme.

Think about the needs of visitors attending these regional events – will they be looking for special services that you could provide, such as transfers or packed lunches?

Locale.g. Linlithgow Folk Festivals

Pittenweem Arts Festival, Fife

Battle of Prestonpans re-enactment

Small-scale event

Attracts local visitors

Self-initiated by local businesses

Marketed locally

Collaborate with like-minded businesses involved with the event and cross-promote your services.

Talk to cultural providers about how to promote what is unique about your area to potential visitors – they will be looking for an authentic experience.

Communicate with local news providers – unique offerings make great PR stories.

Events and Festivals – setting the scene...Visitors from all over the world have albums full of photos of pipers and dancers at the Edinburgh International Military Tattoo, street performers during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, headline acts from T in the Park and famous golfers from the Scottish Open Championship. Events offer unique, unforgettable experiences that visitors will talk about for years to come and come back to experience time and again. Some may influence people to travel across the globe, while smaller events provide reasons for domestic visitors to take a new interest in an area and see more of their country.Scotland’s events offer a significant contribution to the country’s economy. According to the report ReadyforEvents–astepbystepguidetosellingScottishfood&drinkatevents, Scotland’s event sector generated almost £1.5 billion in gross turnover in 2008, and it now seems to be bucking the downward economic trends. Mintel research describes events as ‘affordable escapism’, meaning that visitors put these experiences above other spending options. In fact, UK visitor spend on music concerts and festivals has grown by a massive 69% in the last five years. The scale of an event or festival has a direct impact on how it will be run and what opportunities will be available to tourism businesses.

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Image: The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Edinburgh Castle. Credit: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint

Major or ‘mega’ events can have a substantial impact on local economies. For example, the Edinburgh Festivals Impact Study reports that the key Edinburgh Festivals generate the bulk of expenditure with local tourism businesses rather than the events themselves, bringing in around £250m in gross spend – more than half of which is additional spend in the area!Regional and local events have a similar impact, albeit on a smaller scale. The ‘Strathpuffer’ mountain biking event carried out a review in 2008 and found that the average spend in the Highlands per competitor was £213.14, representing a total competitor spend of over £90,000 during the area’s off-season – and since the survey did not include expenditure among spectators, and on average each competitor was accompanied

by two supporters, the total spend will have been even higher. In addition to this, the report Evaluation: The Melrose Sevens 2008, highlighted that the rugby event attracted 10,000 people from outside the Scottish Borders, 3,000 of which were from outside Scotland, and generated a net spend of nearly £500,000 in the area. As major events often have support tools in place for tourism businesses, for the purpose of this guide we will focus primarily on regional and local events, discussing how businesses can benefit from the additional spend that these events bring to their area, and how they can work together to build their area’s profile and attract more visitors.

Did you know?Hitting the right notesScotland’s big music festivals also generate a large sum of money for the economy. In summer 2010, around 30,000 people attended RockNess – widely known as the most beautiful festival in the world – over three days, benefitting local hotels, bed & breakfasts and shops. Scotland’s biggest music festival, T in the Park, generated more than £40m for the Scottish economy in 2011 – more than double the figure from 2005!

We welcome the publication of this guide which will encourage more of the new sustainable partnerships between the cultural and tourism sectors that we have seen through the Year of Creative Scotland.

Our vibrant cultural life provides a wonderful opportunity to immerse national and international visitors alike in authentic cultural experiences, memories of which can last a lifetime.

David Taylor Portfolio Manager Special Events, Creative Scotland”

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Snapshot of Scotland’s diverse events and festivals offering

Area Events and Festivals Month For more information

Aberdeen City & Shire

Scottish Traditional Boat FestivalWake the Deen FestivalAberdeen International Youth FestivalPitmedden Community Music FestivalStonehaven Fire Festival

JuneAugustAugust

SeptemberDecember

www.scottishtraditionalboatfestival.org.uk

www.wakethedeen.bigcartel.com

www.aiyf.org

www.pitmeddenmusicfestival.com

www.stonehavenfireballs.co.uk

Argyll, The Isles, Loch Lomond, Stirling and The Trossachs

Mull Wildlife FestivalColonsay Festival of SpringThe Islay Festival of Music & MaltThe Crinan Classic Boat FestivalTarbert Seafood FestivalThe Trossachs Beer FestivalOff The Page - Stirling Book Festival

Apr/MayJuly

May/JunJuly

AugustSeptemberSeptember

www.wildisles.co.uk

www.colonsay.org.uk/Festival

www.theislayfestival.co.uk

www.crinanclassic.com

www.seafood-festival.co.uk

www.theladeinn.com

www.offthepage.stirling.gov.uk

Ayrshire & Arran

Burns an’ a’ thatIsle of Arran Mountain FestivalArran Folk FestivalLargs Viking FestivalScottish Windfest

MayMayJune

SeptemberSeptember

www.burnsfestival.com

www.arranmountainfestival.co.uk

www.arranfolkfestival.com

www.largsvikingfestival.com

www.scottishwindfest.com

Dumfries & Galloway

Newton Stewart Walking FestivalDumfries & Galloway Arts FestivalWickerman FestivalWigtown Book FestivalLockerbie Jazz Festival

MayJuneJuly

Sep/OctOctober

www.newtonstewartwalkfest.co.uk

www.dgartsfestival.org.uk

www.thewickermanfestival.co.uk

www.wigtownbookfestival.com

www.lockerbiejazz.com

Dundee & Angus

Angus Glens Walking Festival Dundee Flower and Food FestivalArbroath SeaFestDundee Science FestivalDundee Mountain Film Festival

May/JunAug/SepAugustOct/Nov

November

www.angusahead.com/walkingfestival

www.dundeeflowerandfoodfestival.com

www.arbroathseafest.co.uk

www.dundeesciencefestival.org

www.dundeemountainfilm.org.uk

Edinburgh & The Lothians

The Loony DookLeith FestivalScotland’s National Air ShowLinlithgow Folk FestivalLennoxlove Book Festival

JanuaryJuneJuly

SeptemberNovember

www.theloonydook.co.uk

www.leithfestival.com

www.nms.ac.uk/whats_on.aspx

www.linlithgowfolk.com

www.lennoxlovebookfestival.com


Area Events and Festivals Month For more information

Greater Glasgow & The Clyde Valley

Celtic ConnectionsWest End Festival Arts and Crafts in the Clyde ValleyStrathaven Balloon FestivalKirkintilloch Canal Festival

Jan/FebJune July

AugustAugust

www.celticconnections.com

www.westendfestival.co.uk www.visitlanarkshire.com

www.strathavenballoonfestival.co.uk

www.kirkintillochcanalfestival.org

The Highlands

Kingussie Food on Film FestivalUllapool Book FestivalRockNessTorridon Walking FestivalThe Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championships

Jan/FebMayJune

SeptemberOctober

www.kingussiefoodonfilm.co.uk

www.ullapoolbookfestival.co.uk

www.rockness.co.uk

www.thetorridon.com/Walking-Festival

www.goldenspurtle.com

The Kingdom of Fife

Fife Jazz Festival StanzaCrail Food FestivalEast Neuk Festival Big Tent

FebruaryMarchJune

Jun/JulJuly

www.fifejazzfestival.com

www.stanzapoetry.org

www.crailfoodfest.co.uk

www.eastneukfestival.com

www.bigtentfestival.co.uk

orkneyThe BaOrkney Folk FestivalOrkney Storytelling Festival

JanuaryMay/JunOctober

www.bagame.com

www.orkneyfolkfestival.com

www.orkneystorytellingfestival.co.uk

The outer HebridesHebridean Celtic FestivalBarra FestHebridean Maritime Festival

JulyJulyJuly

www.hebceltfest.com

www.barrafest.co.uk

www.sailhebrides.info

Perthshire

Etape CaledoniaT in the ParkThe Enchanted ForestPerthshire AmberKinross-shire Music Festival

MayJuly

OctoberOct/Nov

November

www.etapecaledonia.co.uk

www.tinthepark.com

www.enchantedforest.org.uk

www.perthshireamber.com

www.k-m-f.org.uk

Scottish Borders

Tweed LoveMelrose Book FestivalCommon RidingsInnerleithen Music FestivalPeebles Food Festival

May/JunJune

Jun/AugAugustOctober

www.tweedlove.com

www.bordersbookfestival.org

www.returntotheridings.co.uk

www.innerleithenmusicfestival.org

www.peeblesfoodfestival.com

ShetlandUp Helly AaShetland Folk FestivalShetland Nature Festival

JanuaryMayJuly

www.uphellyaa.org

www.shetlandfolkfestival.com

www.shetlandbrc.co.uk/SNF

The table below is only a snapshot of the events and festivals taking place across the country. Discover more on www.visitscotland.com and through the List Festivals Guide at www.creativescotland.com.

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Social Improved reputation – a successful event or festival can highlight the best of what your area has to offer and send out a positive message to future visitors.

PR/media coverage – bringing attention to your area through an event or festival raises awareness among potential visitors of what you have to offer, and can increase local pride and community spirit.

Community involvement – bringing the community together to promote the area helps to create a more joined-up experience for visitors and helps you to work together to target more visitors for all.

Economic Extend the tourist season – the fixed length nature of events and festivals encourages visitors to stay for the duration of the event and for longer than they might have.

Spread the spend – events and festivals can boost an area’s off-season, and help to spread spend by geography and season.

‘The ripple effect’ – it’s not only the businesses directly involved with an event or festival that will benefit from the spend. Visitors will also be looking for places to stay, places to eat and local attractions to visit while there.

Legacy – a themed event or festival can also attract visitors that would otherwise not have come to an area, which means businesses can reach a whole new audience. In turn, businesses can promote to those visitors and raise the profile of their area.

Environmental Sustainability – if handled sensitively, an event or festival can support the local economy and allow preservation of its natural assets. For guidance, there is an ‘eventIMPACTS’ section with support tools available on www.eventscotland.org.

Also, Festivals Edinburgh is working with hundreds of venues across the city through their ‘Greening the festivals’ initiative, and have produced an environmental strategy available at http://festivalsedinburgh.com/blog-environmental-sustainability.

Preservation of heritage – by celebrating the unique culture of an area, we are helping to preserve that heritage for generations to come, while giving visitors an authentic experience of life in Scotland.

For more information and a toolkit of resources that can help event organisers evaluate the impacts of their event, go to www.eventimpacts.com.

Developed by UK Sport, Visit Britain, EventScotland, the London Development Agency, the North West Development Agency, Yorkshire Forward and Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, it includes guidance and good practice principles for evaluating the social, economic, environmental and media-related impacts associated with staging major sporting and cultural events.

Did you know?All that jazzThe Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival has been running for over 30 years and is Britain’s largest jazz festival!

Events and Festivals – the impactsAccording to the report EstimatingtheEconomicImpactsofFestivalsandEvents:AResearchGuide,event and festival tourism is one of the fastest growing forms of tourism. And though we may first think of what potential extra visitor spend these events can bring to an area, the positive impacts are not purely economic – there are social and environmental impacts, too. There can also be negative impacts resulting from an event, and organisers should try to keep these to a minimum or, where possible, eliminate them altogether. These can include the event receiving a poor reputation due to inadequate facilities or inflated prices, and ecological damage as a result of increased footfall and pollution in a concentrated area.

The positive effects of an event or festival can be felt before, during and after an event or festival:

EvENTS, FESTIvaLS & CULTUraL TOUrISm... 2. OvErvIEW OF EvENTS, FESTIvaLS aND CULTUraL TOUrISm IN SCOTLaND

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Who’s here to help?

EventScotland reports in AStrategyfortheEventsIndustryinScotland2009-2020 its plan for the country over the next few years. Titled Scotland:ThePerfectStage, it aims to use the assets that are identified as Scotland’s key strengths as a tool to grow our events and festivals offering: • Cultural identity and heritage, including

our rich history, quality food and drink, iconic historical figures and artists, and vibrant contemporary culture

• Friendly people and strong sense of identity

• Historical buildings, picturesque cityscapes and modern sports facilities

• Dramatic landscapes and beautiful scenery

• Signature large-scale eventsThe intention is to attract more major events and develop existing ones to a higher level, while also supporting others of significance to Scotland, such as The Open Championship. They want to ensure a geographical spread of events and support a range of events throughout the year, which means there is an excellent opportunity for development and launches of new local initiatives. Read reports, sign up for webinars and find event support at www.eventscotland.org.

An initiative funded by Scottish Enterprise and supported by the Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI), is designed to help Scotland’s business organisations capitalise on the opportunities generated by major events in Scotland both in the run up to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and beyond. The Club facilitates contract opportunities, business networking and business engagement around major sporting and cultural events in Scotland. www.businessclubscotland.co.uk

BusinessClub Scotland

‘Scotland – the perfect stage’

The ‘Winning Years’

2012 Year of Creative Scotland Brave (the Disney Pixar movie)London 2012 Olympics and the Cultural Olympiad

Queen’s Diamond Jubilee

2013 Year of Natural Scotland

2014Year of Homecoming Scotland 2014

The 2014 Ryder CupGlasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games

VisitScotland is running the ‘Winning Years’ campaign, which spans a three-year period from 2012-2014 and includes a series of themed years and national events, which are geared towards giving past and potential visitors compelling reasons to visit. Tourism businesses have the opportunity to link in with these major events, or build on their legacy, to boost their own promotional activity.

Start planning now how your business can link in with these events as a way of generating interest with future visitors. What is going on in your area that relates to these themes and will appeal to them? For example, what will your local golf courses be doing during The Ryder Cup? What local scenic walks or locally produced food can you promote as part of the Year of Natural Scotland? Your visitors will want to hear about it.

Don’t overlook the promotions that have ‘passed’ – you can continue to build on the legacy of an event. For example, the Disney Pixar movie, Brave, will provide businesses with the continued opportunity to promote itineraries that take in local castles, standing stones, myths and legends and highland games long after the movie stops screening in the cinemas.

For more information about marketing support in relation to the ‘Winning Years’, please visit www.visitscotland.org.

There are toolkits that provide a background to the events and resources to help you get involved, such as logos and itineraries, free images, and promotional wording.

For a list of helpful resources please see page 46.

1918

Know what’s happening in your area and beyond. For useful

event listings go to www.eventscotland.org/events,

www.visitscotland.com and www.creativescotland.com.

Top Tips

Look into what ‘tools’ are available to you from the major events

happening this year. Are there logos or images available that you

could use to attract potential visitors?

Organise staff familiarisation trips for events and cultural

opportunities in your area to ensure they can sell those

opportunities effectively to your visitors.

Look out for visitScotland’s marketing opportunities, especially

upcoming events in the ‘Winning Years’ campaign.

For more information go to www.visitscotland.org.

Your celebration checklist!

Consider what visitors who are attending local and regional

events might be looking for. Can you provide additional

services that will appeal to them?

Don’t forget ‘cultural tourism’ in your area – theatre, concerts,

museums and more – because they are also an important part of

Scotland’s creative offering and will be of interest to your visitors.

EvENTS, FESTIvaLS & CULTUraL TOUrISm... 2. OvErvIEW OF EvENTS, FESTIvaLS aND CULTUraL TOUrISm IN SCOTLaND

Image: The Perth Festival Of The Arts 2012. Credit: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint

CA

SE

STU

DY “Boats and so much more…”

The Scottish Traditional Boat Festival in Portsoy is really making the most of Scotland’s ‘Winning Years’.This year - to celebrate the Year of Creative Scotland – the organisers added ‘Ebb & Flow’, a project which explored the rich history and future of Portsoy through the experience of the many thousands who have connected with this unique town, by family, trade or tourism links. Visitors were invited to make their mark on an interactive map, have their photo taken, make some artwork, bring their memories and photographs and find out about how to contribute to the project on line.Chair Roger Goodyear says: “One of the festival’s main strengths lies in its presentation of our rich cultural heritage, but the new project proved hugely popular with many hundreds of visitors taking an active part. It will be a permanent feature of the festival and one which we will be looking to grow in the future. Visitors expect every year to be fresh, different and exciting. This is why we have found the national themes so good. Our theme next year will be around Natural Scotland and we’re really looking forward to Homecoming II in 2014!”www.scottishtraditionalboatfestival.org.uk

CASE STUDY

Wigtown Book Festival Wigtown Book Festival, which grew out of Wigtown’s designation as Scotland’s first Book Town, is a fantastic example of how a themed initiative can regenerate a small, rural community by attracting new and repeat visitors. Since its inception, the festival has more than doubled in size, however the organisers have been keen to retain its traditional values by growing it in a way that keeps the local elements, with events using the local landscape or focusing on the history and culture of Galloway, as well as community-led events such as sessions by local writers’ groups. Festival Director Adrian Turpin says: “The festival brings more than £500,000 of economic benefit to the region each year, but that doesn’t include perhaps its most important role, which is to keep the town in the spotlight through extensive national media coverage. There are also important unquantifiable benefits. For example, the event has helped to generate a new-found confidence in a previously run down town and has also provided a focus for other cultural and educational initiatives.The publicity generated around the festival also has a longer term effect and we try to make sure that, for example in travel pieces, we highlight other activities and use the programme of events as a shop window for other interesting activities in the area.” www.wigtownbookfestival.com

CASE STUDY

Seeing stars!When The Galloway Forest Park was designated a ‘Dark Sky Park’ in 2009, the first in the UK, Kirroughtree House Hotel in Newtown Stewart made the most of the opportunity by offering Stargazing Breaks for visitors. They have created different package options, which can include dinner or dinner, bed & breakfast, which include a talk on the solar system and observation trips into the ‘Dark Sky Park’. Visitors can also opt for a warming hot chocolate or a bottle of champagne under the stars!

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3 WHo ArE our ‘CuLTurE’ VISITorS?

3. WHO arE OUr ‘CULTUrE’ vISITOrS?

21

Event visitor type What they may want What they may need

Participant • Easy to find/navigate website• Relaxation during off times, such as

massage options for sport participants• Surprise added value, e.g. welcome gift,

such as an item from a local craftsperson with their business card/studio address

• Comfortable accommodation with easy access to venues• Flexible meal times• Wi-Fi access• Instant/quick booking response• Highest quality customer service

Participant entourage • Advice about the local area and proximity to other facilities

• Details about group activities in the area

• Space for storing equipment • Information about equipment

repairs/retailers• Details about parking• Staff who speak their language

Spectator • Information about other events taking place during the time of their visit

• Information about events going on at other times in the year

• Ability to share experience via social media

• Local food and drink options on the go

• Transport options

Day visitor • Information about transfers to and from the event

• Web access via mobile technology

• Information about wet weather options/somewhere to dry off

• Food and drink options

Overnight visitor • Information on other things to see and do in the area

• Flexible meal times

• Accommodation close to the event• Details about authentic

eating options, including local Scottish produce

Special interest visitor • Knowledgeable staff and local product knowledge

• Special themed offers• Information about green credentials

• Testimonials from other like-minded visitors

• Personal touch

Visitor expectationsWhen you consider the types of visitors coming here for events, the scope is actually very wide. For example, a visitor coming here for a golfing event may be a keen golfer, but might also enjoy the opportunity to visit local heritage sights and will very likely want to eat at a restaurant that offers quality Scottish food. They may also be travelling with a partner or group who are interested in authentic cultural experiences, shopping, adventure activities or spa breaks.

Consider who your business is targeting and what you can do to appeal to some or all of the following groups:


Top: The Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre at Trongate 103, Merchant City, Glasgow. Credit: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint Bottom: A traditional music session taking place in the bar of Hootananny, Inverness. Credit: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint

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Visitor snapshots When there is such a wide range of cultural experiences and events on offer in Scotland, both in terms of scale and theme, it can be a challenge to define a visitor target market. Each event will attract different visitors, looking for different experiences.

For example the demographic of visitors to the Scottish Six Days Trial, a motorcycle event in Lochaber and Fort William will differ entirely from those attending Bloody Scotland, an event in Stirling that showcases Scottish crime writing.

Also, when considering visitor figures, we must take displacement into account – this means that sometimes visitors are counted as ‘event visitors’ when they might have been visiting the area anyway, and the event wasn’t the sole draw.

The following snapshots are an indication of the number of visitors and visitor behaviours for four successful events in Scotland, which can help us to quantify the benefits an event can bring to an area:


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Hebridean Celtic Festival (Annual event held in July)Based in the Outer Hebrides, the Hebridean Celtic Festival is an internationally renowned Scottish music festival that features local emerging artists alongside world-class Celtic performers. Its unique setting includes performances from the grounds of Lews Castle, overlooking Stornoway Harbour, and the distinctive character of island Gaelic culture attracts visitors from all over. The event provides a valuable boost to the economy, while also showcasing the cultural heritage of the Hebrides. It has collaborated with several local producers, such as Harris Tweed and Hebridean Chocolates to create quality, one-off products. Key stats• In 2010, over 16,000 people attended, with ticket sales

doubling from 2009• 41% of visitors travelled to the area specifically to attend

the festival• 62% of visitors said they would be likely to return to the Islands

due to their festival experience• 41% of visitors stayed for 10 days or more, visiting other areas

of the Hebrides• Almost 50% of festival attendees are visitors to the Islands,

so the festival offers crucial opportunities for tourism businesses• In 2010, the event welcomed 76 staff and 452 volunteers from

the local community

Mountain Bike World Cup (Annual event held in June)The Mountain Bike World Cup has been held at Nevis Range, Fort William since 2002, with the exception of 2007 when the venue hosted the UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships. It has established itself as one of the premier events on the international mountain bike circuit, with a reputation for innovation, big crowds and a great atmosphere, and reinforcing Fort William’s status as Outdoor Capital of the UK. As an international event hosted in a semi-rural area, it ensures a consistent influx of visitors each year.Key stats• In 2011, it attracted 316 competitors from 26 nations • A new mini downhill event was introduced in 2011 for 80 children aged 8 to 16• An average of 19,496 visitors over the three days, of which 9,125 were

unique visitors • 65% of spectators stayed overnight with an average length of stay of 1.5 nights


Top: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint Bottom: Rob McDougall/VisitScotland Bottom: Rob McDougall/VisitScotland

Top: Kindly given by Hebridean Celtic Festival

Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival(Annual event held in April/May)Established in 1999, the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival is a celebration of whisky and the cultural heritage of Speyside – known as Malt Whisky Country. Many varied whisky events take place throughout the festival and are aimed at a range of audiences from whisky connoisseurs to local families and people visiting from overseas. The events include whisky tastings and distillery tours as well as community events centred around the themes of local food, drink, scenery and music.

Key stats• In 2011, the event attracted 47,830 visits to 235 events held over

five days• 70% of visitors were attending the festival for the first time and 41%

planned to return to the festival in 2012• It is estimated that 61% of attendees attended more than two events• 49% of attendees were from overseas and 34% were from Scotland

with 12% coming from the local area• 88% of visitors stayed overnight in Speyside with the average number

of nights calculated as 3.63

1

2

3 4 Scottish Traditional Boat Festival 2010

(Annual event held in June)Portsoy’s Scottish Traditional Boat Festival is a family-oriented event that generates in excess of £1.4m for the local rural economy in the North East of Scotland. Established in 1993 as a celebratory event in recognition of the 300th anniversary of Portsoy’s harbour, it promotes Scottish maritime and cultural traditions, including sailing, fishing, history, food and drink, crafts, theatre, literature and language, music and dance. In 2010 it received International Media Coverage including television coverage in 117 countries.Key stats• In 2010, in excess of 15,000 people attended, with close

to 80% of the total attendance visiting specifically to attend the Festival

• Over 60% of visitors stay for three nights or more• Engaged 38 local food and drink suppliers, as well as a range

of other local businesses • The festival engages a cross section of the population and

attracts visitors with a variety of interests including the arts, crafts and music

24 25

Adventure Travel Trade Association World Summit Cairngorms Business Partnership (CBP) worked together with the organisers of the Adventure Travel Trade Association World Summit in 2010 to ensure a joined up and welcoming visitor experience for delegates.Following meetings with the organisers, CBP produced a briefing pack for local businesses, including information on what was happening at the event and who the delegates were, along with tips on how to make the most of the summit. They also delivered a scheme giving delegate discounts or added value local offers, providing operators with exposure to the attendees. Offers featured in an event-branded local street map and were promoted in the delegate pack. A ‘Magic Moments’ initiative provided an opportunity for delegates to identify and reward outstanding customer service, by jotting down and submitting their best customer experience of the week, naming the staff member and what they did. The winning delegate and the staff member both received recognition.CEO Alan Rankin says: “These initiatives were a win-win for the whole area: they gave local businesses the chance to be part of the event, promoted additional spend across the area and at the same time improved the visitor experience for delegates.”www.visitcairngorms.com

CASE STUDY

The Scotland Visitor Survey 2011 by VisitScotland, which surveyed a selection of visitors in a number of Scottish regions throughout the 2011 summer months, found that 4% of UK and overseas visitors come here specifically for event and festivals. These figures suggest there is a lot of room for growth, however please note that they do not take into account the visitors that enjoy an event or festival as part of their visit to Scotland.

Some of our key UK and international visitor groups, listed below, could be attracted to national and possibly regional events that fit with their areas of interest:

Think about which groups you might target, then make sure you are promoting the events and festivals that will appeal to them. For more information about the types of visitors that come to Scotland and what they look for during a visit, download the Knowing Our Visitors guide available at www.tourism-intelligence.co.uk.

visitor market Description may be interested in…

Affluent Southern Explorers (W1) (UK market)

Affluent professionals with spare time and disposable income

• Food and drink festivals/farmers’ markets• Golf events• Wildlife and nature-based experiences

Younger Domestic Explorers (W2) (UK market)

Like to discover and explore, often travelling with children

• Music events like RockNess and T in the Park• Heritage events• Sporting events• Family-friendly festivals

Mature Devotees (W3) (UK market)

Retired market looking for traditional activities • Cultural events in museums and built heritage• Outdoor events such as Gardens Open Day• Farmers’ markets and food festivals

Affluent Active Devotees (W4) (UK market)

Older professionals that like new challenges and being active

• Sporting events• Food and drink festivals• Events that they can get physically involved in

American (International market)

Number one overseas market for UK, half making repeat trip

• Ancestral and heritage events• Golf events, such as the Scottish Open

German (International market)

Number two overseas market for UK, often come in tour groups

• Built heritage events, especially those in castles• Festivals that take in scenery and views

Australian (International market)

Growing market, stay for average of two weeks • Cultural events at museums and art galleries• Theatre events• Golf events• Beer festivals, as they enjoy the pub culture

Canadian (International market)

More than half making a repeat trip, mostly in the summer months

• Ancestral and heritage events• Events at museums and art galleries• Events that take in our coastal scenery

Brazilian (Emerging market)

Young market, often travelling with partner or spouse

• Cultural events, including whisky festivals and tastings• Museum and art gallery events• Performing arts events• Events that involve our nightlife

Russian (Emerging market)

Spend twice as much as the average visitor to the UK

• Museum and art gallery exhibitions• Music festivals• Events set in parks and gardens

Indian (Emerging market)

Tend to stay for extended trips, mostly male visitors

• Cultural events that take in our built heritage

Chinese (Emerging market)

High spenders, typically stay 4-7 nights in UK • Cultural events such as museum or theatre• Sporting events

EvENTS, FESTIvaLS & CULTUraL TOUrISm... 3. WHO arE OUr ‘CULTUrE’ vISITOrS?

Local visitors Interested in… attract them by…

Living in the area or ‘staycationers’ from other regions of Scotland

• Surprising new experiences on their doorstep, where they can learn something new

• Celebrating their local culture and heritage

• Good value for money• Sampling the best of

local produce

• Getting involved in VisitScotland’s ‘My Scotland’ campaign (find out more at www.visitscotland.org)

• Thinking creatively about your offer – how can you package up an exciting new experience?

• Showing them behind the scenes or offering hands-on experiences• Offer incentives for return trips or add-on nights,

such as a discount promotion

Image: The Queen’s Forest, Glenmore Forest Park. Credit: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint

Be our guest! For local or regional events and cultural experiences, local people and Scottish ‘staycationers’ are likely to be the biggest markets. In the 2011 Scottish Government’s Scottish Household Survey, 87% of survey respondents indicated that they had engaged in culture in 2011, either through attending or visiting a cultural event or place or participating in a cultural activity. The most popular forms of cultural attendance for Scottish people are the cinema (54%) and live music events (31%), but there is also a high level of satisfaction accorded to libraries, the theatre and museums and galleries. Like any visitor, local and domestic visitors will still be looking for a quality experience which includes sampling the best of local food and drink and trying new activities. There is also high potential for repeat visits, so make sure you are giving them what they want.

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Crail Food Festival, which takes place in June, is a great example of how a group of community volunteers have used market intelligence to deliver a successful event which really animates the local area for visitors and locals alike. Devised by two guest house owners as a way of extending the summer season and attracting visitors in the traditionally quieter period between May and July, a food theme was chosen to capitalise on the area’s strong links with local food and drink producers and to complement already established music and art festivals. The three-day festival, which has helped develop Crail as a day visit and short break destination, includes supper nights with menus based around Fife produce, a market hall, a curry and comedy supper and a colourful harbour event. Building on the festival’s success, TIS’s ‘Food & Drink Experience in Scotland’ guide has been used to encourage local businesses to promote a ‘Grown in Fife’ strapline on menus and to include the details of individual producers and the particular varieties they specialise in. The Festival has also been a catalyst in encouraging greater co-operation between small producers, even resulting in the launch of a number of new products. Organiser’s Top Tip for running a successful event: “Good communications between organisers, participants and visitors is the key. The better the information there is about the event, the better everyone will be prepared and the more they will enjoy it.” www.crailfoodfest.co.uk

Dos & Don’ts✓ Do add value – visitors are willing to pay the right price, but like

to feel like they’re getting a good deal.

✓ Do offer quality – in a competitive market and in the current economic climate, visitors are more discerning than ever.

✓ Do be flexible – people attending events may have different needs to your average visitor, so try to be one step ahead and offer what they need.

✗ Don’t be tempted to heavily discount or hike prices – people want added value and also want to feel like they’re getting a fair deal.

✗ Don’t forget your local visitors – a high number of our visitors come from within Scotland, and they are also easier to target for day or weekend breaks.

✗ Don’t discount during events and festivals – there’s no need. Instead promote the opportunities these events provide to make visitors feel part of the occasion and appreciated at every point of their trip.

Montréal en Lumière

Crail Food Festival

Like Glasgow with its Celtic Connections festival, Montréal has successfully turned winter into a real selling point for visitors.Visitors can revel in an atmosphere of light and warmth in the middle of

winter at Montréal en Lumière, one of the world’s largest winter festivals, which draws in 900,000 fans each February to experience the joy of Montréal wintertime through a unique programme combining performing arts, gastronomy, free outdoor family activities and illuminations.Pairing the finest Montréal chefs with the greatest culinary masters from five continents, the gastronomy and wine element of the festival has become an absolute must for foodies. Running alongside the food theme, an arts programme puts the spotlight on the city with a rich and eclectic mix of music, circus arts, song, theatre and dance, whilst a Free Outdoor Site turns the heart of the city into the ultimate family destination with open-air activities including braziers, shows and activities for children.On closing night, The Nuit Blanche sees the city lit up with outdoor illuminations as locals and visitors alike join together to enjoy music, stories, installations, exhibitions and dance at venues across the city, all of them linked by a free shuttle service. www.montrealenlumiere.com

CASE STUDY

CASE STUDY


27

Understand the potential visitor groups to events in your area

and what they will be looking for.

Consider the needs of the different visitor types – what extra

services and special touches would really wow them?

Think about what special products and packages your business

can offer in relation to the ‘Winning Year’s’ themes.

Over 80% of visitors to Homecoming Scotland events in 2009

were from Scotland, so think of themed packages that will appeal

to locals too.

remember that the old rules of quality, value and good customer

service will always stand true.

Be flexible; can you offer meal times that allow visitors to visit local

theatres, take in shows and attend performances.

Keep your guests happy!

Top TipsGetting the basics right


Left: www.sxc.hu | some_bo’s (Irina Naumets) Image: Mountain Bike World Cup at Nevis Range, near Fort William. Credit: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint

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4. GETTING INvOLvED WITH EXISTING OPPOrTUNITIES

29

4 GETTInG InVoLVED WITH EXISTInG oPPorTunITIES

Get proactive!With all of these opportunities on your doorstep, how can you get involved, with existing events, festivals and cultural activities? Work with organisers and providers to promote the existing events programme, and together use these opportunities as a hook to pull in visitors, encourage them to stay longer, travel further, spend more, and also boost the off-season.

Did you know?Toast the BardBurns night is still a largely untapped opportunity in tourism. As it is mostly celebrated privately in clubs, it’s not a particularly visitor-friendly occasion. How could you work with accommodation providers, restaurants or other service providers to help your visitors address the haggis in true Burns style?

Eight ways to make events work for you:1. Information, information, information

By providing details of what’s on in your area on your website and in marketing materials, you might give visitors the final incentive to book with you or even extend their stay. Tell them what’s on, when it’s on, how to book, and how to get there – anything you can do to give them a hassle-free experience. Remember that cultural activities are often not weather dependent, so they can be a great all-weather choice for families. For event listings, go to www.list.co.uk or www.visitscotland.com.

2. Get your staff involved

Could you send your staff on familiarisation trips to experience local events and festivals first-hand? Make sure they know what’s happening, so they can sell that to visitors and give them a first-rate service experience. Encourage staff to report back on how your business could get involved and have a presence at the event.

3. Be creative

If there’s a themed event happening in your area, think about how you could incorporate a flavour of that theme into what you do. For example, if there is a visual arts festival in your area, could you display works of a local artist in your premises, or invite them to give a talk about the inspiration for their work? Or if there’s a whisky festival, could you offer a special tasting night? Or join whisky and poetry by inviting a poet to recite traditional – and contemporary – verse.Think differently – if there’s a unique, fun event in your area, like the World Porridge Making Championship held in Carrbridge, then you can give visitors a truly memorable experience!

4. Be selective

At any time of the year there are local, regional and national events running. Think about what will work best for you – does your business lend itself to the theme of one of the mega events or would you be better getting involved with a smaller-scale local festival? Put yourself in your visitors’ shoes and think about what they might enjoy.

5. remember the locals

With the rising popularity of staycations, and opportunities for day trips, local Scottish visitors are an important market to target. They are looking for new experiences, like any visitor. For special events that are televised (Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2014), can you create a sociable experience by hosting a themed event that encourages people out of their homes to enjoy the occasion together, in the one location? Perhaps you can theme your decorations and food to really get into the spirit of the occasion.

Don’t forget…The direct and widespread impacts of events are actually often not felt in the year they happen, but in the following year. A combination of increased visitor awareness of the area and repeat visits from those who enjoyed the event will boost business well after it has happened. Keep in touch with your visitors and help them plan in advance by highlighting the dates for a festival or event you know they have enjoyed attending – visitors won’t always know when to expect publication of the next year’s dates.


Image: Taste of Edinburgh. Credit: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint Image: Spring Fling - artist Joanna McLeman Gisbey with visitors, Dumfries and Galloway. Credit: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint

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7. Keep the momentum going

If you attract new visitors who are attending an event or festival in your area, keep their details in your database and use that as a marketing basis for encouraging them back the following year. Also, if you were a venue used in an event, capitalise on the legacy effect which that offers; can you enter into a more proactive partnership that can be jointly promoted for example?

8. Be prepared

Familiarise yourself with the existing programme of events, both local and national, and promote the ones that would appeal to your visitors most. Highlight to existing visitors what is currently on nearby via a ‘what’s on’ board or in an information pack, and use future events to entice potential visitors. While you have visitors here for one event, use it as an opportunity to promote the next one!

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6. Take a helping hand

Maximise the opportunities available to you from government agencies such as VisitScotland and EventScotland, which offer advice, support and some funding opportunities. Get Quality Assured by VisitScotland to increase your visibility and give visitors a trusted marker of your quality products and services. Creative Scotland, the national development agency for the arts, cultural and screen-based industries can also provide advice.

ullapool Festivals CASE STUDY

Ullapool is a great example of a remote rural town that has successfully extended its tourist season by developing a programme of cultural events designed to appeal to different niche markets.The Ullapool Book Festival in May showcases Highland and Scottish Writers, and provides an opportunity for local people and visitors alike to hear the best the world of literature has to offer. The Luppallu Festival in late September sees hundreds of music fans descend on the town to enjoy an eclectic mix of bands and fine foods from around the Highlands, with a line up that overshadows many mainstream festivals.The Guitar Festival in early October brings guitarists and enthusiasts from across the world, bringing the town alive with a weekend of concerts, ceilidhs and workshops.Could themed events be one way of extending the tourist season in your area? Why not get together with others to discuss the possibilities?

To put the scale into perspective, ToyStory (an earlier Disney Pixar film) took twice as much at the box office as Braveheart. VisitScotland’s international marketing campaign, with a £7m budget, marks the first time that Pixar has joined forces with a tourism agency. VisitScotland’s aim is to bring the magic of Pixar to life by showing film fans how they could have their own adventure in Scotland.

Tourism businesses have been quick to realise the potential of this global showcase for Scotland, and within only a few months, there were more than 1000 Brave related experiences available for consumers to book on a dedicated website. Brave fever has taken hold and many are seeing the effect already – Highland Activities, an outdoor activity

and adventure sports operator in the Highlands, has seen a resurgence of interest in archery – the activity enjoyed by Brave’s central character, Princess Merida. VisitScotland’s dedicated website includes Brave travel experiences and itineraries at www.visitscotland.com/brave.

They have also created a toolkit, with assets and key messaging guidance, for use by some businesses up to June 2013.

Think about how you can adapt your offering for families that want to follow in Princess Merida’s footsteps and have the Brave experience in real life. Include imagery reminiscent of the film on your website, and give visitors information about scenic drives and walks that take in the best of our landscapes.

• Historic Scotland has produced a map highlighting some of the key spots, including the Calanais Standing Stones on Lewis, Kildrummy Castle near Alford and Kilchurn Castle, near Dalmally that tie into the themes portrayed in the film.

Are any of them near your business? Find out more at www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/inspired-history.pdf

• Also look out for initiatives from the National Trust for Scotland, Forestry Commission Scotland and the Scottish Wildlife Trust. Please refer to web links on page 46.

Keep up with the trendsHere are three of the key tourism trends to consider in relation to events, festivals and cultural tourism:

1. Authentic experiences - Seeing the real thing and learning something newFor example, for the release of the movie Brave, the Hippodrome in Bo’ness (Scotland’s first purpose-built picture palace) brought in members of the Clanranald Trust – the same group who provided warrior talent for film and TV productions such as Gladiator and Robin Hood – to bring the movie to life for the audience. They mingled with the crowd and shared the clan heritage portrayed in the film, allowing visitors to really feel the historical connection.How could you give your visitors a ‘behind-the-scenes’ or ‘hands-on’ experience that they won’t forget?

2. Ancestral tourism - Walk in the footsteps of your ancestors Ancestral tourism is a growing and important niche market for Scotland. Worldwide, there are 50 million people who claim to have Scottish ancestry. More and more visitors, many from the United States and Australia, have a growing interest in tracing their Scottish roots. VisitScotland’s ‘Ancestral Welcome Scheme’ helps tourism businesses by recognising and highlighting their enthusiasm and interest to meeting the needs of ancestral visitors. To find out if your business is eligible go to www.visitscotland.org.

Scotland gets Brave

3. Learning experiences Get creative and hands on!

Many accommodation providers not only offer a place for guests to rest their head, but the opportunity to learn something new within the Scottish environment like wildlife photography or landscape painting. Is this something you can offer? Or are there any existing workshops taking place in your area that you could tie in with?

The Disney Pixar movie follows the heroic journey of a young Scottish princess called Merida. It features the voices of big Scottish names such as Billy Connolly and Robbie Coltrane, but Scotland itself is the main star of the film as it reaches new audiences in 72 countries across the world.


Some distinctly

Scottish national Days

to highlight to visitors…

Burns Night - 25th January

World Whisky Day - 27th March

World Porridge Day - 10th October

St Andrews Day - 30th November

Hogmanay - 31st December

Top: Peebles Beltane Festival. Part of the Return to the Ridings. Credit: Rob McDougall/VisitScotlandBottom: Luppallu Festival, 2011. Kindly given by Paul Campbell Photography Bottom: Calanais Standing Stones, Outer Hebrides. Credit: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint

Top: Artist Jane Glue, Shoreline Studios & Gallery, Finstown, Orkney. Credit: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint

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Stay one step aheadThe best way to stay ahead of your competitors and be on top of visitors’ needs is to make sure you keep up communication with your visitors. For advice on how best to gather and use feedback, download the ‘Listening to our Visitors’ guide from www.tourism-intelligence.co.uk.Also, sign up for the VisitScotland and TIS newsletters to keep up to date with the latest visitor and event information. It will help with your own promotional activity if you plan in advance for upcoming one-off events, such as these:•TheOpenChampionship will be held in Scotland three times in four years, starting with Muirfield in 2013, then St Andrews in 2015 and then Royal Troon in 2016. VisitScotland arranges press familiarisation trips in advance – could you get involved? What are you doing to prepare for the influx of visitors?•TheOrienteeringWorldChampionships2015 will be based in Inverness in August, spreading to the Moray Coast and Cairngorms National Park. The internationally acclaimed six-day event will bring 5,000 competitors to the area and boost the local economy by an estimated £2m. Think about how you can promote your business to participants and their parties – how can you accommodate their needs? •TheIPC(InternationalParalympicCommittee) Swimming European Championships will be held at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre in Glasgow in 2015. More than 500 swimmers from over 40 countries are expected to compete, and it will be held in the same pool that will host the swimming competitions of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.Can you promote this event, held in the £13.7m upgraded facility, which will feature the Team GB swimmers that finished second in the medal table (with 83 medals) at the last Championships in Berlin?


Fun all year roundWhen you think of festivals, you probably immediately think of summer days in the sunshine, but actually the events and festivals programme in Scotland lasts all year round. Scotland’s Winter Festivals is a unique programme of events designed to celebrate our three National Days: St Andrews Day, Hogmanay and Burns Night. The programme showcases Scotland as a modern and creative nation while highlighting our contribution to the world with the best of Scottish music, arts, food and drink, innovation and entertainment. For more information on Winter Festivals go to www.eventscotland.org. There are also funding opportunities for new wintertime initiatives that increase celebration of our National Days.

Provide information about the events happening in your area

both before and during a visitor’s time with you – it’s an

added incentive!

Be creative about how you associate with national and local

events – how can you theme packages or promotions to capture

visitors’ imaginations?

make use of National Days as a hook for promotions –

especially those that give you an opportunity to boost the

off-season, such as St andrews Day and Burns Night.

Keep an eye on tourism trends when considering your involvement

with events. For example for those who love a little luxury can

you add value to your offering by collaborating with your local

spa/beauty salon?

Think beyond the event itself to the future, because it provides

a fantastic opportunity to inspire visitors to return for a subsequent

trip. Are you telling visitors about the other great activities and

experiences that they should try next time?

Promote your own ‘mini events’ based on the best of what your

business (or area) has to offer.

Create a buzz about

what’s out there already!

Top Tips


Top: Summerlee - Museum of Scottish Industrial Life, Coatbridge. Credit: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish ViewpointBottom: George Square, Glasgow. Credit: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint

Image: Living Iron Age Experience, Scottish Crannog Centre on Loch Tay, Kenmore. Credit: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint

Turning local assets into visitor experiencesThere are many opportunities for businesses to use what they already have to promote their own ‘mini events’.

Do you have a natural or cultural asset that you could build a monthly experience around, giving visitors an unusual and special experience with you? For example, as many as 35,000 Barnacle geese begin to arrive on Islay from their arctic breeding grounds in early October. They can be seen in fields around the island and also at the RSPB Loch Gruinart Nature Reserve.

If your business is in the area, are you telling visitors about this fantastic sight?

Or could you link up with the many existing events that showcase a local area at its best such as Pittenweem Arts Festival, Arbroath Sea Festival and Fiddle Frenzy in Shetland?

The Scotland Visitor Survey 2011 showed that nearly a third of visitors said that our history and culture was a major draw in choosing to come here. And after sightseeing, trying local food was cited as the most popular activity among visitors, with over half of respondents saying they tried it while here.

How can you make the most of these interests?

Farmers’ markets take place across the country – find out where they happen in your area and direct your visitors there as an excellent way of promoting your local offering.

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5. WOrKING TOGETHEr: TOUrISm BUSINESSES, CULTUraL PrOvIDErS aND EvENT OrGaNISErS

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5 WorKInG ToGETHEr: TourISM BuSInESSES, CuLTurAL ProVIDErS AnD EVEnT orGAnISErS

Why should your business get involved?If visitors feel really welcome and involved in an event, and are part of an authentic experience of your area, you’ll send them home with fantastic memories of Scotland which they’ll share with their friends and relatives – spreading the word. It’s not only the large events that have a big impact – smaller events and cultural experiences can often have a greater and longer-term impact on an area, especially if there is an ongoing legacy planned.

Top 5 reasons why tourism businesses should work with events, festivals, and cultural providers:

1. To raise awareness of your business If you get involved with an event you will reach a potential new visitor target group. Make sure you give them details of what you offer all year round, and create meaningful partnerships rather than simply distributing flyers.

2. For direct marketing opportunities Where possible, collect information about these new visitors for your own database, so you include them in future incentives and special offers via e-marketing and social media.

3. To test new ideas Perhaps there’s a special service or product that you have been thinking about. Do it on a trial basis and smaller scale as part of your event initiative and test-drive it for rolling out.

4. For PR opportunities Is there an interesting angle to your involvement with a local event? Are you working with a local supplier to offer a quirky new product, or offering a first-time unique experience for locals and visitors? Get in touch with local media, who are always looking for local interest stories.

5. Social media An event gives you a platform to create a buzz online, with something new and different to promote, and also connects you with other businesses who you can cross-promote with.

The organisers of Arran Farmers’ Show have successfully broadened their market by working in partnership with local transport companies to improve visitor access to the island.Recognising that one of the best ways to get more visitors to Arran on show day would be to enhance transport links, the organisers negotiated with ferry operator CalMac to run two additional return sailings on show day while Stagecoach, the island’s only bus operator, agreed to provide extra services to tie in with the additional boats. VisitArran then promoted the new transport options to potential visitors.Kenny Bone, Chair of Arran Farmers’ Society, says: “By providing more convenient ferry sailings and integrated bus transport we opened up new markets for the event and were able to target tourists staying in Ayrshire with a much more effective and joined-up visitor proposition. This led to us growing our visitor numbers significantly and, more importantly, providing a more positive experience for those attending the show.”www.visitarran.com

CASE STUDY

So why does it not always happen?Many tourism businesses, event organisers and cultural providers work together successfully to develop and promote events, but sometimes the following practical issues stand in the way:

Arran Farmers’ Show

Barriers Suggestions of how to overcome barriers

Lack of communication in both directions

• Could tourism businesses arrange a familiarisation trip of their business to showcase their offering and facilities to event organisers and cultural providers.• It would be helpful for event organisers and cultural providers to arrange face to face briefings

with local businesses to inform them about upcoming events, answer questions and brainstorm ways of working together. If you can’t have a meeting, could you piggyback on a local Destination Management Organisation (DMO) meeting and get your event added on to the agenda?

Tourism businesses don’t feel engaged

• It would be beneficial to local businesses and operators if event organisers and cultural providers included them in their communications about their event or experience. However it would be supportive of tourism businesses to familiarise themselves and promote what is currently going on in their local area.

• Tourism businesses would benefit from advance notice (from several months up to two years) to help promote events locally and integrate it with their own activity.

Parties are not collaborating

• It is important for all involved to understand that this is an opportunity to ‘share visitors’, build the profile of the area and boost tourism for future years.

• Could someone act as a main point of contact for the local tourism businesses that want to get involved? It would help to streamline everyone’s activity.


Image: National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh. Credit: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint Image: Kingscross Herbs, Whiting Bay, Isle of Arran. Credit: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint

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Working togetherIn order to build on the success of Scotland’s existing events programme there is a requirement for tourism businesses, event organisers and cultural providers to better understand how the other works. By communicating effectively we have an opportunity to really maximise the economic benefit of these events and boost the profile of Scotland.Here are some more ideas of how you can collaborate more effectively:

How tourism businesses can engage with event organisers and cultural providers

How event organisers and cultural providers can engage with tourism businesses

Promote the events as an additional incentive/perk for existing visitors – through email, on your website, social media and blogs.

Have a clear point of contact for tourism businesses – it will save them time and effort trying to find the right person to talk to.

Have a ‘what’s on’ page with links to this and other events – it may be the trigger that encourages a visitor to book with you.

Have a web-based portal to communicate general information and contact details – it’s easy to access and also to update.

Think about how you can team up with other attractions/accommodation providers to create a package deal to tie in with events.

Create a toolkit for businesses with logos, images and promotional wording that they can use about the event, which will also keep your message consistent.

Advertise with event organisers, discuss sponsorship opportunities, and offer promotional competitions to visitors.

Provide details about how to access tickets for potential packages. For example, accommodation providers might want to offer a Dinner, Bed & Breakfast deal with tickets to your event.

Build themed activity around the event. For example could you create a special short-term menu that ties in with the event?

Give reciprocal links to tourism businesses’ websites.

Talk to event organisers about other special services you could offer for event and festival visitors that will fit with their planned activity, such as early breakfasts or late dinners.

Offer advertising space for local businesses in your marketing materials.

Consider if you could offer transport to and from the event – or if you could work with event organisers to arrange transfers.

Create online adverts that can be used/integrated on tourism businesses’ websites.

Collaborate with other tourism businesses to create a ‘joint’ pass for visitors. They may be on a short visit without much time to plan – make it easy with a multi-experience theatre, attraction and restaurant pre-paid pass.

Work together with tourism businesses on your social media platforms – link and cross-promote.

If the event doesn’t lend itself to your direct involvement, can you still attend as a business and showcase your products?

Consider teaming with attractions that are unrelated to your core programme. For example, sporting events can team up with local museums or galleries – visitors may want to experience a range of activities.

Even if your business is not based right next to where the event is taking place, you can still engage with those visitors for pre and post stays, so discuss marketing opportunities.

If you can, provide some basic visitor information about the type of people coming, what they will be looking for and where they come from – it will help to guide tourism businesses in their offers and service.

Take a bite of the opportunityScotland’s quality food and drink is a highly anticipated part of the visitor experience. We are renowned for our excellent natural larder of fresh seafood, sumptuous cheese, distinctive preserves, world-class meat and sweet treats – and of course, no trip to Scotland is complete without a dram of malt!

VisitScotland research shows that over 70% of visitors look forward to tasting traditional Scottish dishes, regional specialities and fresh, locally sourced produce during their time in Scotland. So how can you give your visitors a food and drink experience that they won’t forget?

Visitors can learn about our fine food and drink in creative ways making it a truly unforgettable experience. For example at The Scotch Whisky Experience in Edinburgh, visitors enjoy a barrel-ride as they are taken on a creatively visual journey through the whisky-making process which is brought to life through sight, sound, smell and taste. At Cream O’Galloway near Castle Douglas, visitors can not only enjoy the flavour(s) of their famous ice cream but can learn what goes on behind the scenes on one of their farm tours, or get hands on and make their own ice cream! And as well as dining in one of our many cafes and restaurants visitors can enjoy a foodie experience at one of the many farmers’ markets, food fairs and whisky tasting events around the country.

What is happening in your area that successfully offers a taste of our produce combined with a taste of our culture? Could you provide your own experience by, for example, combining a whisky tasting evening with traditional live music?

For more information about how to make the most of our food and drink offering in Scotland, there are two guides available from Tourism Intelligence Scotland: FoodandDrinkExperienceinScotlandandAtYourService–APracticalGuidetoDeliveringtheFoodandDrinkExperienceinScotland. Download them free at www.tourism-intelligence.co.uk.

If you are a food and drink provider, for more information about how to work with event organisers see the guide ReadyforEvents–aguidetosellingScottishfood&drinkatevents, available at www.eventscotland.org.

Food for thoughtTwo of the East of Scotland’s best known festivals – Big Tent in Fife and the Dundee Flower and Food Festival – recently signed up to receive one to one consultancy support from Scottish Enterprise’s ‘Experiencing Scotland’ project, to help them develop their Scottish food and drink offer.Fife’s Big Tent Festival takes place each July in the grounds of Falkland Estate, attracting over 11,000 visitors. Billed as ‘Scotland’s Environmental Festival’, it offers a weekend of music – headlined in 2012 by the Proclaimers – crafts, family activities, meet-the-author sessions, and a host of talks and debates on social and green issues.The Dundee Flower and Food Festival, which takes place at the start of September each year, offers the best in food and horticultural entertainment, with a packed programme including competitions, cookery and gardening demonstrations, children’s activities, a craft fair and live music. Competition is a key element of the Festival, and a number of new food orientated ‘classes’ and competitions took place in 2012. Businesses can find out more about the one-to-one support available by emailing [email protected].


Top images: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish ViewpointBottom: Cairn O’ Mohr Fruit Winery, Perthshire. Credit: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint


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The Bunkers Festival

The Enchanted Forest – A Feast for the Senses

For the past two years local businesses in Inverness have enthusiastically embraced the Bunkers Festival, developed to add value for visitors attending the Scottish Open Golf Championship.Highland Council Events Officer Gerry Reynolds says: “We decided early on that we wanted Inverness to be known to the Open visitors for more than their golf experience at Castle Stuart; and we saw this as a great opportunity to add to our existing festivals programme. Our plan was quite simple – get locals and performers into the city centre and invite golfing visitors and normal tourists to join in the fun.Playing on the golf theme, we ‘trapped’ visitors in entertainment bunkers and put on performances in as many unusual places as possible. Local businesses added to the party atmosphere by laying on even more themed activities.We successfully turned our city centre into a fun space for golf fans, tourists and locals, giving everybody a chance to make new friends and enjoy our culture, humour and hospitality. Feedback from golf fans has been fantastic and the European tour organisers were really pleased to discover that our city offers a lot more than an exceptional golf course and some wonderful hotels.”www.invernessfestivals.com

Highland Perthshire’s renowned Enchanted Forest sound and light show was developed to show Scottish woodlands and outdoor recreation in a new light while extending the tourist season in Perthshire into the late autumn period.After a successful eight years under public sector management, the 2009 event was handed over to the newly-formed Highland Perthshire Community Interest Company, made up of business people and volunteers from the local area.Following poorer than normal visitor feedback ratings in 2009, the gloves came off in event management terms and the team’s sleeves were rolled up to make the 2010 show better than ever!Decisions were made that dramatically improved the customer experience, including changing the flow of the event; tasking the sound and lighting companies with the overall implementation of the event; and bringing in a nearby catering company specialising in local produce to deliver fresh, locally-produced food on the night.The results were instant, with the 2010 show setting new records for the highest ever levels of customer satisfaction, ticket sales and economic impact on the local community. Building on this success, The Enchanted Forest won the ‘Event Management Grand Prix’ and ‘Best Cultural Event Award’ at the 2011 Scottish Event Awards. In 2012, through Year of Creative Scotland investment, the Enchanted Forest announced plans for renowned visual artists Dalziel and Scullion to introduce a new dimension.www.enchantedforest.org.uk

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Angus HeritageIn association with the annual ‘Doors Open Days’ held in Scotland, which give access to unusual and interesting buildings in Scotland that are normally closed to the public, Angus Heritage Week promotes the unique heritage of the area to locals and visitors. Over 40 events including a genealogy fair, historical walks, traditional music, talks and storytelling are featured in an event programme and online at www.angusheritage.com.The event programme is distributed to accommodation providers and visitor attractions within a 90 minute drive of Angus, and businesses are invited to send details of special offers for inclusion in a ‘passport’ for visitors – which includes promotions, competitions, quizzes and interesting facts to engage visitors.Could you get together with other businesses in your area to promote the best of your region?

The ryder CupThe Ryder Cup is the third biggest sporting event in the world in terms of TV/media coverage (after The Olympics and The World Cup). Around 45,000 visitors are expected to attend Gleneagles for each of the six days of the event. There will be a higher proportion of overseas visitors than at most other golf events, and these will be predominantly US visitors – so spend will be higher. Whilst The Ryder Cup will provide the focus for a lot of support and marketing activity, it is just one event in a whole programme of golfing event opportunities. • Keep informed about which golf tournaments are taking place

each year in the run up to 2014 at www.eventscotland.org/golf.

• Is your business ‘golf friendly’ in that you offer special services for golfing visitors? Consider joining VisitScotland’s Golfers Welcome Scheme.

• Encourage golf visitors to bring partners and families with them on their trips. Think about packages or reciprocal deals with local attractions, spas or retailers.

• Look out for further news about EventScotland’s dedicated Ryder Cup website for tourism businesses, outlining how you can get involved in the event, visit www.rydercup2014.com.

• For tips on getting the most out of the golfing market, download Tourism Intelligence Scotland’s GolfTourism guide at www.tourism-intelligence.co.uk.


Shining a spotlight on Creative PlacesThe ‘Creative Place Awards’, one of Creative Scotland’s Investment Programmes, is a three year programme (2012-14) that aims to promote and celebrate the creative efforts of smaller communities in Scotland, and highlights the importance of collaboration and community involvement. Cultural organisations, community groups and/or local authorities have the opportunity to bid for an award that recognises their community’s achievements in using their creative assets to promote the identity of the place, in turn adding value to an area and attracting more visitors. There are three categories depending on the population of the area and each category winner receives a cash prize that will allow them to further develop and promote their area’s creative offering.West Kilbride was the 2012 winner of the ‘Under 10,000 Residents’. Local volunteers formed ‘West Kilbride Community Initiative’ which has a remit to position the town as ‘Craft Town Scotland’, and through a number of craft studios, gallery retail space, and a gift shop they continue to develop a varied programme that engages with new and existing audiences. The cash prize will allow ‘Craft Town Scotland’ to develop a new series of exhibitions for The Barony Centre and develop new programmes to involve younger, and older, members of the community in their creative programme. For more information on Creative Scotland projects please visit www.creativescotland.com.

Right: Gleneagles Hotel, near Auchterarder. Credit: VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint Left: Sheila Fleet Jewellery Workshop, Tankerness, Orkney. Credit: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint


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Getting started1. Build on your area’s strengths – ensure your proposed idea

has a good brand fit so that it can be grown into an overall experience of the area.

2. Integrate with the community – base the event near local businesses, so they have the best opportunity to get involved.

3. Consider accommodation needs – where will visitors be able to stay when attending the event? Work closely with local accommodation providers well in advance to create event packages, encouraging visitors to stay longer and spend more.

4. Deliver an experience – similar to all other visitor experiences, people attending or participating in events are looking for a good value experience with great service and a personal touch.

5. Keep it Scottish – visitors are looking for an authentic experience – in fact, they expect it. Use Scotland’s strengths to your benefit. For example showcase Scottish food and drink and use local suppliers to offer a truly unique flavour.

For in-depth information about how to run your own successful event, access the guide Howtomaximisetheeconomicbenefitfromeventsinyourarea and EventManagement:apracticalguide,asupporttoolforregionalevents, which offer step-by-step guidance to planning, as well as checklists and adaptable templates, at www.eventscotland.org.

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival has been attracting whisky lovers from across the globe since 1999.The organisers have increasingly been using social media to broaden their market and attract new types of visitors. Festival Manager Mary Hemsworth says: “Our target audience is very media savvy and the whisky world adopted social media early on to promote events, whisky fairs and new launches. All the major distilleries use it so it was an obvious route to reach our market.As well as using social media to create a ‘must visit’ call to action, we’re engaging more and more with bloggers worldwide, offering them a platform to write about their experiences in Speyside at the festival, and are also using affiliate marketing to reach greater numbers of potential visitors. An example of this is our relationship with Glenfiddich, whose Facebook account has over 135 thousand followers. By linking our posts we can reach all their followers too. Alongside this activity we’re also developing a new website which will offer our visitors an opportunity to use social media to interact with the festival.This change in marketing focus certainly seems to be paying dividends. Ticket sales were up over 35% this year with a significant increase in revenue.”Mary’s top tip for using social media to promote your event: Use one ‘voice’, be consistent, make it fun, engage your audience and get them to participate and then when they arrive, they already feel part of the festival.www.spiritofspeyside.com

CASE STUDY

Spirit of Speyside

Keeping it GreenEventScotland provides a number of resources to help you create a green and sustainable event, including a resource of 50 top tips and a Sustainable Events checklist. For more details go to www.eventscotland.org.

Don’t forget…You need persistence to run a successful event. They take many years to establish themselves and reach the visitor levels and business engagement you want to achieve. But the benefits and long-term effects are well worth the investment of your time!

EcoCab Argyll offered a cycle rickshaw cab service at the Fort William Mountain Bike World Cup, providing a green transport alternative for visitors heading out to the venue from the town which complemented the ethos of the event perfectly! www.ecocabargyll.co.uk

Think about what services you could provide to meet the needs and expectations of particular types of event-goers.

EcoCab Argyll


Top: Belladrum Festival, 2012. Kindly given by Paul Campbell Photography Bottom: Spring Fling - Adam Booth, Artist Blacksmith, at Pipers Forge, Kirkpatrick Durham. Credit: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint

Bottom: The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, Aberlour. Credit: Rob McDougall/VisitScotland

Setting up your own event Could your areas strong unique asset(s) be brought to life in the form of an event? For example if your area has an excellent mountain biking network could like-minded businesses and event organisers work together to create an exciting event that showcases the best the area has to offer? As mentioned previously every event had to start somewhere... Fringe by the Sea, held in North Berwick every August as an add-on to the Edinburgh Fringe, has come a long way from the ‘test concept’ piloted in 2008. It has already expanded to a full seven-day programme of 70 shows, and will continue to grow. In addition, Celtic Connections, which began in 1994 as a celebration of Celtic music at Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall has grown into a multi-venue, multi-award winning cultural festival of concerts, ceilidhs, talks, art exhibitions, workshops and educational children’s events. In 2011 it featured over 2,000 artists from five continents, generated audiences topping 100,000 and had an estimated economic impact of £4.7m for Glasgow and £1.2m for Scotland. Could you create a spin-off event from an established event already taking place in your area? See page 38 to discover how ‘The Bunkers Festival’ added value to visitors attending the Scottish Golf Open Championship at Castle Stuart.


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Promoting your event with VisitScotlandPromoting your event to millions of visitors has never been easier. The events section of visitscotland.com provides visitors with information about local and national events taking place across Scotland throughout the year – and it’s a free service for you!Simply submit your event’s details on an online form and your event will appear on VisitScotland’s sites within seven days. Go to www.visitscotland.com/submit-event.

Maintaining an event legacyGathering feedback and reviewing strengths and weaknesses are key to the ongoing success of an event. Gather feedback from visitors, community groups, sponsors, local businesses, local residents, event organisers and suppliers. Once gathered, it should be analysed and the key messages shared with everyone involved.

Don’t forget…If your business is near an area that already holds an event with a strong legacy, there are opportunities for ‘spin-off’ events. Instead of trying to compete, could you work together with other local businesses to tap into the themes of that event, perhaps bring guest acts to your area in support of it?

uCI Mountain Bike World Cup The organisers of the 2012 Fort William UCI Mountain Bike World Cup enhanced the visitor experience with an extensive programme of music and arts as part of the Year of Creative Scotland.The Creative Scotland Digital Hub focused on mountain bike-related digital arts, such as photography and film making, ‘Music in the Mountains’ saw performers taking music and street theatre out onto the hill with performances at different locations and, to create a more effective link between Fort William and the event, ‘Downhill Downtown’ offered visitors the best of Scottish music at the Nevis Centre.Mike Jardine of Rare Management says: “We are always looking for new activities and innovations that can add to the whole visitor experience. Yes it’s an international standard competition but it’s also important that there is a range of things for people to see and do in addition to the sporting elements. The Creative Scotland strands enabled us to focus on a number of new initiatives that showed once again that the Fort William event is progressive and forward looking.All of the strands tied into the culture of the sport and it gave an additional focus in terms of features, media coverage and credibility.”www.fortwilliamworldcup.co.uk

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Marketing an eventBuilding your events’ profile takes time and effort. Get into the mindset of your visitors and think about what will entice them to come along. Make sure you are promoting with your local VisitScotland Information Centre, and also promote at entry points such as bus, train and ferry ports – they can be an excellent way to catch day visitors, too.

Before the event • Establish your event – set up a domain name; set up your social media presence with Facebook and Twitter - allowing you to develop a relationship with potential attendees and start a blog to excite and engage potential attendees during the build up

• Start communicating – create a content roll-out plan to include exciting news announcements, images from past events, competitions and incentives

• Try to make posts shareable and interesting, and demonstrate the ‘personality’ of your event through your content, so it really speaks to your target market

• Re-tweet and re-post relevant news and events that relate to your event• Promote your online presence – in PR, marketing materials and email signatures• Cross-promote between your own website and social media sites• Cross-promote with participants’ online presence or venues’ online presence

During the event • Encourage visitors to ‘check-in’ to your event with small rewards – it will increase your visibility online• Encourage visitors to share information about their experiences through their own social media• Stream parts of your event with live online video through your website• Share images of your event in real time• Generate discussion about interesting bits of news and gossip related to the event• Make everything inclusive – not an exclusive club of those ‘in the know’ – this is about everyone,

attendees and non-attendees

After the event • Blog about the highlights of your event• Ask event-goers for feedback and get them to post their favourite pictures• Keep your fanbase engaged in the build-up to the next event by tweeting updates and posting competitions on Facebook• Measure how successful social media was in spreading the word and review your marketing plan

For more information see the presentationDigital&SocialMediaforEventOrganisers, available at www.visitscotland.org.

Image: The Turriff Show. Credit: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint Left: Burns Storytelling Festival at the Brig o’ Doon, Alloway. Credit: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish ViewpointRight: Mountain Bike World Cup at Nevis Range, near Fort William. Credit: P.Tomkins/VisitScotland/Scottish Viewpoint


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Communicate what is going on in the area and the wide range of complementary activities to see and do. Give people a reason to stay longer and spend more.

Top Tips

Whether a tourism business or event organiser/cultural provider, try seeing each other’s perspective and consider what you can do to work together effectively.

If you are a food and drink provider there are fantastic opportunities to get involved with events and grow your business. refer to ready for Events – a guide to selling food and drink available at www.eventscotland.org.

Remember that the upcoming mega events offer involvement opportunities, but they also spawn smaller localised events, which may offer you more tangible opportunities.If you’re planning an event of your own, your first consideration should be how to sell something your area already excels at.

Working with others to benefit everyone!

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Did you know?Bulk ticket salesThe travel trade is also an important consideration for Event Organisers. The Edinburgh Military Tattoo is a great event for tour operators and consistently sells well through the trade. It helps that the event is highly visible and active in the market place, and also that it offers a long run of shows. But could your event lend itself to the travel trade in a similar way?

VisitScotland Quality Assurance Scheme

VisitScotland operates an internationally recognised Quality Assurance (QA) Scheme. Whether your business is a small guest house, large hotel, bar or caravan park, your QA grading can tell visitors what to expect from your business and helps you to benchmark your business against others. Based on customer research, each award is a thorough professional assessment reflecting the quality criteria that customers really value. It’s an official award and a scheme that visitors look out for and trust. For more information please visit the ‘Business Support’ section on www.visitscotland.org.

The VisitScotland Growth Fund

The Growth Fund is available to marketing groups of three or more tourism businesses and can provide support with 50% of approved total marketing costs – a minimum award of £5,000 to a maximum of £65,000. Marketing activity should be new or a further development of current activity which will generate additional visitors to Scotland. Funds are open to national, regional and local tourism groups to help them reach new target markets and increase visitor numbers. For more information please visit the ‘Business Support’ section on www.visitscotland.org.

Tourism Intelligence Scotland

Tourism Intelligence Scotland (TIS) is a joint venture developed by Scottish Enterprise, VisitScotland, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise in partnership with the tourism industry. TIS has a broad reaching range of resources to encourage tourism businesses to drive innovation and grow their business through effective use of market and other intelligence. Events, Festivals and Cultural Tourism is part of the ‘Opportunities for Growth’ guide series. Access all of the guides, as well as a wealth of market intelligence at www.tourism-intelligence.co.uk.

Scottish Thistle Awards

The Scottish Thistle Awards, which are organised by VisitScotland, celebrate excellence and quality within the tourism industry. They recognise the very best of Scottish event tourism through two categories – Best Sporting Event and Best Cultural Event – which are open to sporting and cultural events that take place at a national and/or international level across Scotland. Visit www.scottishthistleawards.co.uk.

Scottish Event Awards

EventScotland encourages event organisers to enter to demonstrate the high quality events and services that are delivered in Scotland every year at the Scottish Event Awards. Whether you are an event organiser, event promoter, in-house team, venue or an event industry supplier, the Scottish Event Awards is a key event showcasing Scotland’s growing events industry. For more information go to www.scottisheventawards.net.

other useful information – intelligence, awards and funding


Image: Tossing the Caber. Credit: Rob McDougall/VisitScotland

The Kitbag A new website (available November 2012) is being developed which is a kitbag of information for businesses to maximise the opportunities arising from major events coming to Glasgow.

The Kitbag: Where Events Mean Business is being piloted in Glasgow with a national roll-out anticipated during 2013. Much of the current content is relevant to businesses outwith the city.

www.glasgowmajorevents.com


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6 7LInKS & rESourCES nEXT STEPS

7. NEXT STEPS

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Events and Festivals listings

www.visitscotland.com www.northings.comwww.thelist.co.ukwww.whatsonscotland.comwww.creativescotland.com

Key organisationsEventScotland www.eventscotland.orgVisitScotland www.visitscotland.orgCreative Scotland www.creativescotland.comScottish Enterprise www.scottish-enterprise.comHighland & Islands Enterprise www.hie.com

other useful links Museums Galleries Scotland www.museumsgalleriesscotland.org.ukNational Museums Scotland www.nms.ac.ukNational Library of Scotland www.nls.ukHistoric Scotland www.historic-scotland.gov.uk National Trust for Scotland www.nts.org.uk Scottish Natural Heritage www.snh.gov.uk Forestry Commission www.forestry.gov.uk/scotlandScottish Wildlife Trust www.scottishwildlifetrust.org.ukTourism Intelligence Scotland www.tourism-intelligence.comBusinessClub Scotland www.businessclubscotland.co.uk

resourcesToolkits:

Year of Natural Scotland Toolkit www.visitscotland.org/business_support/advicelink.aspx Brave Marketing Toolkit (available until 31.05.13) www.visitscotland.org/bravetoolkit2012

Guides: ReadyforEvents–AstepbystepguidetosellingScottishfood&drinkatevents in collaboration by EventScotland, Co+operative Development Scotland, SAOS, Scotland of Food and Drink, Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Government, 2012

EventsManagement:apracticalguide by EventScotland, Sept 2006

The Kitbag: Where Events Mean Business (available from 19.11.12) www.glasgowmajorevents.com

research reports

TourismScotland2020–Thefutureofourindustry,inourhands by The Scottish Tourism Alliance, June 2012

Scotland:ThePerfectStage–AStrategyfortheEventsIndustryinScotland2009-2020 by EventScotland

EventScotlandAnnualReview09/10

Scotland–AnInsightintoOurSegments by VisitScotland

HomecomingLegacy–TheRoadto2014, Second Stakeholder Event

AnalysisReportofHomecomingScotland2009 by The Scottish Government, 2010

Digital&SocialMediaforEventOrganisers by VisitScotland

TourismandCultureTrends by The Scottish Government, January 2012

EdinburghFestivalsImpactStudy by BOP Consulting, May 2011

The2010RyderCup:EconomicImpactAssessment by IFM Sports Marketing Surveys, March 2011

ScottishOpenGolfChampionship2011EconomicImpactAssessment by Reference Economic Consultants, Jan 2012

Evaluation:TheMelroseSevens2008 by Ashbrook Research & Consultancy, June 2008

Howtomaximisetheeconomicbenefitofeventsinyourarea by TIG, Feb 2009

EstimatingtheEconomicImpactsofFestivalsandEvents:AResearchGuide by CRC Tourism, 2002

Destination:Music–Thecontributionofmusicfestivals&majorconcertstoTourismintheUK by UK Music

GeneratingVisitorSpending:Mega-SportingEvents by Visa, 2011

ResourceGuide:TheImpactofEvents by The Higher Education Academy, May 2007

TheHighlandCouncilInvernessCityCommittee report, August 2010

TheEconomicImpactoftheUKFilmIndustry by Oxford Economics, June 2010

Scottish Household Survey, 2011

What are you going to do?

Copy written, designed and produced by Tall Poppies Scotland, 2012

Know what’s out there

• Get up to date: use events listings to research the events, large and small that are happening in your area; identify which are shoulder and off-season as well as high season.

• Research the websites of local arts and cultural venues, museums and heritage sites to find out what their upcoming programme is.

• Find out what event support toolkits are available from EventScotland and VisitScotland that you could use to promote your business.

• Consider how you can get involved with the ‘Winning Years’ campaign in the build-up to 2014, and start planning now for Homecoming 2014.

Understand your visitors

• Organise staff familiarisation trips for events and cultural experiences in your area so they can sell them to visitors.

• Consider the needs and wants of different visitor types – do you currently have facilities and services that meet their needs, and do you promote them?

• What special products and packages can you offer that tie in with a cultural experience or event in your area?

Build new relationships

• Visit local artists’ studios and talk to artists about their work and opportunities for on-site visits/workshops/talks.

• Get in touch with local event organisers to see what services you can offer and how they can promote your business.

Provide authentic experiences

• Provide or point visitors to high quality, unique and authentic experiences that will enhance memories of their visit.

• Hook in to national days as a way to promote the ‘Scottishness’ of your business – especially St Andrews Day and Burns Night for the off-season.

• Promote your own mini events based on the cultural experiences you have on your doorstep.

6. LINKS & rESOUrCES

[email protected]: 0845 601 2454

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