Tourism

A new festival focusing on Scotland's myths, legends and dark history will launch in Upper Nithsdale in the autumn.

Award-winning tour creators and guides, Mostly Ghostly are behind the Festival of Folklore, which will run from 27-29 September 2019. The festival will feature storytelling, art, tours and trails with festival locations including Crawick Multiverse, A’ the Airts, Wanlockhead Museum of Lead Mining, the dramatic Kirkconnel hills and historic streets of Sanquhar. 

With thanks to funding from the Lanarkshire LEADER programme, Lowther Hills Ski Club has achieved a key milestone in its development that will allow the social enterprise to grow visitor capacity and meet the recreational needs of local inhabitants both in winter and throughout the year.

A new campaign will promote the Forth Valley as an accessible visitor destination.

The Forth Valley Accessibility Tourism Promotion will create a suite of downloadable and print itineraries as wellas three films highlighting the full range of accessible attractions and accommodation providers in the area. The itineraries will be tailored for visitors with Autism, Dementia and Mobility issues and will cover three themes: Family Fun, Heritage and Outdoor activity.

A new passport for the 134-mile John Muir Way has been launched to coincide with the route's fifth anniversary.

Walkers and cyclers undertaking the John Muir Way can not get the official passport stamped at 'Stamping Stations' along the route, which has been split into ten sections to complete.

Do you know a small or medium-sized business in Scotland that deserves special recognition?

​The Scottish Rural Awards 2020 are now open for entries and nominations in a number of categories including a new category: Best Countryside Digital Innovator. The winner of this category will be crowned for successfully championing digital projects and products across the agricultural, rural and tourism sectors in Scotland. 

​The award categories are:

In early July a free Android app will guide visitors and local people around the West Mainland of Orkney. Orcadian Tom Muir, a traditional storyteller, and his American wife Rhonda Muir are creators of Orkneyology.com and organisers of the Orkney Storytelling Festival.​ Here, they tell us more about the Orkney Folklore Trail app. 

People are being encouraged to ‘Discover Upper Nithsdale’ with the launch of a new tourist trail which aims to ‘change the story’ of the area from economic deprivation to tourism success.  

The shortlist for the first Young Women in Tourism Awards has been announced.

The awards are run by Women in Tourism, an organisation created to motivate, inspire, support and encourage women across the sector, and  support the next generation of industry leaders.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Edinburgh on 12 June 2019. 

Susan Russell, Chair of Women In Tourism commented:

Scottish Land and Estates are now seeking nominations for the 2019 round of the Helping it Happen Awards.

Now into their third year, the awards are looking to build on past success and acknowledge the enormous contribution that rural businesses make to the Scottish economy.

An interactive map has been created to encourage community groups to think about how they can tap into the potential of the North Coast 500 tourist route.

The Scottish Land Commission funded an internship, to help support the North Highland Initiative's (NHI) next action to encourage community projects that will build on the increased numbers of visitors and interest in the North Coast 500 area.