Q: Vicki, how is tourism to Scotland looking right now?
A: International tourism in Scotland continues to perform strongly, with demand not only recovering but surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
Scotland welcomed 1,975,000 international visits in the first half of 2024, a 14% increase compared to the same period in 2023 and a 46% rise on 2019. Scotland continues to outpace other parts of the UK in international tourism recovery.
Q: Do you believe Australia is helping in this post-COVID recovery?
A: Australia remains one of our most valuable international markets. In 2023, it was Scotland’s seventh largest by number of visits and ranked fourth in visitor spend and third in terms of nights stayed.
Australian visitors accounted for five per cent of all overseas visits to Scotland and six per cent of international spend. Encouragingly, 2023 saw Australian visitor numbers, nights and spend exceed both 2022 and pre-COVID levels.
Connectivity is also recovering well, with international capacity continuing to grow and provide greater access to Scotland. Emirates resumed its direct Edinburgh–Dubai service in November 2024, adding more seats from key long-haul markets such as Australia and supporting continued growth from the region.
Q: What can you tell us about that’s coming up in 2025 and beyond?
A: This is shaping up to be another landmark year for tourism and events in Scotland, with a range of exciting new developments that further enhance our cultural, accommodation and visitor experience offering.
In Inverness, we will see the opening of the reimagined Inverness Castle Experience, a major new visitor attraction celebrating the unique spirit, heritage and landscapes of the Highlands – a region that holds deep emotional and ancestral appeal for many international visitors, including those from Australia.
This opening follows a wave of recent cultural investments across the country, including The Burrell Collection in Glasgow, the Perth Museum, the new Scottish Galleries at the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh and the relocated Scottish Crannog Centre in Perthshire.
In the world of distilling, Shetland will become home to the UK’s most northerly whisky distillery with the opening of The Lerwick Distillery. In Orkney, Highland Park reopened its 200-year-old distillery and Eden Mill Distillery will open its new distillery in St Andrews powered by renewable energy.
Glasgow marks its 850th anniversary this year, making it a fantastic opportunity to explore this UNESCO City of Music and experience its vibrant culture, world-class music, architecture and thriving culinary scene.
Q: For those who haven’t been, what kind of experience will visitors have in Scotland?
A: Scotland offers an experience like no other, where incredible landscapes meet centuries of history, vibrant culture and warm hospitality.
Whether it’s exploring dramatic lochs and glens, visiting ancient castles, savouring world-famous whisky and local cuisine, or connecting with ancestry, visitors will find experiences that are enriching, authentic and unforgettable.
Scotland’s landscapes provide the perfect setting for outdoor adventure, from hiking, biking and kayaking to wild swimming, island-hopping and wildlife watching, all set against a backdrop that shifts beautifully with the seasons.
Scotland’s magic lies not only in its landscapes, but in the emotional connections it creates – a sense of belonging, discovery and wellbeing that stays with travellers long after the journey ends. It’s truly good for the soul.
Q: Are travel agents still important in delivering your tourism messages?
A: The use of travel intermediaries for booking elements of a trip is typically higher for visitors from Australia than other long-haul markets with 81% booking their accommodation via a travel intermediary and 63% using at least one type of travel intermediary for holiday planning.
We want to ensure Scotland is bookable and promoted via intermediaries who share and support our vision.
It’s important that Australian visitors can find the Scotland experience they’re looking for on the booking channels they prefer to use.
Travel agencies / advisors remain vital to travel distribution in Australia especially for planning and deciding where to go.
Market development is a key focus area for us over the next few years. Part of that activity includes working with transport partners to help build a strong route network for Scotland, making it easier for visitors to reach us.
Dunnottar Castle
Q: How do you keep Australian agents and operators updated on what’s available in Scotland?
A: We welcome Australian intermediaries to our own flagship travel trade event VisitScotland Connect where we connect them with Scottish suppliers through one-to-one meetings.
VisitScotland Connect reflects our focus on responsible tourism, highlighting businesses with sustainable and inclusive practices.
By working with delegates of VisitScotland Connect our aim is to encourage visitors to slow down, stay longer, visit all year round, explore more widely and, in turn, contribute to the sustainable quality of life of the communities they encounter.
We welcomed eight Australian operators to VisitScotland Connect 2025 in Aberdeen. This provided a fantastic platform to strengthen their connections with Scottish suppliers going on to build and contract the ideal offers for their own client base.
We also offer a programme of familiarisation trips and were delighted to host four of the Australian operators and agents as part of this. It’s a great way for participants to experience the Scottish product first hand.
Last year we also participated in VisitBritain’s Australia Roadshow, which allowed Scottish businesses to meet on location with buyers in three key gateway cities.
We also delivered Scotland destination and sales training presentations to support Australian tour operators and travel agency networks and to help keep them abreast of what’s new.
Ring of Brodgar
Q: Finally, what are some of your favourite places and activities in Scotland?
A: That’s always a hard one as Scotland is so diverse in terms of landscape and experiences.
Its beauty also changes across the seasons. I live in Perthshire which is especially beautiful in the autumn, close to Fife and the beautiful coastline of the East Neuk.
I still have family in Dumfries & Galloway and recently got to enjoy a weekend in Galloway with friends and was reminded just how beautiful that area is.
I am fortunate that in my role I get to visit all parts of Scotland and meet with many of the people who give our visitors that welcome that we’re known for.
