VisitScotland eUpdate - August 2007
This is the eighth eUpdate of the year which features a wide range of articles which hopefully you will find of interest. Remember you can update your subscription details or forward this eUpdate to a colleague, by clicking on the links above. Let us know what you think of eUpdate by emailing us at eupdate@visitscotland.com. Please contact us also if you would like to hear more about any of our marketing activities or business opportunities.
13/08/2007
The new Aberdeen City Guide 2007 is now available for visitors to the North East of Scotland. More...15/08/2007
Tourist Board Training is organising a series of niche market workshops in Moray this Autumn, which are also linked to VisitScotland Quality Assurance Welcome Schemes. More...15/08/2007
The Spirit of Speyside Walking and Wildlife Festival begins in Moray this month, running from Thursday 23 to Monday 27 August More...15/08/2007
The 2007 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival saw the highest visitor numbers yet, according to a report produced this week by an independent market research team. More...15/08/2007
VisitScotland Aberdeen and Grampian is urging locals and visitors across the region to log on to a website to vote for their favourite café in the north east. More...15/08/2007
VisitScotland's Business Tourism Unit - North is currently organising a Northern Showcase in Edinburgh at the exclusive Merchants Hall on 2 October. More...13/08/2007
Eastern Airways - which operates more services to and from Aberdeen than any other airport - has announced its first scheduled international route from Scotland. More...13/08/2007
Following the incident at Glasgow Airport, additional security measures are in place at all BAA airports, including Aberdeen. More...13/08/2007
BBC One’s ‘The One Show’ travelled up to the tiny village of Lonmay in Banffshire this week to film the churchyard where Elvis Presley’s ancestors are said to be buried, ahead of the 30th anniversary of the great rock star’s death (16 August). More...13/08/2007
Twelve time ‘Britain in Bloom’ winner Aberdeen and Grampian is awash with blossom over the coming weeks as flower shows kick off across the region. More...14/08/2007
The hunt is on for excellence and innovation in tourism businesses across Aberdeen and Grampian, with the launch of the 2007 Northern Lights Tourism Awards. More...14/08/2007
The VisitScotland Aberdeen & Grampian Marketing team is urging accommodation providers in the north east to partake in an opportunity that will enable them to set up and manage their own individual website and to handle automatic online bookings via their site. More...14/08/2007
VisitScotland Aberdeen & Grampian have commissioned Aberdeen-based design and advertising agency, Rhino Creative Ltd, to design the Holiday Guide and Leisure Breaks Brochure and Essential Guide for 2008. More...14/08/2007
The Moray towns of Keith and Dufftown are among six Scottish communities to have won a nation-wide challenge, which will see them receive 18 months of ongoing support and advice from tourism industry professionals. More...15/08/2007
Tourism businesses in Ayrshire & Arran have access to a wide range of opportunities to promote their business - sign up to the Visitor Guides and Ayrshire & the Isle of Cumbrae Bedroom Pack now... More...15/08/2007
Arran is set for a tourism boost in autumn 2007 and spring 2008 with financial support given through VisitScotland’s Challenge Fund. More...15/08/2007
Ayr Racecourse hopes to see an increase of tourists following the award of £28,000 from VisitScotland’s Challenge Fund. More...15/08/2007
The Scottish Sailing Institute welcomed the Flying Fifteen Class Association back to the championship sailing venue at Largs at the end of last month. More...15/08/2007
Ryanair, Europe’s largest low fares airline, has announced three new routes from its Glasgow Prestwick base to Belfast, Budapest and Kaunas. More...15/08/2007
A new food and walking outdoor festival has been announced for East Ayrshire. More...15/08/2007
Tourist Board Training is organising a series of niche market workshops, which are also linked to VisitScotland Quality Assurance Welcome Schemes. More...15/08/2007
Web In A Box (WIAB) - the exciting new e-commerce product enabling accommodation providers to set up and manage their own website and to handle automatic online bookings via their own website - is still available for providers to participate in. More...15/08/2007
Tourist Board Training has unveiled their autumn/winter programme of courses designed to encourage businesses and staff to find out more about specialist visitors to a business or area. More...15/08/2007
For 10 months, the new accommodation booking system extranet has been in use; the system which is used to update your availability on a frequent basis. To ensure the system works to its maximum effect, providers must update their availability regularly. More...15/08/2007
VisitScotland's Business Tourism Unit - North is currently organising a Northern Showcase in Edinburgh at the exclusive Merchants Hall on 2 October. More...15/08/2007
Two accommodation providers in Orkney have recently attained five star status, while six providers have attained four star status, following an inspection from the VisitScotland Quality Assurance team. More...14/08/2007
Orkney is among six Scottish communities to have won a nation-wide challenge, which will see the islands receive 18 months of ongoing support and advice from tourism industry professionals. More...15/08/2007
VisitOrkney and VisitShetland have teamed up with NorthLink Ferries and Loganair to produce promotional inserts which will feature in the autumn/winter edition of the Ramblers Association magazine, ‘Walk’, and also in the October edition of ‘Coast’ magazine. More...15/08/2007
Tourist Board Training is organising a series of niche market workshops in Orkney this Autumn, which are also linked to VisitScotland Quality Assurance Welcome Schemes More...15/08/2007
The Shetland Amenity Trust is running a number of ranger-guided walks around the isles throughout the summer, offering visitors the chance to explore Shetland from top to bottom. More...15/08/2007
Shetland’s fourth annual Blues Festival kicks off in Lerwick at the end of the month, from Friday 31 August until Sunday 2 September. More...15/08/2007
VisitScotland's Business Tourism Unit - North is currently organising a Northern Showcase in Edinburgh at the exclusive Merchants Hall on 2 October. More...15/08/2007
VisitShetland is urging locals and visitors across the islands to log on to a website to vote for their favourite café in Shetland. More...15/08/2007
VisitScotland Perthshire and the VisitScotland Press Office are currently working with Tate Britain on a groundbreaking partnership, which will see a group of London journalists visit Perthshire in September. More...15/08/2007
This year is going to be an exciting year for the organisers of Blair Castle International Horse Trials as they host the cream of Europe's young event riders. More...15/08/2007
Why not visit the Enchanted Forest this autumn at Faskally Wood, by Pitlochry? The focus of this year's event will be 'Creation', with spectacular lighting & sound effects being used to illustrate the earth's history from its early volcanic state, the Ice Age & the Jurassic era right through to modern times. More...15/08/2007
A Thomas Telford Trail has been launched on the 250th anniversary of the birth of Thomas Telford. More...15/08/2007
Stay ahead of what’s happening in Dumfries & Galloway and you can pass on information to your visitors about events they can experience. There’s a cultural feast for the eyes, ears and taste buds! More...15/08/2007
The Dumfries & Galloway Area Tourism Partnership (ATP) has announced that their new Chair will be Dr Joan Mitchell. More...15/08/2007
Tourist Board Training is organising a series of niche market workshops, which are also linked to VisitScotland Quality Assurance Welcome Schemes. More...15/08/2007
The GaelForce season is about to go live all over Dumfries & Galloway! On Saturday 18 September look out for extraordinary antics taking place on a street near you... More...15/08/2007
Food events in September are becoming a consumer expectation, with Scottish Food Fortnight and Organic Fortnight both running, and British Food Fortnight following close behind; naturally Savour the Flavours wants Dumfries & Galloway to be a part of it. More...16/08/2007
Scottish Enterprise Dumfries & Galloway is offering FREE Online Toolkit Workshops to Dumfries & Galloway Businesses. The Online Marketer programme offers six practical, hands-on workshops. More...15/08/2007
This year, The Tour of Britain, is seven days in length starting in London and finishing in Glasgow - with the Scottish leg starting in Dumfries. More...15/08/2007
The search for Britain’s favourite view is on with last night's programme featuring Charles Kennedy's favourite view - the Isle of Skye. More...15/08/2007
Seachd – The Inaccessible Pinnacle received its world premiere on the 16th August at the 61st Edinburgh International Film Festival. Directed by Simon Miller and produced by Christopher Young. The film is a collaboration between Gaelic writers, actors, crew, vocalists and musicians to make a film set in modern day Scotland. More...15/08/2007
The autumn/winter suite of workshops has been designed to help tourism businesses effectively target and cater for a range of specialist markets. More...15/08/2007
Tourism operators in the Highlands and Islands still have time to submit their entry for an award which could help to raise their profile and make an impact on their future development. More...15/08/2007
VisitScotland's Business Tourism Unit is currently organising a Northern Showcase in Edinburgh at the exclusive Merchants Hall on 2nd October 2007. More...15/08/2007
Jean-Didier Hache, in conjunction with the Islands Book Trust, will present a talk on his new book “The French MacDonald” at Nunton Steadings on the 29th August at 8pm. More...15/08/2007
Faclan, the 2nd Hebridean Book Festival, is at An Lanntair from 29th August - 1st September 2007. More...15/08/2007
Kelso Racecourse is set to see an increase of tourists following the award of £28,000 from VisitScotland. More...15/08/2007
Tourist Board Training is organising a series of niche market workshops which are also linked to VisitScotland Quality Assurance Welcome Schemes. Each course looks at the particular needs of a specialist market and identifies how tourism and individual businesses can benefit. More...15/08/2007
Freelancer Kevin Arnold visited Scotland last September – on a press trip organised by VisitScotland – to experience Scotland as a mountain biking destination. More...15/08/2007
A showcase of locally produced food is kindly being hosted by The Lodge, Carfraemill, near Lauder on Monday 17 September, 7.00 – 9.00pm. More...15/08/2007
A Borders town has officially launched its ambitious campaign to promote its hidden treasures to potential visitors. More...15/08/2007
Over 170 mountain bikers recently flocked back to Innerleithen's downhill routes to celebrate the start of the venue's new vehicle uplift service. More...15/08/2007
Opportunities are still available to purchase space within the Scottish Borders 2008 Golf Guide. This is the official guide to the promotion of golf in the area with comprehensive promotion of 21 courses and Scotland’s best selling golf passport – Freedom of the Fairways. More...15/08/2007
Introducing a series of unique events designed specifically for self-catering operators. Offering you the chance to find the inspiration, advice and contacts to move your business up a gear. More...16/08/2007
Stay ahead of what’s happening in the Scottish Borders and pass on information to your visitors about events they can experience. There really is a cultural feast for the eyes, ears and taste buds. More...16/08/2007
The Scottish Borders Tourism Partnership (SBTP) will have its next meeting on 29 August 2007. If you have any comments for your sectoral representative, please contact them prior to the meeting. More...15/08/2007
Cairnie Fruit Farm and Mega Maze by Cupar has received a four star visitor attraction award from VisitScotland’s Quality Assurance scheme. More...15/08/2007
The St Andrews Golf Company (formerly Heritage Golf) recently moved to larger purpose-built premises at Largoward on the outskirts of St Andrews. More...15/08/2007
Tourist Board Training is organising a series of niche market workshops which are also linked to VisitScotland Quality Assurance Welcome Schemes. Read on for details of the current programme for 2007. More...15/08/2007
VisitScotland’s Business Tourism Unit is holding a unique event, called Spotlight on West Fife, on Wednesday 29 August at the Business Learning and Conference Centre (BLCC) in Dunfermline. More...15/08/2007
VisitScotland’s Business Tourism Central Team is offering Edinburgh based conference and events organisers the opportunity to discover the diversity that Fife has to offer for corporate events. More...15/08/2007
Following the opening of their new Business Centre and the refurbishment of the North Shore Restaurant and executive bedrooms, the Queensferry Hotel is proudly celebrating its re-launch. More...15/08/2007
As of Tuesday 14th August, if you need internet access you can go along to the St Andrews Tourist Information Centre, Market Street, St Andrews. More...16/08/2007
The Edinburgh and Lothians network office would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to new members of our Industry Engagement and Edinburgh Pass teams. More...16/08/2007
VisitScotland has been capitalising on Edinburgh’s rich festivals programme to help promote all there is to see and do across Scotland to visitors and residents in Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife during the city’s busy festival period. More...16/08/2007
Tourism related businesses in Midlothian are being urged to help create a stronger voice for the industry which employs some 6,000 people in the county and attracts total visitor expenditure of around £77m a year. More...16/08/2007
Tourist Board Training is organising a series of niche market workshops which are also linked to VisitScotland Quality Assurance Welcome Schemes. Read on for details of the Lothians' programme of workshops. More...16/08/2007
Midlothian based tour company Celtic Trails has been collaborating with Vorscot Tours on longer specialist tours for the last few years. They have launched a series of Landscape Mystery Tours including a tour of Highland Perthshire and the west coast and islands, and also one of south-west Scotland. More...16/08/2007
Midlothian’s largest annual arts festival Brass in the Park will be taking place again this year from Friday 31 August to Sunday 2 September at Newtongrange Park, Midlothian. More...16/08/2007
EasyJet, Europe’s leading low-fares airline, has announced the introduction of a new flight to Edinburgh this autumn. More...16/08/2007
Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) is joining forces with VisitScotland to create a new one-stop shop for tourism and travel information in Paisley. More...17/08/2007
Big events in the city can have a big effect on your business. Make sure these are in your diary for the weeks ahead. More...16/08/2007
Here is your chance to put some swing into your networking, with Glasgow Chamber of Commerce’s annual golf tournament on 3 September. More...17/08/2007
A dazzling aerial display by the Red Arrows will be amongst the highlights for the thousands of people expected to descend on Greenock’s Esplanade for the QE2’s visit on 20 September. More...16/08/2007
In less than a fortnight the Worlds are coming to Fort William - the mountain bike event of the year! More...15/08/2007
Seadrift, the visitor centre that focuses on the natural heritage of the north coast of Caithness was officially opened to the public in July by Councillor Drew Hendry, Highland Council's Chairman of Planning Environment and Development Committee. More...16/08/2007
VisitScotland has been working with some of the best restaurants in the Highlands to put together the Dine Around Highland promotion which runs from late September to 30 November 2007. More...16/08/2007
Following the update provided in July, VisitScotland are delighted to announce that we have agreed a 10 year lease on number 15 High Street in Fort William to accommodate the Tourist Information Centre (TIC). More...20/08/2007
Perth’s Alexander Residence has officially been crowned one of the best self catering businesses in Scotland with a five star accolade for both of its luxury apartments. More...16/08/2007
The use of our landscapes and built environment as film locations is big business for Scotland. But did you know that by taking a few practical steps, it could be big business for you? More...17/08/2007
Children represent tomorrow’s market today and it can be profitable to give some attention to how you welcome kids. This one-day workshop is aimed at all tourism businesses that accept children, from B&Bs and hotels to visitor attractions and restaurants. More...17/08/2007
Thistle Award-winning environmental arts organisation NVA and The National Theatre of Scotland have taken to both YouTube and terrestrial TV this month to promote their forthcoming Half Life production in Mid-Argyll next month. And it all has a distinctly Alien feel... More...17/08/2007
If you haven’t yet signed up for an entry in one of next year’s suite of visitor guides for Argyll, Loch Lomond and Forth Valley, you’ll have to make contact with your Business Relationship Manager by 3 September at the latest. More...17/08/2007
Big events taking place locally can have a big effect on your business—and it’s good to keep your guests informed too. Here’s a selection of highlight events around Argyll, Loch Lomond & Forth Valley in the coming weeks. More...16/08/2007
Scotland’s iconic events and festivals are being used as a draw for affluent visitors from London and the south of England. VisitScotland has created a new website - www.visitscotland.com/liveit - as part of a range of marketing activity targeting these hard to reach consumers. More...17/08/2007
VisitScotland is asking regular Scottish visitors to nominate their favourite cafes to create The Scottish Café Trail – a new initiative designed to inspire other visitors and promote Scotland in new light. More...20/08/2007
Scotland’s iconic events and festivals are being used as a draw for affluent visitors from London and the south of England. VisitScotland has created a new website - www.visitscotland.com/liveit - as part of a range of marketing activity targeting these hard to reach consumers. More...20/08/2007
The Scottish Tourism Forum’s popular AGM and Open Meeting will be held at Discovery Point in Dundee on Thursday 4 October 2007. The industry Open Meeting (open to all) begins at 11am and will look at the ‘Ingredients for Success for Scottish Tourism’ More...16/08/2007
Scottish Enterprise’s Sustainable Tourism Conference will take place on 2 October 2007 hosted by well-known writer and broadcaster, Muriel Gray. This event aims to promote good practice and will provide first hand accounts in sustainable tourism success from a wide range of tourism speakers. More...16/08/2007
The Scottish Enterprise Tourism Management Development Programme 2007/2008 will shortly commence, consisting of National Conferences, Executive Seminars, Learning Journeys, Masterclasses, Business Insights and many more local courses and partner events. The first of these events will be the Sustainable Tourism Conference, which will take place in October 2007. More...16/08/2007
Scottish Enterprise’s next series of Tourism Masterclasses, due to be held during 2007/2008, held in partnership with Gleneagles Hotel, commence in November 2007. All Masterclasses will be held at the wonderful venue of Gleneagles Hotel, Perth and below you will find further details on the forthcoming events and how to book your place to avoid disappointment. More...16/08/2007
Book now for the Scottish Enterprise Executive Development Learning Journey to Klaus Kobjoll’s award-winning Schindlerhof Hotel in Nuremberg, Germany and get an early bird discount. More...16/08/2007
People 1st will be holding a forum on 11th September to look at the area of hospitality supervision and the content and provision for skills development. These forums are essential for continual professional development, keeping you up-to-date and ensuring you are involved with the content and delivery of learning. More...16/08/2007
Tourist Board Training is offering individuals the opportunity to visit Latvia on a study visit. More...16/08/2007
Updates from VisitScotland's Scenario Planning team. More...16/08/2007
Pride & Passion is delighted to announce the new communities where our next Challenges will be located. In the north, they’ll be beavering away in Orkney, Dufftown and Keith, while further south Pitlochry, Peebles and Balloch will be getting it on in the name of the visitors…and in the name of better business, of course! More...14/08/2007
VisitScotland is seeking to take advantage of the high volume of consumers who visit Tourist Information Centres (TICs) by running seasonal prize draws to obtain personal, loyalty and interest information on consumers for future communications, and prizes are required for these seasonal competitions. More...20/08/2007
The Lorient Interceltique Festival ran from 3rd to 12th August and is Europe’s biggest Celtic music event. It attracts around 700,000 people to the town of Lorient in Brittany. This year, Scotland was the festival’s guest of honour – a great opportunity to showcase Scotland to an already enthusiastic audience. More...20/08/2007
The shortlist for Scotland's most-prestigious tourism awards has been announced. More... | 
