Whether by car, coach or luxury train, experiencing the lochs and glens and cultural highlights of Scotland has long been celebrated as one of Europe’s most stunning touring adventures. From the Edinburgh Festivals and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo to community and Highland Games events, summer in Scotland is never short of great events and experiences.
However, the secret known to the Scots is now increasingly attracting visitors from around the globe. According to VisitScotland, the country is even lovelier when things quieten down, the leaves start to turn, and log fires and the darker nights make for the ultimate “coorie break.”
“‘Coorie’ is our Scottish word for cozy – a bit like the Danish Hygge – but with fine malt whisky, cozy Fairisle knits and tweeds, ceilidhs and Hogmanay celebrations!” says Denise Hill, Head of Business Development and Intermediary Marketing at VisitScotland. “Scotland in the autumn and winter is a magical time, castles and forests illuminated with enchanted light, fire festivals, and, of course, dark sky watching and the Northern Lights.”
And she observes, tour operators selling Scotland have been successfully extending their main season programs for years – “now winter breaks are in demand.”
With this in mind, VisitScotland has launched a major new marketing campaign this Fall promoting the benefits of off-season travel and featuring tour companies such as Globus and Brendan Vacations.
“For travellers this means fewer crowds, more space to explore and more time to engage with the real Scotland and the Scots,” says Hill. “For operators, direct air services by flag carrier and low-cost airlines from our main source markets mean easy access and attractive off-season fares. And easier access to accommodation and experiences at competitive off-season rates.”
Travel trade resources
VisitScotland has launched a new Autumn/Winter page on its Travel Trade Hub, designed to inspire product development and support travel professionals in promoting Scotland’s off-season experiences. The page features a wide range of trade-ready resources, including videos, image assets and practical planning tools, highlighting the key benefits of autumn and winter travel: less stress and more magic, better value and greater availability for travellers.
Complementing this is a new Autumn and Winter Magic video available on YouTube, following the success of the spring/summer edition. In addition, a series of new itineraries is available on the Travel Trade Hub (https://traveltrade.visitscotland.org/resources/itineraries/) offering fresh ideas for building Scotland programs.
With so much collateral available to help plan an off-season getaway, Hill enthuses “We hope that many more of you will join in and encourage your clients to “coorie-in” in Scotland this autumn!”
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