While Visit Scotland lifted a glass (of Johnnie Walker whisky) to all things Scotland at a trade event in Toronto on Tuesday evening, foremost amongst the cheers (slàinte) was the resumption of service by WestJet for the summer.
“It’s a vote of confidence,” said Gary Cox, the Scottish government’s head of aviation, who arrived that day on the inaugural WestJet flight from Glasgow.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming Canadians with just passports and tickets,” he added.
The WestJet service includes new direct flights to Glasgow (four times weekly) and Edinburgh (three times weekly) from YYZ, the latter launching today (June 2) seasonally until the fall. And Halifax-Glasgow flights (three times weekly through Oct. 22) began May 31. The latter, launched in 2015, was WestJet’s first service to Scotland.
WestJet spokesperson Monica Stevenson noted that the carrier is now offering 130% more seats to Scotland than it did pre-pandemic, and that the flights were selling well.
She also added that network-wide, WestJet reached a single-day high since the pandemic last week, carrying 55,000 passengers.
Air Canada and Transat also offer flights to Scotland, which counts Canada amongst its top 10 markets (125,000 visitors in 2019), not least because of the historical connections between the countries, but the large diaspora and Canadians with ancestral roots there (estimated at around five million people).
The Visit Scotland mission, which includes webinars for travel agents, follows the Discover Scotland: Reconnect 2022 event in April, which saw Scottish tourism businesses engage directly with tour operators, travel advisors and Destination Management Companies to help rebuild international travel. In all, 324 Scottish businesses engaged with nearly 300 international tour operators and travel agents from 21 global markets, including Canada, during the three-day online event.
In Toronto, Visit Scotland’s market manager for Scotland, Keith Campbell, emphasized that Scotland is open for business and is “calling” its Canadian cousins, a play on the tourist board’s “Scotland is Calling,” marketing slogan.
He highlighted several of Scotland’s major tourism themes and developments this year, including:
Year of Stories 2022: Running all year, Scotland’s Themed Year will shine a spotlight on a wide-ranging and far-reaching program of events and festivals throughout 2022. Visitors will be able to experience a diversity of voices, take part in events and explore the places, people and cultures connected to all forms of stories inspired by, created, or written in Scotland. These include local tales, oral traditions, iconic books, and tales told on the big screen – all inspired by Scotland and its culture. Visitors can follow in the footsteps of Sir Walter Scott, explore the lands that inspired Outlander, find a great read in Wigtown Booktown, and more.
World’s first UNESCO trail: Launched in October 2021, Scotland is home to the world’s first ever UNESCO trail, which brings together some of the country’s most iconic, diverse, and culturally significant sites. It connects 13 different UNESCO destinations, reaching from the biosphere in the south of Scotland to the island of St Kilda in the west, The North West Highlands Geopark, and the creative cities in the east, and much more in between. The trail encourages visitors to slow down, stay longer, visit all year round and to make sustainable travel choices, contributing to Scotland’s world-leading position as a responsible tourism destination.
Live events
Live events are returning with a plethora of events big and small in 2022. Among them, the iconic and notable:
Edinburgh Festivals: Home to 11 world-class festivals, Edinburgh is renowned as the world’s leading festival city, attracting an audience of over 4.5 million every year. In 2022, the capital will once more come alive with vibrant colours, shows and events for all ages, and with this year marking the 75th anniversary of the Edinburgh International Festival (Aug. 6-28), Edinburgh Festival Fringe (Aug. 5-27), and Edinburgh International Film Festival (Aug. 12-20), not to mention Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo (Aug. 5-27), it promises to be a very special summer.
Highland Games: After a two-year absence, the popular Highland Games return this summer. Visitors can experience a sense of Scottish community, heritage, and celebration like no other, set against the backdrop of a gripping sporting spectacle. At Games across the country (at various times throughout the summer), attendees can marvel at the champions’ feats of strength and have a chat with the locals over a plate of mince and tatties.
The 150th Open Championship: From July 10 to 17 at legendary St. Andrews, the historic championship will be held back home in Scotland where golf began with the world’s top players descending on Fife to try capture the Claret Jug.