Scottish visitor attractions record an increase in visitor numbers for the fifth year in a row

Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop said: “This South of Scotland event was a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the unique stories and attractions that can be found in the region.

“The South of Scotland has a lot to offer both domestic and international tourists which is why the Scottish Government is working to support the region and help it grow and attract even more visitors by funding projects that are promoting sustainable tourism and adventure tourism as well as providing £500,000 of additional funding to VisitScotland for the #SeeSouthScotland campaign.”

VisitScotland Regional Leadership Director Paula Ward said, “We were delighted to have this opportunity to host an event at the Scottish Parliament to celebrate tourism in the south of Scotland.

“It was fantastic to see so many tourism businesses from the Scottish Borders and Dumfries & Galloway in attendance at the event and I hope they will come away feeling excited and optimistic about the work we are doing and the commitment we have in showcasing the region to the world. We are particularly delighted to be able to showcase the fantastic range of product from across the region who are an excellent example of the diversity and quality available to visitors across the length and breadth of the South of Scotland.

“It’s such an exciting time for the south of Scotland and we hope #SeeSouthScotland encourages visitors around the world to experience the abundance of activities, rich experiences and stunning scenery on offer for themselves.”

Joan McAlpine MSP (Member for south of Scotland)said: "I am delighted to co-host this showcase for south Scotland in our national parliament. It's a wonderful opportunity for VisitScotland to promote Dumfries and Galloway to the rest of the country. From stunning scenery, outdoor pursuits, incredible heritage and marvellous food and drink, the region has so many attractions and this special campaign rightly celebrates them all"

Rachael Hamilton MSP (Member for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire)said: “Tourism is an incredibly important enabler in the Scottish Borders and it’s essential that we are part of Visit Scotland’s campaign to promote the South of Scotland.

“Rural tourism in Borders towns and villages creates jobs and benefits the wider economy and we are lucky to have a wide and varied tourism offering and plenty of reasons for tourists to visit. Famously Hawick showcases the best of cashmere and knitwear to tweed, gin and whisky production, Berwickshire boasts breathtaking coastal walks, agri-tourism ventures like Fluffy Moos offer corporate team building. So too have Thirlestane Castle developed a fantastic accommodation offering alongside its traditional visitor experience and Newcastleton havs the world class 7-stanes mountain biking trail.”

For more information on the national tourist board’s campaign, please see here https://www.visitscotland.com/campaign/see-south-scotland/.

VisitScotland has created a South of Scotland Toolkit for businesses to access campaign material, to view click here https://www.visitscotland.org/supporting-your-business/marketing-toolkits/south-of-scotland