Historic location for capital’s visitor information

VISITORS to Scotland will experience cutting edge information and inspiration as VisitScotland opens a brand new iCentre for the capital city on May 22nd 2019.

The national tourism organisation today unveiled its new visitor information centre within the City Chambers on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh.

Located in the heart of the historic Old Town, close to Edinburgh Castle, the national tourism organisation has invested £400,000 to provide a ‘welcoming and attractive’ experience, offering information through a wide variety of tools to ensure visitors experience the best of the city and Scotland as a whole.

The new iCentre will replace the current site operating at the top of Waverley Mall Shopping Centre and will offer high quality face-to-face, printed and digital information to showcase the very best of the city, and the whole of Scotland, to visitors.

Investment in the flagship stand-alone centre is part of a dynamic strategy to respond to changes in the way visitors access information. New technology is a key element of the visitor experience at the Royal Mile site, which is reflected in its dynamic design. While visitors are encouraged to move fluidly around the space and make use of the stand-up desks and ticketing system in place, they can take inspiration from the digital screens displaying locations from across Scotland.

VisitScotland Head of Information Manuela Calchini said: “The move to our new flagship iCentre in the heart of Edinburgh’s historic old town represents is a real opportunity for us to work differently and encourage more interaction with our visitors.

“By re-locating to the heart of the visitor experience on the Royal Mile, our dedicated team of iCentre staff can give information and further inspire many more visitors to see, do and spend more right across the city of Edinburgh, the wider region and Scotland as a whole.

“The way visitors access information has changed significantly over the past decade. This investment comes hand in hand with our focus on new and diverse initiatives to reach as many people as possible with the information they want, in the way they want it, when they want it.”

Councillor Alasdair Rankin, Convener of the Finance and Resources Committee for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “The new iCentre is a great addition to the heart of our historic old town offering visitors the information they need to make the most of our internationally renowned Capital city. This lease demonstrates excellent use of a part of the City Chambers that we no longer use while bringing in valuable income which can be used to improve our services.”

Robin Worsnop, Chair of the Edinburgh Tourism Action Group said: “The opening of VisitScotland’s new iCentre on the Royal Mile is a fantastic addition to our capital city and will help ensure that every visitor gets the most out of their trip to Scotland. Situated in the heart of Edinburgh's historic Old Town on the Royal mile, the new visitor centre will showcase the very best of what our city and the wider region has on offer.”

Gordon Robertson, Chairman of Marketing Edinburgh, said: “Edinburgh is the UK’s most popular city destination outside of London, but the job to promote it doesn’t finish when a visitor arrives – it’s an ongoing effort to show the best side of the city we know and love. VisitScotland’s new flagship iCentre plays a key role in that, and we’re excited about the level of accessibility to information it will afford people discovering our city.

“The centre’s new location means it’s both at the centre of historic Edinburgh and at the core of the visitor experience. It will allow people to discover more, access information and book tickets without detouring from exploring one of the most fascinating areas of our city. Marketing Edinburgh looks forward to the role the iCentre will play in helping people make the most of their time in Scotland’s capital city.”

Visitorsto Scotland are benefitting from a significant increase in the number of channels providing content on places to visit and stay, with a mix of industry partners – through the VisitScotland iKnow partner programme, Coo Vans and digital products sitting alongside the Royal Mile iCentre, one of 26 high footfall travel hubs in Scotland.

As well as a team of dedicated staff on hand to help visitors make the most of their visit, additional features, such as inspirational wall graphics, leaflets and maps, are all designed to give a true sense of destination to promote Edinburgh, the wider region and Scotland as a whole. A range of tours, transport and attraction tickets coupled with our Scotland-wide accommodation booking service will enhance the in-destination service. In addition, the iCentre will showcase a collection of unique gifts focussing on Scottish suppliers promoting its Shop Local initiative. Visitors will also be encouraged to top up their own re-fillable water bottles on site.

For more details about visitor information at VisitScotland go to https://www.visitscotland.org/about-us/what-we-do/visitor-information