Virtual event puts Argyll on global travel trade map

A second virtual travel trade event has helped spread the word about Argyll as a destination on the global stage.

More than a dozen tourism businesses, operators and destination organisations from Argyll and the Isles, Helensburgh, Loch Lomond and Dunbartonshire attended the Scotland Reconnect 2021 event at the end of April.

Organised and run by VisitScotland, the three-day event was aimed at reconnecting with global tour operators and travel agents in international markets.

More than 7,000 pre-arranged business meetings took place between 390 buyers from 26 countries and almost 300 Scottish suppliers.

There were 12 regional destination showcases about Scotland’s landscape, history, food and drink, culture and warm welcome. Nearly 100 delegates participated in the Argyll and the Isles destination showcase, making it one of the best attended.

Scotland Reconnect 2021 followed the success of a similar pilot event in November, the first of its kind by the national tourism organisation. It allows Scottish businesses to connect with buyers from around the globe digitally, helping the recovery of the country’s tourism industry for the end of 2021 and into 2022.

Buyers from the USA, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Australia and Brazil attended, as well as

London-based inbound operators representing the Japanese and Chinese markets.

David Adams McGilp, regional director at VisitScotland, said: ‘This last 12 months has been devastating for tourism across the world but, hopefully, as travel restrictions ease, we can begin to plan some brilliant new programmes, products and itineraries for our international operators.

‘I understand some fantastic and valuable new connections have been made during the many one-to-one Scotland Reconnect appointments and I hope our buyers were inspired and informed about our unique country through the regional destination showcases and panelist sessions.’