Tourism ‘gathering’
Scottish tourism and events businesses can book their place to connect with tour operators and travel agents from key international markets next year.
Registrations for The National Tourism Organisation’s Discover Scotland: Reconnect 2022 virtual event open on December providing an opportunity for Scottish businesses to promote Scotland as a destination and exhibit their products.
The latest consumer sentiment indicates that responsible tourism is a consideration for many travellers across the world, with nearly two thirds of visitors saying they considered sustainability and the environmental impact when planning future holidays. Those saying they were comfortable using public transport within the destination, for example, had risen 10 per cent to 61 per cent, between December 2020 and September 2021.
VisitScotland’s virtual event programme takes place April 5-7, 2022 and will offer a mix of pre-scheduled and ad hoc meeting appointments between Scottish exhibitors and international buyers, on demand content and virtual experiences.
The focus of the event will be driven by new responsible product development by enabling Scottish businesses to showcase their commitment to make Scotland a leading destination for sustainable, accessible and inclusive tourism.
The event programme will include round table panel discussions – discussing the opportunities and challenges of responsible tourism, promoting sustainable products and encouraging responsible product development.
The virtual event will cater to different time zones, thus making business meetings with buyers from international markets accessible.
International visitors are incredibly important to Scottish tourism and in 2019 there were 3.5 million overnight stays in the country, spending £2.5 billion, which is 43 per cent of the total overnight spend in Scotland.