The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Golf tourism awards a first for Highlands
If the B9006 figures in your daily drive – or you have just been visiting Culloden – you might have wondered what was going on.
A special marquee has been appearing at the site, ready to host an international awards event.
The Scottish Golf Tourism Awards attracts big-name tour operators from around the world and is a chance to showcase what the area has to offer.
In recent years, it has been held at St Andrews.
But now, in partnership with The Press and Journal, the prestigious awards event is focused on Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre.
The awards take place on Thursday, at the end of Scottish Golf Tourism Week. The practical work on the marquee has been under way for a few days now, with delegates due to arrive today.
Tomorrow and Monday, the delegates will be fanning out across Scotland on familiarisation trips.
There is a golf day at Cabot Highlands (Castle Stuart) on Tuesday followed by a welcome dinner and drinks reception at the Kingsmills Hotel.
Wednesday and Thursday are full of meetings, again at the Kingsmills.
The Scottish Golf Tourism Awards take place on Thursday evening at Culloden.
Andrew Duncan, operations manager of Arc Marquees, supervises the construction at Culloden.
It is estimated that the tour operators in attendance bring 50,000 golf tourists into Scotland every year.
The 11th annual awards celebrate the best courses and service to visitors.
Importantly, it is a chance to show just what the Highlands – and the rest of Scotland – has to offer to golf tourism.
They are to be staged on March 21 at the National Trust for Scotland’s fivestar Culloden Battlefield Visitor Centre.
Scottish Golf Tourism Week is being held in Inverness for the first time.
The event is in association with Luxe Scot.
It is estimated that Scotland’s biggest golf industry conference will be worth £3 million to the local economy. It should also bring longer-term benefits to the city and the Highlands.
P&J editor Craig Walker said: “It’s a privilege to help bring Scottish Golf Tourism Week to the Highlands.
“I can’t think of a much better venue than the globally recognised site at Culloden.”