Ayrshire & Arran industry update

Introduction from Regional Director Lynsey Eckford

Welcome to the April to June 2023 quarterly edition of our regional industry update for Ayrshire & Arran with an overview of some of the ways we’ve been promoting and supporting tourism in the area over the last few months.

Ayrshire & Arran Destination Alliance, Visit Arran, Simpsinns and Trump Turnberry were among tourism businesses representing Ayrshire & Arran at Scotland’s biggest business-to-business event for the travel trade, VisitScotland Connect. This was held at P&J Live in Aberdeen on 19 and 20 April.

While in Scotland, the international tour operators and travel agents also spent time travelling to sample in-person the scenery, hospitality, produce and attractions, through a series of "familiarisation" trips, which included a visit to Ayrshire & Arran. 

With the season almost in full swing, we are hearing encouraging signs from tourism and events businesses about the season ahead. We know that challenges certainly remain for you all, however as the schools break up for the summer holidays, the appetite for holidaying in Scotland is strong, from both the domestic and international markets.

Delegates network at the Ayrshire Destination Alliance Conference 2023 in March

Read on for more information on our activity to support tourism and events in Ayrshire & Arran, and promote the fantastic things to see, do and enjoy across the region.

What's included in this update:

Global PR

UK press activity

visitscotland.com blogs 

Social media update

2023 UCI Cycling World Championships

Local industry news on VisitScotland.org

Year of Stories - the evaluation

Bellevue Farm Cottages, self catering at Blackwaterfoot 

UK press activity

Some of the activity includes:

• we sent broadcast audio featuring Regional Director Lynsey Eckford to commercial radio stations. Lynsey was discussing the prospects for tourism in the region for the summer
• we issued an opinion editorial from Regional Director Lynsey Eckford which was published in the Arran Banner, Largs and Millport News, Irvine Herald, Cumnock Chronicle and Ayr Advertiser. You can read the article on the Arran Banner's website
• we issued a press release encouraging local businesses to enter the Scottish Thistle Awards which was featured in the Arran Banner, Kilmarnock Standard, Irvine Herald and Largs and Millport News

Businesses have their appointments at VisitScotland Connect, Aberdeen
 

• we issued a press release focusing on the Ayrshire businesses and familiarisation trip at B2B travel trade event VisitScotland Connect

Regional marketing - latest blogs

Read and share our blogs, which are available on our consumer website visitscotland.com. Latest content featuring Ayrshire & Arran includes:

6 island holidays for spring

The 152nd Open at Royal Troon

Best island restaurants

Music festivals includes Kelburn Castle

And we have been working on updating some other pages on our website:

South West Scotland for families

14 places you must visit in 2023

7 incredible trips you could take this weekend

Spectators watch the Troon Open tournament

2023 UCI Cycling World Championships

The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will bring together 13 existing UCI World Championships into a new mega event in Glasgow and across Scotland from 3 - 13 August. It will see more than 8,000 cyclists and para-cyclists from over 120 countries taking part.

It's all "gearing up" and North Ayrshire's even had their very own cycling event ahead of the worldwide championship. It was a family fun day which was free and held at the Circuit in Irvine.

Handy resources for you and your visitors
 

1. Want to know more? Visit the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championship website to read everything you need to know. This page is a really useful resource.
    
2. We've pulled together a handy guide for the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships. Find out about the events happening across Scotland to keep your visitors "on track". 
    
3. Sign-up to the mailing list to get the inside track on everything 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships. They share news, updates, and exclusive content.

Scotland's Year of Stories evaluation

During the Year of Stories 2022, we saw the likes of Ayrshire and Arran events "Once Upon a Time in South Ayrshire". This celebrated Robert Burns and South Ayrshire's storytelling heritage in a year-long programme of events. 

And Historic Environment Scotland's blog series which featured "From the Punjab to Pirnmill, Arran – A Scottish South Asian immigrant story". 

Shadows of the past...Ayr's Myths, Legends & History was a successful "thought-provoking" self-led tour.

Find out more about the full impact of Scotland's Year of Stories 2022 with key insights, learnings and results.

Photocall for Year of Stories launch

Future Themed Year

We're asking for your help to scope out options for a future Themed Year. Our Themed Years celebrate the very best of Scotland and its people. Take part in our survey – it’s open until 20 July 2023.