Connecting Scotland to the world

The countdown is firmly on to Scotland’s flagship travel trade event, VisitScotland Connect which returns to P&J Live in Aberdeen on 17 - 18 April.

Registrations so far have been incredibly positive. More than 200 buyers are due to attend from markets such as North America, Germany, and China.

The two-day event supports our efforts to grow Scotland’s share of global travel in a sustainable way and is a crucial part of our marketing strategy.

It brings tour operators and travel advisors directly together with Scottish suppliers. This ensures Scotland features on the travel itineraries of visitors from across the world.

Since our first VisitScotland Connect in April last year, our team has been busy evaluating feedback to understand:

• what worked well
• what additions we can make to ensure our 2024 activity builds on that success

More than half of international visitors plan and book their travel through the travel trade.

VisitScotland Connect offers a unique opportunity for valuable meetings to take place. Trade-ready tourism businesses can share their offering with those who sell Scotland on our behalf. And we are also bringing to life some of the assets and attributes that make Scotland a must-visit destination.

We are once again creating a curated programme of familiarisation trips. These will be themed around topics such as:

• agritourism
• culture and heritage
• food and drink
• luxury travel
• outdoor and nature
• responsible travel

This way, our international buyers can experience exactly what they will promote to their clients. These trips will take place right across the country. This ensures that the benefits of VisitScotland Connect reach far beyond its host city.

We are also working with a range of partners on a programme of activity just before and during the conference. This will put a spotlight on Scottish culture and create further opportunities for networking.