Meet our Director of Strategy and Competitive Intelligence

Our Meet the Team series spotlights staff from across VisitScotland, bringing you stories of the people behind the job titles. In this feature, hear from our Director of Strategy and Competitive Intelligence, Cat Leaver.

"The visitor economy has long been the cornerstone of Scotland’s economy, positively impacting people and places across the length and breadth of the country, and firmly positioning Scotland on the world stage. I feel honoured to be able to play my part in continuing to celebrate and support its prosperity and progress."

The Strategy and Competitive Intelligence Directorate was established just last year. What does this new role involve?

Working in such a fast paced and competitive space, this role and directorate offer an exciting opportunity for us to really have our finger on the pulse and help to join dots across the organisation and beyond.

VisitScotland has a vitally important role to play in shaping not just our visitor economy but also the future of our destination, and I see my role as an enabler to our teams in delivering upon this ambition.

As the Director of Strategy and Competitive Intelligence I have responsibility for leading our corporate communication and parliamentary affairs activity, our data and insight department, and our strategy function.

My teams play a crucial role in shaping VisitScotland’s strategic direction, ensuring that our decisions are insight-led, forward-thinking, and aligned with national and global tourism trends. In close collaboration with experts across the organisation we are focused on effective measurement and communication.

We provide data-driven intelligence, market analysis, and strategic foresight, to equip the wider organisation and tourism and events businesses with the knowledge and tools needed to drive sustainable growth, enhance our visitor experiences, and maintain Scotland’s competitive edge.

My vision for the new directorate is to be the heartbeat of VisitScotland – an animating and unifying force that enables and empowers, unlocking our full capability (which is vast) for the benefit of all.

What are you most looking forward to in the role?

Promoting your country, in my opinion, really is the best job in the world. With new leadership and a new strategic framework in place, I’m looking forward to delivering upon our new strategic direction and ensuring that VisitScotland continues to make the biggest possible positive impact for Scotland and its people.

Having previously worked in the marketing and digital side of the business, it’s been fascinating for me to get closer to the skill sets and outputs of my new directorate colleagues, seeing firsthand their passion, knowledge, and expertise. In the coming year, I’m excited about learning more from them, building on our successes, and creating space for our teams to really thrive and realise their full potential.

Cat speaking at the Signature Conference 2025. Credit: Simon Williams Photography

A recent piece of work by the insights team is the Trends 2025 report – why is this work important and how can industry use it to develop their own visitor experiences?

Our Trends papers are always very popular with businesses as they seek to find ways to meet consumer wants and needs, innovate and drive profitability. To paraphrase Maya Angelou “when you know better, you do better”. The more information we can gather, the better we can meet demand.

Being able to distil visitor trends into actionable insight presents real opportunity for businesses to tailor their offering and messaging, target new audiences, adapt to new channels, and enhance their practices.

Take ‘celebreaktions’, for example, and how destinations like Cairngorms National Park are really leaning into the visitor opportunity here for outdoor weddings, connecting audiences with a range of businesses and experiences that draw on their unique natural capital.

Or, ‘wellness tourism’ and the growth of sauna culture around Scotland’s lochs and coastline combined with outdoor pursuits like cold water swimming, e.g. Elie Seaside Sauna and Hot Tottie to name but two that I’ve sampled myself.

And, with the recent announcement of Tour de France 2027 and the Grand Départ from Edinburgh, there’s ample opportunity for businesses to consider how we build upon the learnings and successes of UCI Cycling World Championships 2023, and our natural capital to capture the attention of visitors driven by a passion for cycling and outdoor activities.

Finally, where have you enjoyed spending time in Scotland as a visitor in the past year?

Last summer, I spent two holidays on the East Neuk coast. It’s a part of the country that has really embraced and excelled in developing high quality local produce and agritourism experiences, alongside a strong and well-connected outdoor tourism offering.

We ate well, walked lots, enjoyed the fresh air, swam, and returned home with lots of extra pottery and farm goods – all signs of a good time and a strong visitor economy in action. My little girl and dog are particular fans of Elie beach (even when it rained). 

Enjoying a sunny walk on Elie beach