Food Tourism Industry Guide I VisitScotland.org

Create memorable food tourism experiences

Scotland’s reputation for food and drink is exceptional and our produce is renowned across the world for its exceptional quality and provenance. We want to share our world-class products through memorable tourism experiences right across the country and build our profile as a leading global destination for food and drink.

It's now a fundamental consideration for visitors in choosing destinations and an integral part of their stay in Scotland. In particular, interest in tasting local food and drink with a story behind it is booming and developing your food tourism product has the potential to generate additional revenue for Scotland's economy.

Use our food tourism industry guide to discover how to create impactful experiences that exceed the expectations of visitors and help you make the most of this lucrative market.

Local Scottish seafood ready to be served at Glenegedale House

Local Scottish seafood ready to be served at Glenegedale House.

Key food tourism statistics

82%

of international visitors want a destination with a good variety of food and drink options

£489 million

Total spend on eating and drinking by GB residents taking overnight trips in Scotland

51%

of US visitors said experiencing locally produced food and drink was important to them

25%

added economic benefit to a destination from food tourism

Sources: 1. VisitBritain MIDAS Research 2022 2. Great Britain Tourism Survey, 2022 3. Scotland Visitor Survey, 2023 4. World Food Travel Association / 2020 Food Travel Monitor

In this guide

How to develop a quality food tourism experience

Find out how to develop a quality food tourism experience or business with our guidance and case studies.

9 min read

How to market your food tourism business

Learn how to market your food tourism business and discover the business benefits of marketing and working with the travel trade.

7 min read

Local produce sourcing guidance

Find out how to source and use more local produce in your business, including Scottish ingredients and menu item examples.

8 min read

Food and drink tourism insights

Food and drink experiences are a vital part of Scotland’s tourism offering. Find useful insights on food tourism.

5 min read

Food tourism experience case studies and resources

Use these resources and funding opportunities to develop your skills and provide a quality food tourism offering.

5 min read

Case studies

Browse the following two businesses for some inspiration on how to put food tourism effectively in place at your business.

Case study | Buck and Birch

Learn how Buck and Birch have built their exciting business producing award-winning Scottish craft spirits and liqueurs.

Case study | Spirit & Spice

Learn how owner Ghillie has built a unique business drawing visitors from all over the world.

What is food tourism and is it right for you?

Creating impactful and memorable food tourism experiences can help to grow your business and enhance your reputation. They give visitors a sense of place and help them to taste and appreciate our produce, discovering the place, pride and passion behind them.

Food tourism experiences can include talks, tastings, tours, workshops, festivals and trails.

So, if you're:

a tourism business looking to add a food experience into your offering
a food producer looking to build an experience round your product
completely new to the area of food tourism

You should explore our guide and discover how to develop and market a quality food tourism experience that showcases the best of Scotland's food and drink.

Be inspired by Ballintaggart Farm's journey to create a successful food tourism experience.

The benefits of offering a food tourism experience

Increase tourism revenue

In 2022, domestic visitors alone spent £489 million on eating and drinking in Scotland. Creating unique and bookable food tourism experiences can attract new visitors and increase this spend. Don't miss out on this additional revenue for your business or the local economy.
Support local producers

Visitors look for authentic experiences that spotlight local produce. Working with local food producers, farmers and artisans not only supports economic growth in the area, it also creates a more sustainable and resilient food system.
Promote Scottish culture

Food is a central part of any culture. Food tourism can help to preserve and promote Scottish culinary traditions, heritage, and regional specialties. It can also educate visitors about Scottish dishes, from traditional to modern cuisine, as well as the provenance of ingredients and the importance of sustainable food practices.
Enrich your local community

Creating food tourism experiences can be a benefit for the local community too. They can help to build community pride by showcasing local food businesses and producers, help to revitalise rural communities and create new economic opportunities. They can also create new jobs in the food and beverage, hospitality, and tourism sectors as well as the supply chain.
Make Scotland stand out

So much of Scotland’s food and drink reflects who we are and what we are and we already have a strong reputation for our whisky and other food and drink products. Developing food tourism experiences can further enhance this reputation, create a positive image and attract more visitors interested in food and drink tourism.
Extend the visitor season

It’s important we market Scotland as a year-round destination. Having quality food experiences on offer at all times of the year can help to reduce demand during peak season. It will also help businesses to generate income during the quieter months.

Food tourism industry guide

Create memorable food tourism experiences

Key food tourism statistics

In this guide