VisitScotland update
Strategic Framework priorities
VisitScotland’s new Strategic Framework (2025-2027) will be published in the next few weeks along with a revised Corporate Plan. The refreshed approach is designed to address economic challenges and drive the visitor economy, growing its value to Scotland.
There is a clear focus on stimulating and managing demand, as well as supporting tourism and events businesses to be more productive in the work they do.
Cat Leaver was appointed as Director of the new Strategy & Competitive Intelligence Directorate in September 2024. This role will focus on the development of a strategic insight and competitive intelligence programme to support the tourism and events industry.
Find out more about VisitScotland’s Strategic Framework.
Find out more about the corporate plan.
Business Support Programme
One of the priorities in the National Events Strategy was to set up a central resource hub for the sector. The development of the online Business Support Hub by VisitScotland is a big step towards this. The Hub will be launched as a minimal viable product at the end of March.
Visit the recently launched Business Support Hub website.
Industry Development
VisitScotland’s programme of nine regional events industry engagement workshops updating on the National Events Strategy had now concluded.
A webinar with the emergency services had taken place on 12 March and will be followed by webinars for the events sector on EDI Playbook (26 March) and Environmentally Responsible Events (1 April).
Read about the Regional Events Industry Engagement Workshops.
Business Events
The Business Events Monitor has now launched. This has been a major project which will provide the first reliable picture of the value of the business events sector to Scotland.
The survey is aimed at business that generates revenue from the Meetings, Inventive trips, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) market.
There are 11 questions and it will take around 30 minutes to complete. It will provide a figure to advocate for the sector and help with any investments businesses may have on the horizon.
Find out more about Business Events Monitor.
Visitor Levy
Numerous local authorities are engaged in discussion and consultation on the possibility of introducing a Visitor Levy. Edinburgh are furthest ahead and have confirmed their introduction of a levy from July next year.
Glasgow, the Highlands, and Argyll are out to formal consultation and Aberdeen will be shortly. Another dozen are at an earlier stage of consideration.
Read our visitor levy guidance.
Scotland’s National Events Strategy
The EIAG Strategy sub-group have been meeting to look at the priority themes and next steps detailed in the National Events Strategy and create a plan of actions and responsibilities.
Priority now is to bring the action plan "up a level" (to have a top line only/less detailed version) and to progress the measurement and reporting framework ensuring it aligns to the actions and outcomes.
It was noted that progress is already being made on some of the key actions e.g. VisitScotland’s Business Support Hub launching shortly and multi-year funding for culture already having been secured.