Business and experience development

We’ve been reviewing our approach to business support and advice to ensure it meets business needs and reflects the ever-changing competitive environment. We’re steadfast in our support of tourism and events and are focused on the key areas where we can make the biggest impact.

Developing visitor experiences, distribution, discoverability, and responding to visitor trends play a key role in delivering growth for the visitor economy. We specialise in these areas of advice. We provide tailored, free to access advice and support that helps businesses to:

• tap into changing travel trends
• capitalise on local investment projects and sector strengths
• adapt their offer to reach new audiences and markets
• grow their business and deliver quality, memorable experiences

Through the use of data and innovative partnerships, we support businesses to respond to the climate emergency and take action to meet our net zero ambitions.

Our approach to responsible tourism supports businesses to adopt, adapt, and improve. It's not just about the steps businesses can take to reduce carbon emissions or providing accessibility information. It's also about creating thriving communities and the protection of our natural and cultural heritage. And it's about making our experiences inclusive. Creating better places for people to live and visit. 

4. Tourism and event sector support

We work with tourism sector groups to facilitate growth and development in line with national strategic priorities. We look to understand the potential capability and capacities across Scotland’s sector groups. This allows us to: 

• understand where Scotland's product strengths are located and potential opportunities for growth 

• identify where our interventions should be targeted in order to add greatest value  

Together, we can build capacity, help the tourism industry attract high spend visitors, and create high satisfaction across our industry, locals, and visitors.   

We also support the events sector to deliver against the national events strategy, Scotland the Perfect Stage 2024-2035. Delivery of the strategy’s vision is centred on three critical interconnecting focus areas. These are developing events, developing the industry, and developing Scotland.  

It’s our role to encourage and support the events industry to get engaged with the implementation of the strategy. We do this by providing funding opportunities, guidance, access to resources and insight, along with other support.