Our ScotSpirit Holiday Voucher Scheme, funded by the Scottish Government as part of the overall tourism recovery programme, has now helped more than 1,000 adults and children take a break in Scotland since it launched in October last year.
In this article you'll find:
500
short breaks in Scotland
More than 1,370
adults and children have had a break
The key benefits to your business include:
We spoke to two businesses about being part of the Scheme. Read what they told us:
ScotSpirit is an inspiring and innovative project which Macdonald Aviemore Resort is delighted to be part of. We’ve already provided a significant number of overnight stays to help unpaid carers and low-income families feel the benefit of a much-needed break as we begin to emerge from the pandemic.
In return, we are pleased to be able to tap into the government-backed support the project offers to our sector and equally delighted to receive fantastic feedback from guests who might not otherwise have been able to stay with us.
We now look forward to continuing our links with VisitScotland and ScotSpirit throughout 2022 and aim to give as many deserving visitors as we can a big thank you and the warmest Highland welcome.
The ScotSpirit Scheme has opened doors for us that previously felt very closed and has helped provide wonderful outdoors holiday opportunities for people needing them the most, especially after the hardship and isolation experienced during COVID-19.
We have been trying for years to engage with carers organisations and people with additional needs to offer holidays and short stays and have had very little success.
At the Loft Glamping & Camping we undertook a development a few years ago to add accessible accommodation so we could offer glamping and outdoor style holidays for people with mobility issues, dementia, and their carers so that outdoor holidays really could be accessible for everyone.
However, we struggled to make the right connections to reach the organisations supporting carers. The idea to try to enable these types of holidays came after I undertook some training with our local council to promote the benefits of outdoor experiences for those living with dementia and this developed into a greater understanding of the accessibility barriers of outdoor holidays and a greater understanding of the very real physical and mental health benefits of time spent outdoors in nature and the importance of a holiday away or a holiday with someone you care for. We really wanted to be able to provide a place that enabled holidays in the great outdoors to be enjoyed comfortably by everyone.
During the development we, in collaboration with Wigwam Holidays, undertook a new cabin design process that addressed many of the accessible challenges that can be experienced by guests with additional needs in glamping cabins. We are delighted that many of the Wigwam Holidays sites throughout Scotland and the UK now have these accessible cabins onsite as the Wigwam Holidays network embraced the opportunity that together we could improve the accessibility of our sites.
As a rural family run business the ScotSpirit Scheme has helped us to focus and develop our offering and provided us with connections with organisations and much needed income following the many COVID lockdowns and restrictions we have all been living with over the past few years.
We are very grateful and would like to extend a very big thank you to The Scottish Government, VisitScotland and the many carers organisations who, by working together have made ScotSpirit a real success!
Supported by Family Holiday Charity, Shared Care Scotland, and a network of Carers Centres across Scotland, many families from low incomes and unpaid carers have shared their experiences and the impact that taking a ScotSpirit break has had on their health and wellbeing.
One carer took an overnight break to Kingsmill Hotel in Inverness, where they enjoyed taking time out for themselves:
This break allowed me to take time for myself and not stress as much as I do normally - to have a clear mind, even if for an hour, which is something I haven’t had in a long time.
Being a carer is a job I love. I love the person I care for, and I wouldn’t change a thing, but my time away reminded me of the importance to ensure I look after myself too.
The ScotSpirit Scheme has shown me the importance of taking time for myself and I am stronger for taking a break away.
Another carer, who supports her husband and child, took her partner on the break with her to a remote part of Argyll and Bute:
We wouldn’t have been unable to afford the break without ScotSpirit, particularly the visit to the Islay which was a highlight of our trip!
The break has really improved the quality of my relationship with my husband. I also feel calmer, rested and more refreshed.
One family took a city break to Edinburgh, staying in a self-catering apartment:
We were so excited about the break and loved having something to look forward to and enjoyed making plans in the weeks before. The apartment was in the centre of Edinburgh, so we decided to take the train which added to the adventure and gave Mum a rest.
The apartment was so luxurious, it was a treat to stay there. They were very helpful in recommending an apartment that met our accessibility needs which was a concern.
It was great being in the centre of the city which meant we could easily access all that Edinburgh had to offer. We enjoyed a visit to Edinburgh Castle and made sure we were there for the one o’clock gun!
Although life has returned to normal now and is still difficult the break really was the highlight of the year for us. Here’s hoping for more adventures!
Read the business guidance and accept the Scheme terms and conditions
Read the business guidance and accept the Scheme terms and conditions
Complete the online application form, once a simple validation check of your details has been completed your business details will be added to the directory within two working days
You'll receive a confirmation email when your business details have been published and shared with VisitScotland’s Charity Partners for booking purposes
So, why not join over 200 other businesses who have already registered to participate? Find out more and sign your business up today!