Destination Development in Forth Valley

Led by data and insights

The day got underway with presentations from Jacqui Souter and Rowan Morris from our insights team, who shared the latest visitor insights, followed by Denise Hill, our Head of Business Development and Intermediary Marketing, who discussed how to attract more international visitors. 

Fife Council’s Hilary Roberts explained how the Tay Country had created a single visitor destination across different local authority areas. 

After lunch, Charlie Croft from Falkirk Council discussed Scotland’s Forth Valley as a B2B brand. 

Business and experience development

The conference provided practical tools, insights, and connections to drive business development, including creating responsible tourism products that appeal to the travel trade.  

A fireside chat on creating bookable experiences was hosted by Denise Hill, with panel members Rosebank and Glengoyne Distillery, Solsgirth Home Farm, Falkirk Wheel and Abbey UK. 

Throughout the day there were breakout sessions covering:

• travel distribution - driving higher yield at quieter times
• unlocking the potential of inclusive tourism
• getting started with climate action planning
• choosing and working with an online booking system for tourism experiences 

The feedback from delegates showed the event was useful for businesses at various stages of their business development journey, through working with the travel trade, improving inclusivity, creating a climate plan and targeting off-peak visitors with new products.