Responding to changes in the North American markets

Our world-famous welcome

Now's the perfect time to remind the world of the warm and genuine welcome that awaits them in Scotland. We must seize every opportunity to keep Scotland top of mind for global travellers. Visitors frequently highlight the heartfelt hospitality they encounter – whether it’s a friendly chat with a local or helpful tips offered during their travels.

Scotland’s rich traditions, distinctive language, and proud history are deeply woven into everyday life, and locals are enthusiastic about sharing them. From storytelling and music to dance and cuisine, international visitors are invited to truly immerse themselves in the culture.

These authentic, engaging experiences hold strong appeal – particularly for our North American audience. We’ll be looking across our activity to highlight the warm welcome that visitors from around the world can expect when they visit Scotland.

Image: People at Glasgow Central Station. Credit: Glasgow Chamber of Commerce

Building a strong route network

We work with partners to improve access into Scotland, building a strong route network which makes it easier for visitors to reach us. This includes collaborating with Scotland’s airports to target strategic connectivity gaps, with a focus on key routes supporting inbound travel, business connectivity and inward investment. 

In spring / summer 2025, we’ll have more airline capacity from North America into Scotland than ever before – with seats from the US to Scotland up 31% on 2024, and seats from Canada up 7% on last year.

A key development in fostering Canadian interest in Scotland is the launch of the new direct Air Canada route from Montreal to Edinburgh, set to begin on 26 June. This route will provide a much-needed direct connection, making travel to Scotland more convenient and accessible for Canadian visitors. To capitalise on this new flight, a concerted effort is underway to engage with Canadian audiences and travel professionals alike.

VisitBritain Canada is leveraging this new route in its outreach, incorporating the launch into its broader promotional strategy. The upcoming push in June will coincide with the flight's inaugural launch, ensuring that the announcement gains maximum visibility.

The new route will feature in its newsletter, sent to 72 Canadian tour operators as well as a targeted audience of travel agents, ensuring the message reaches key players in the Canadian travel industry. 

United Airlines has also extended its Edinburgh to Washington, D.C. route into the winter months. This helps to ease seasonality and potentially encourage more US visitors to travel to Scotland during off-peak, more affordable times of the year.

The airline now operates a year-round service to New York Newark, an almost year-round service to Washington, D.C., and a summer seasonal route to Chicago, all from Edinburgh Airport.

And we’ve been working with WestJet on activity focused on seasonal direct routes from Calgary, Toronto and Halifax into Edinburgh.

With increased accessibility, our North American visitors should find Scotland’s rich culture, history, and landscapes to be an irresistible draw for their next overseas holiday.

Developing stronger relationships with trade partners

Critically, the research we do extends to identifying North American travel intermediaries who present the greatest opportunities for curating the best Scotland offering and taking it to market.

As part of our market development activity, we have a strong emphasis on engaging with Canadian travel professionals. Dedicated efforts are underway to strengthen relationships with Canadian key accounts, including tour operators and travel agencies.

By fostering these connections, Scotland aims to ensure that travel professionals are well-equipped to promote Scotland as a top destination for their clients.

This ongoing dialogue will help to build momentum in the North American market, ensuring that Scotland remains top of mind for potential visitors.

Activity includes:

• scoping opportunities to promote new bookable programmes, and support partners by identifying and including a strong hook for bookable product across activity

• highlighting direct access to Scotland via own channels, as well as with partners (airline and operator owned channels and destination training with sales teams)

• positioning Scotland as a must-visit destination and reinforcing the “welcome” message at our upcoming “Selling Luxury Travel Virtual Roadshow” to a US and Canadian trade audience and across wider VisitScotland and VisitBritain B2B event programme

Catering for differing visitor interests

Visitors are increasingly seeking deeper connections and personalised experiences, including exploring nature, local culture, and enjoying regional food and drink.

Scotland is well-positioned to capitalise on this trend, offering a competitive advantage in the experience economy through our stunning landscapes and rich cultural heritage. This presents an opportunity to promote responsible travel choices and meaningful experiences.

Pricing is also a key consideration for many visitors. To address this, we collaborate with businesses and stakeholders to ensure high-quality services and hospitality that offer value for money. Our marketing and PR efforts highlight a range of budget-friendly options.

While inflation affects some income groups more than others, Scotland continues to offer luxury and premium experiences, with many receiving significant upgrades, reflecting positive local investment driven by the visitor economy.

Additionally, as wellness tourism grows, businesses are adapting by offering accommodation and experiences that allow visitors to unwind, particularly by connecting with Scotland’s natural beauty.

By focusing our marketing and PR efforts on these areas, we can ensure that Scotland strengthens its global reputation as a destination that enriches lives, supports sustainability, and fosters vibrant communities.