We are hailing partnerships that continue to go the distance, delivering impactful campaigns that inspire travel across Scotland.
Partnership marketing is an important part of our strategy — bringing together organisations with a shared sense of purpose and aligning efforts to positively impact the visitor economy. By finding partners that are the right fit from the outset, we are able to build relationships that grow and deliver over time.
At national rail provider ScotRail, that long-standing relationship is built on shared ambition and complementary strengths. Past collaborations include two Beano Kids for a Quid UK campaigns as well as ScotRail’s first-ever France campaign.
Pamela Robertson, Senior Marketing Manager at ScotRail, said: “Our partnership works particularly well because we share a clear, common goal: encouraging and supporting tourism across Scotland.”
She added: “VisitScotland creates the initial connection by inspiring visitors, while ScotRail helps turn that inspiration into action by making it easy to explore more of the country by train.” Together, this joined-up approach encourages visitors to “travel more widely,” creating a smoother and more rewarding experience.
Keeping things fresh is key to maintaining momentum. “The longevity of the partnership is driven by the variety of projects we’ve worked on together,” Pamela said, with a mix of creative and international campaigns helping to keep the spark alive.
For Historic Environment Scotland (HES), the partnership is similarly grounded in strong foundations and a shared outlook. We have worked with HES across a range of campaigns, including activity linked to the Kids for a Quid initiative, helping drive thousands of visits to sites across the country.
Rachael Allan, Visitor Marketing Manager at Historic Environment Scotland, said: “True collaboration is the art of building something together that neither organisation could have brought to life alone,” describing a relationship shaped by “a shared purpose and authentic confidence and trust.”
That alignment carries through into delivery, with Rachael noting both organisations are “very aligned with our audience, objectives, and goals,” and that “communication is key,” with VisitScotland “a consistent, positive voice at the end of the phone or an email.”
A shared sense of purpose also underpins our partnership with Museums Galleries Scotland, helping position culture at the heart of the visitor experience.
Louise Storie, Marketing and Communications Manager at Museums Galleries Scotland, said: “Our marketing partnership with VisitScotland works well because it is driven by a mutual recognition that museums and galleries are a vital component of Scotland’s tourism offer.”
Working together across radio, press and digital campaigns, as well as sharing content across teams, has helped “showcase the breadth and diversity of Scotland’s museums and galleries to a wide range of audiences.”
Louise added that the partnership also brings strategic value, enabling access to “a global consumer audience” and providing insight into “audience trends, visitor behaviours, and effective approaches to marketing.” Regular check-ins help both sides stay aligned and responsive, ensuring the relationship continues to evolve.
That same sense of alignment is clear in our work with Caledonian Sleeper. A recent winter campaign generated more than 1,000 bookings for the overnight train service and supported over 5,000 hotel stays, estimated to be worth £1.7 million to the visitor economy.
Steven Marshall, Head of Sales and Marketing at Caledonian Sleeper, said: “We both have overlapping aims - the train needs the country to be successful and vice versa.”
He added: “What is really evident in our joint working is the trust we have in each other to deliver and the passion for both the train and the country on both sides.”
The partnership combines our market insight with Caledonian Sleeper’s “real world booking information and feedback from guests,” helping ensure campaigns are both inspiring and grounded. Maintaining “open and honest dialogue” and staying open to new ideas helps keep the relationship fresh and evolving.
We think investing in these long-term partnerships continues to deliver real impact.
Chris McDonald, Partnerships Marketing Manager at VisitScotland, said: “From working on ScotRail’s first-ever French language campaign to popping on Highland cow slippers for a winter getaway with Caledonian Sleeper, we’ve had some unforgettable marketing romances over the last few years that have grown into lasting relationships.”
“These partnerships allow us to go beyond short bursts of activity and build something with real, long-term impact for the visitor economy. And, like any good relationship, the secret is staying committed for the long haul.”
For organisations looking to build strong partnerships, the advice is clear. As Pamela noted, “successful partnerships are built on shared objectives and benefits for both sides,” while Steven encouraged others to “explore the joint working opportunities as the overall aim will always be… a win, win.”
When partners stay aligned, keep communicating and continue to invest in the relationship, it doesn’t just last — it deepens, evolves and keeps delivering long into the future.