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From early inspiration to planning

We’re developing visitscotland.com to guide visitors from early inspiration through to planning their trip to Scotland.

By focusing on influencing visitors where it matters within the customer journey, we’ll help visitors turn ideas into plans, encouraging year-round travel across Scotland’s regions and seasons. This approach will both inspire and equip visitors to take the next step, turning interest into visits that support tourism businesses and grow the value of Scotland’s visitor economy. 

On this page you’ll find more details on why we’re evolving the website and where the project is at. 

In this article:

Evolving the role of our website in Scotland's visitor journey

Our integrated marketing strategy is focused on influencing potential visitors on the platforms we know they use to encourage them to stay longer, spend more, and support communities across Scotland.

To do this, we’re focusing on the most influential points along the customer journey, delivering the right message through the right channel at the right time. 

As part of this shift, we’re expanding our inspirational digital content across marketing channels and evolving visitscotland.com to better support the early stages of trip planning, when visitors are forming ideas and building concepts for their trip. 

visitscotland.com is an important channel within that mix, however its role has changed with the growth in direct booking and the use of Online Travel Agent's (OTAs) and other travel intermediaries by our visitors.

 

More recently with the influence of AI and AI trip planning we want to create a content rich website that will inform AI search results and ensure we can continue to influence the spread and spend of visitors to Scotland.

Visitors who come to our website already have Scotland in mind. The website’s role is not only to inspire them but also to help turn that inspiration into a plan, guiding them toward taking real steps to make their trip happen. 

visitscotland.com will inspire and guide to experience Scotland. It will:

  • inspire through immersive storytelling, helping people picture themselves in Scotland
  • guide potential visitors with clear, pratical steps to turn dreams into real journeys
  • provide accurate, up-to-date, and helpful information - every step of the way
Read more on our marketing strategy

A new way to explore Scotland online

The role of visitscotland.com is no longer about booking, it’s about driving interest. As a result, from the start of next year we’ll introduce a new map feature powered by Google Maps Platform. This will allow visitors to discover tourism businesses and points of interest across Scotland using text search, intuitive category filters, and interactive map tools.

Visitors can continue exploring in Google Maps or navigate directly to business websites or booking platforms. This change responds directly to visitors needs and will see our current listings and product search retired.

In future, the majority of tourism business information will be obtained from external sources, including Google.

New online features

  • Google Business Profiles

    Businesses with Google Business Profiles will no longer need to maintain separate business listings on visitscotland.com, saving time and simplifying updates.  

  • New site-wide feature

    We’re also introducing a new site-wide search feature to help visitors find inspiration and practical information for planning a trip to Scotland. 

  • Enhanced search

    Our new site-wide  enhanced search will surface content from across the website, including events and tours, and will prominently highlight the new map tool.  

Together, these features will make it easier for visitors to make travel plans for Scotland and take the next step in their journey.  

Project update

Focus on | main map function

From early in the new year the accommodation web booking and products and services listings on visitscotland.com will be replaced with new functionality. Instead, we’ll connect visitors directly to business websites or other travel intermediaries to make a booking via our new main map, using Google Maps Platform.​

Google Maps Platform offers users a well-known and intuitive interface to discover individual experiences, accommodation and points of interest aligned with their specific interests.​ The main map supports text-based search and intuitive category filters, making it easy to find relevant businesses.​ 

It will help users to find the anchor point for their visit and explore more to see and do around their chosen destination, activity or accommodation.​ Search results link directly to business websites and allow users to continue exploring in Google Maps, helping them assess trip feasibility.​ 

 

 

Focus on | new search function

Our new experience-led site search will help users find inspiration and practical information for planning a trip to Scotland.​

This feature has been designed using experience-driven categories and intuitive text search to facilitate exploration of trip ideas.​

Where appropriate there will also be prominent calls to action to our main map to guide users further along their journey and help them connect with individual businesses. 

Through research we know that visitors plan their trips around the:

  • types of experience they want to have
  • destinations they want to visit
  • accommodation they choose to stay in
  • timeframe they have available

We’ve selected search categories that are experiential focused to help users find what they’re looking for. Users can then use the text search and filters to locate items relevant to their needs. Tags will also be added to the results to allow the user to identify different types of content, such as destination, itineraries and travel information.

As part of the wider work, we’re doing to inspire visitors and help during the planning stage, the search functionality is going to be given a more visible position on the homepage. 

The new site search will be live in December. 

 

Focus on | content

This is also a great opportunity to review the content pages we have on our website and if they best meet our current user needs. We’ll be looking at our approach to content including: 

  • content formats including articles, itineraries and navigation pages
  • types of content including evergreen, trend and seasonal
  • how often we will maintain our content pages

We’ll then be working through our existing content to audit the relevance, credibility and authority we have for each topic and page. Throughout this process we’ll be conducting user testing and research, which will help inform the structure of content on visitscotland.com moving forward. 

Using insight to inform activity

We’re always working hard to ensure the way we work keeps pace with new technology and the changing needs of our visitors. The development of visitscotland.com is a good example of this in action. It reflects our commitment to using the latest tools and insights to improve how visitors engage with us. 

What potential visitors are looking for 

When planning a trip to Scotland, visitors move from inspiration to action. They start by imagining what it feels like to be there, then they explore experiences that match their interests, and choose a key destination or activity to build their trip around. From there, they check practical details like cost and transport, create an itinerary, and learn how to get around. Finally, they confirm their choices by looking for reassurance and inspiration from other travellers’ experiences. 

How the website will meet these needs

  • Experience-led site search

    A new experience-led site search to help users find inspiration and practical information for planning a trip to Scotland. 

  • New main map

    A new main map, powered by Google Maps, where you can find specific accommodation, products and experiences. 

  • Call to action

    A prominent call to action to our main map to guide users further along their journey. 

  • Engaging content

    Streamlined immersive, engaging content with a refreshed design, focused on turning interest into visits. Visitors will also have the ability to save their favourite content.

  • Itineraries

    More first-person itineraries direct from our visitors’ own experiences.

  • Travel map

    A new travel map showing key entry points to Scotland and transport options.

As the volume of content and information grows online, visitors are placing greater emphasis on the source of the information to gauge credibility, authenticity, and relatability. We’ll continue to update our website content to remain visible and competitive in search engines as search habits continue to evolve. 

We’ll have a refreshed homepage and itineraries, and we’ll restructure the site so that it’s better placed to focus on the concept-forming stage of the customer journey. 

With the growth of social channels, curated content and AI-generated search results, the role of visitscotland.com has changed in recent years but it remains a very important part of that marketing mix. 

Research source: Designit First-time Visitors Trip Planning Research (2025) 

Business support | we're here to help

  • Google Business Profile

    The best way to ensure you will have visibility on visitscotland.com is by having a verified Google Business Profile. By managing the business information on your profile, you can ensure that potential visitors have the most up to date and accurate information about where you are and what you offer, optimising your presence on the map.

    Find out more about Google Business Profile.

  • Business Support Hub advice

    Take a look through the Business Support Hub advice to learn more about free Google and Tripadvisor listings to boost online presence. Make sure to keep all listings updated and accurate.

    Visit the Business Support Hub website to find out how to create business listings.

  • Training events and webinars

    Have a look at upcoming training events and webinars that cover Google listings, online visibility, creating bookable experiences and more.

    Browse and sign up for future training and events.

  • Bitesize webinars

    Our bitesize webinars are available to watch on our Business Support Hub website and include how to choose a booking system and how to start working with online travel agents. 

    Watch recording of previous bitesize webinars.

  • Business Support enewsletter

    Get the latest advice, insight, and best practice guides by signing up the Business Support enewsletter. 

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  • Business Enquiry and Support team

    Our Business Enquiry and Support team can provide support to businesses and to answer any questions you might have.

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