TRAVEL MANAGEMENT
S Travel north for inspiration
Catriona Anderson explains why more people should be putting Scotland on the agenda for business events
cotland, with its popular image of heather clad hills and
misty mountains, may seem to be a world apart, yet it is anything but remote. In fact, getting to Scotland is easy by air, train or road and, when you are there, there is no shortage of choice of inspiring event venues and things to do.
With around 100 daily flights from all UK domestic airports and scheduled services from throughout mainland Europe, the US, Canada, Pakistan, Dubai, the Balkans, Scandinavia and Iceland, Scotland is readily accessible from around the globe. And with efficient internal rail links and an excellent motorway network that is less congested than elsewhere in the UK, it is very easy to travel between the cities and the countryside.
This means anyone looking to mix business with pleasure will find Scotland the perfect choice for conferences, events and meetings large and small. Business can be combined with the opportunity to explore what the country has to offer – from dynamic cities to dramatic rural, mountain and coastal regions. Many who have experienced Scotland for themselves are tempted back and around a third of conference delegates intend to return for a leisure visit with friends and family.
There is much to discover in Scotland, whether luxury or budget, and lots of ways to do it. For corporate retreats, the
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country boasts an enviable range of castles and stately homes available for exclusive retreats. The major cities all offer state- of-the-art conference centres, academic venues and conference hotels catering for events large and small.
Those with an eye on the bottom line can be assured of a good return on investment as Edinburgh and Glasgow are both in the top three European cities offering good value for money for association conferences. And green tourism is high on the agenda with VisitScotland’s Green Tourism Business Scheme recognising excellence in this area across the country.
Experts are on hand to help organisers find the perfect venue, provide advice on travel, tailor-make packages and teambuilding activities and take the stress out of organising memorable events.
Travel and tourism provider, Highland Lodges, has teamed up with Traveleads, one of Scotland’s top inbound travel operators. This partnership provides seamless transfers from
a guests’ home country straight to the door of their exclusive use country house, castle or private estate. Where an event calls for complex transport logistics, Conference Coaches, with its experience of transporting royalty, government ministers and large-scale conference delegates, offers cost effective, friendly and professional services to lighten the load.
For organisations looking to the great outdoors for their teambuilding activities, GO- WHERE, an adventure transport venture, operates a range of environmentally friendly transfers, such as ‘from train to mountain’ for mountain biking and other pursuits. And for smaller groups looking for a break-out session with a difference, the multi award- winning Rabbies Trail Burners will whisk delegates from the meeting room to locations well off the beaten track. This
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Catriona Anderson T: +44 (0)131 472 2355 E:
catriona.anderson@
visitscotland.com
Catriona Anderson is marketing manager with VisitScotland’s Business Tourism Unit
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operator specialises in bespoke packages hosted by local guides hand-picked for their pride and passion and dedicated to delivering outstanding travel experiences.
Scotland is synonymous with whisky, golf, the finest cuisine, challenging outdoor activities and the warmth of the welcome that awaits visitors. It’s the perfect location for business events and, as 2010/2011 is the Year of Scottish Food and Drink, there has never been a better time to visit. All that the country offers is available at the touch of a button at www.
conventionscotland.com where details on over 600 venues and facilities are available.
So, given that it’s easy to get to as well, there is every reason that it should be top of the agenda for anyone looking for inspiration for their next meeting or event.
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