Scotland’s diverse destinations are being captured through a creative social media campaign that encourages Scots to share views of the country from their windows.
#AWindowOnScotland was launched by VisitScotland, the national tourism organisation, in the spring and has generated an array of images from across the country. Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive of VisitScotland, said: “At the moment it is important we stay at home but while we can’t get out, we saw an opportunity to create something that will remind people of what Scotland has to offer when this is over.”
Places featured range from Sweetheart Abbey seen from Abbey Cottage Tea Room in the village of New Abbey (Dumfries) to a view of Loch Carron from Stationmasters Lodge holiday home in Stromeferry in the West Highlands. A reviving dram is pictured in front of a window at the Scotch Whisky Experience, the award-winning visitor attraction offering a ‘spirited insight’ into the world of Scotland’s most famous export in the heart of Edinburgh, while a shot of Gourock on the River Clyde offers a striking view of mountains of the south-west Highlands.
Scotland’s tourism industry is facing its toughest-ever challenge at the moment, as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to cause national and international travel restrictions. Hamish Hutchinson (Corporate Press Officer, VisitScotland) is encouraging fellow Scots to rediscover their own country through day trips and holidays in order to kick-start the tourism industry in the early stages of recovery. “There has long been an appeal for Scots to explore what is on their doorstep.” says Hamish who added that the industry will move at a pace that will be right for each part of Scotland depending on how they have been affected by the pandemic.
The VisitScotland team are constantly updating their visitor advice on visitscotland.com and are encouraging overseas visitors to follow Border Control guidance from the UK Government to help them plan future trips. “We understand this is an unsettling time for communities and visitors,” says Hamish, “We are working with industry partners to ensure that both will feel confident when restrictions are eased and travel returns.”
According to VisitScotland, spending by tourists in the country generates around £12 billion of economic activity in the wider Scottish supply chain and contributes around £6 billion to Scottish GDP (in basic prices). This represents about 5% of total Scottish GDP. From creating your own original spirit at the Edinburgh Gin Distillery to dolphin spotting off the Banffshire Coast and Moray Firth, the country has an array of unique visitor experiences spread across the country. The #AWindowOnScotland campaign’s amazing variety of images is a reminder that the nation has an array of places and attractions beyond the tourist ‘hot spots’. For the present, however, those around the world living in ‘lock down’ can draw inspiration for their future Scottish holiday by discovering the views shared through #AWindowOnScotland.
Top image: Gourock by @Kirstyjag
