Published on September 15, 2025
Scotland has agelong been a well-liked recreation destination for visitors from astir nan world because of its breathtaking scenery, fascinating history, and lively culture. Scotland’s nationalist tourism agency, VisitScotland, organises a awesome arena to broaden its tourism web and guarantee that nan state continues to beryllium a awesome subordinate successful nan world recreation market. This event, VisitScotland Connect, has been an basal level for Scottish tourism businesses to link pinch world circuit operators, recreation advisors, and destination guidance companies.
Unlike erstwhile years, VisitScotland Connect will debut astatine Glasgow’s Scottish Event Campus (SEC) successful 2026. The event, which is group for April 15–16, 2026, will springiness companies from each complete Scotland nan chance to web pinch professionals successful nan world recreation manufacture while showcasing nan champion that Scotland has to offer.
The goals of VisitScotland Connect 2026, its value for Scottish travel, nan effects of its 2025 edition, and nan reasons why recreation agencies should return portion successful this worthwhile arena are each covered successful this article.
Why Glasgow and nan SEC?
The determination to move VisitScotland Connect 2026 to nan Scottish Event Campus (SEC) successful Glasgow is simply a strategical one. Glasgow, Scotland’s largest metropolis and a increasing world hub, provides nan perfect backdrop for specified an influential event. The SEC is simply a world-class venue pinch ample abstraction and modern facilities, making it nan cleanable mounting to big this high-profile tourism event.
Hosting VisitScotland Connect successful Glasgow is expected to further boost nan city’s visibility connected nan world stage, drafting attraction to Scotland arsenic a whole. Glasgow’s estimation for hosting successful world conferences and events, coupled pinch its accessibility, will nary uncertainty play a important domiciled successful attracting a divers scope of world buyers. With much than 20 cardinal visitors flocking to Glasgow annually, nan metropolis has go an basal portion of Scotland’s tourism strategy.
The Importance of VisitScotland Connect
VisitScotland Connect plays a captious domiciled successful promoting Scottish tourism by connecting section businesses pinch nan world recreation trade. This arena is 1 of nan cardinal devices successful VisitScotland’s efforts to summation world visitation and spending. The tourism assemblage is an important portion of Scotland’s economy, pinch recreation and tourism straight contributing £11 billion to nan country’s GDP.
Through nan event, Scottish businesses—ranging from hotels and restaurants to tourist attractions and experience providers—are provided pinch a level to showcase their offerings to an world audience. At nan aforesaid time, world recreation waste and acquisition professionals, specified arsenic circuit operators and recreation agents, summation a deeper knowing of Scotland’s divers tourism products, helping them to beforehand Scotland arsenic a apical destination for travellers.
For Scotland, expanding its stock of nan world tourism marketplace is essential. The purpose is not conscionable to summation nan number of visitors but besides to raise nan value of tourism. According to VisitScotland, nan spending of overseas visitors reached a full of £2.1 billion successful 2024 alone, and nan agency intends to guarantee that nan international appeal of Scotland continues to grow.
A Look Back astatine VisitScotland Connect 2025
The occurrence of VisitScotland Connect successful 2025 provides a coagulated instauration for nan 2026 event. Held successful Aberdeen, nan arena attracted 243 Scottish businesses and 272 world buyers, starring to complete 8,200 business meetings. These meetings resulted successful an estimated £8.6 million worthy of bookings for Scotland, underlining nan event’s value successful securing caller business for Scottish tourism.
One of nan cardinal highlights of nan 2025 version was nan statement of Visit Ayrshire and Arran, a location business that saw businesses from Ayrshire travel together to shape a unified front. This was nan first clip that section councils, nan Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce, and organisations specified arsenic VisitArran joined forces to beforehand nan region internationally. This business not only benefited individual businesses but besides allowed nan wider region to coming itself arsenic a desirable destination for world travellers.
The occurrence of nan 2025 arena is besides evident successful nan number of caller businesses that participated for nan first time. Fifty caller businesses were welcomed to VisitScotland Connect, and nan opportunity to showcase their offerings to world buyers resulted successful important early bookings. It is clear that this arena provides unmatched opportunities for tourism businesses, peculiarly those looking to internationalise and pat into world markets.
VisitScotland Connect 2026: What’s New?
As we look up to VisitScotland Connect 2026, respective cardinal elements are group to make this year’s arena moreover much significant. Firstly, nan move to Glasgow will connection caller networking opportunities and greater entree to world waste and acquisition professionals. Glasgow’s proximity to world recreation routes and its vibrant business ecosystem make it an perfect spot for hosting large-scale events for illustration this one.
Secondly, nan arena will characteristic an expanded programme, providing much opportunities for businesses to participate successful one-on-one meetings pinch world buyers. The purpose is to guarantee that businesses are not conscionable attending nan arena but besides actively engaging pinch imaginable partners to build meaningful, semipermanent relationships.
Additionally, VisitScotland Connect 2026 will attraction connected sustainability and promoting responsible tourism. As nan world tourism manufacture continues to evolve, it’s basal that Scotland maintains a estimation for sustainable and eco-friendly recreation experiences. By incorporating these values into nan event, VisitScotland intends to pull much conscientious travellers and tourism operators, ensuring that Scotland remains a sustainable and charismatic destination.
How to Participate successful VisitScotland Connect 2026
Businesses willing successful participating successful VisitScotland Connect 2026 tin now registry done nan charismatic website. This arena is designed for trade-ready businesses—those who are prepared to activity pinch world buyers and are looking to grow their marketplace reach. It is an fantabulous opportunity for tourism providers of each sizes to web pinch world recreation manufacture professionals and unafraid caller bookings for nan years ahead.
For tourism businesses, this arena is simply a captious opportunity to summation their visibility, web pinch world waste and acquisition professionals, and yet unafraid valuable business deals. Participation tin lead to important maturation successful bookings, particularly for businesses based successful regions specified arsenic Ayrshire, the Highlands, and the Outer Hebrides, which are each keen to showcase their tourism offerings to a world audience.
Conclusion
For Scottish tourism, VisitScotland Connect 2026 is group to beryllium a historical occasion. Glasgow will service arsenic nan event’s caller big city, providing Scottish companies pinch breathtaking chances to web pinch world partners, raise their floor plan abroad, and support Scotland’s expanding world tourism industry. Businesses tin return advantage of this exceptional chance to summation their world beingness and onshore important reservations for years to travel by registering early.