Tourism chiefs showcase Ayrshire on global stage

VisitScotland event promoted 75 businesses to international firms.

- STEWART MCCONNELL

Tourism businesses from across the Ayrshire and Arran area had a platform to showcase their services at a high-profile event held in Glasgow.

They took part in Scotland's flagship travel trade event VisitScotland Connect 2024, supported by Visit Glasgow.

The region was represented by Visit Ayrshire & Arran - a partnership between The Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce, Visit Arran, and North, East, and South Ayrshire Councils - and tourism operators that met face-to-face with domestic and international travel buyers over two days of pre-arranged meetings at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC).

With more than half of all international visitors planning and booking all or part of their trip through tour operators, strong links with the travel trade are vital. It provides access to Scotland's key markets, including North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and the UK.

The activity generated by VisitScotland Connect helps support 13,500 tourism related jobs across North Ayrshire, East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire.