Leading travel writer and broadcaster Simon Calder tells South of Scotland Destination Alliance conference that the region is perfectly placed to attract city dwellers who crave escapes in rural areas. With the pandemic creating a ‘perfect storm’ of staycations, a slow tourism trend and city dwellers looking for rural areas to escape to, the South…
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In April 2020, Loch Ken Trust established the Loch Ken Ranger Service as one of the first ever community-led ranger services in Scotland. Thanks to funding from the Scottish Government, we are now pleased to launch our first education and community events programme. The funding will enable the Loch Ken Ranger Service to hold 4…
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The Galloway Glens Scheme and The National Trust for Scotland are excited to start a new educational film project at the Threave Landscape Restoration project site at Kelton Mains near Castle Douglas, with award winning ecological filmmaker and artist John Wallace. The project was the brainchild of David Thompson (The National Trust for Scotland), Jan…
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A collaboration between the South of Scotland Destination Alliance (SSDA) and Traveltech for Scotland (TTS) has been launched to support tourism and hospitality across the region through better connected and more innovative use of digital technology. The strategic partnership between SSDA, a destination management and marketing organisation, and TTS is designed to help tourism and…
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The Great Tapestry of Scotland visitor centre, where Scotland’s story begins, has today been revealed as the next home for The Essex House Tapestries: Life of Julie Cope. The exhibit by the globally renowned contemporary artist Grayson Perry will be displayed in the centre’s Gallery 1420 from 18 March to 14 August 2022, during Scotland’s…
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The South of Scotland Destination Alliance (SSDA) has formed a strategic partnership with industry leadership organisation, Scotland Food & Drink, to put food and drink producers from across the region in the spotlight to boost tourism and aid the region’s recovery from the global pandemic. The strategic partnership will launch a series of collaborative initiatives…
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The days are stretching, the daffodils are out, and summer is around the corner at last. What better way to mark spring than to add Borders Book Festival 2022 to your diaries, this year back at its iconic home of Harmony Garden in Melrose and running from Thursday 16th to Sunday 19th June. The four-day…
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The iconic lighthouses on the Rhins of Galloway are to become more accessible than ever before with the launch of a new tourism trail by Stranraer Development Trust. The Lighthouses of the Rhins tour, launching today, encourages people to explore six iconic lighthouses by boat or by e-bike. The featured lighthouses included are the Mull…
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The pioneering South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project has become the first in the UK to successfully translocate free-flying young golden eagles (aged between 6 months and 3 years) to boost a low population of this iconic bird. These new additions bring the total number of golden eagles in the south of Scotland to around…
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Whilst it certainly still feels very much like winter, the shoots of spring are showing. We have the announcement from the first minister on COVID restrictions ending on 21st March. We also have over 100 attendees for our conference already confirmed. After two years of disruption, this is a great chance for the tourism and…
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