World Championship Ice Hockey Returns to Dumfries in December

World Championship Ice Hockey is to make a welcome return to the Dumfries Ice Bowl in December, and is sure to wow thousands of existing and new fans to the sport. The Great Britain Men’s Under 20s will play their World Championship Division II Group A fixtures at the Dumfries venue, against tournament top seeds…
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Scotland’s first UNESCO Biosphere named on National Geographic ‘Cool List’ for 2024

The Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere, Scotland’s first UNESCO Biosphere, is celebrating the news that National Geographic Traveller (UK) has named it as the only Scottish destination in the prestigious global Cool List for 2024. The “editors’ selection of global destinations set to make the news over the next 12 months” identifies the top places…
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Festivals and Events Tourism to the Region Receives Major Council Boost

Dumfries and Galloway Council has announced that it is to lead the search for new Signature Events for the region. The Advancement initiative, to identify the growth events in Dumfries and Galloway that have the potential to grow sustainably and profile our region internationally, is a cornerstone of the Council’s Events Strategy 2023-2027. The Advancement…
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Interface Opportunities for SSDA Members

Based regionally throughout Scotland, Interface works with businesses of all sizes, in all sectors, to match them to Scotland’s world-leading academic expertise to help them grow. With connections into all Scottish universities, research institutes and colleges, Interface has established and efficient processes that will save time and money in finding and accessing academic expertise, research,…
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Webinars Supporting Placemaking

The Scottish Borders Council has organised a series of webinars designed to complement and support businesses on their placemaking journey, with more still to come. What is Placemaking? Place Making is a process designed to collectively inspire communities to rethink and reinvent public spaces to enhance the public realm in their area. This can be…
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SSDA Newsletter October 2023

Huge celebrations as we crowned the first ever South of Scotland Thistle Award winners in a ceremony with glitz and glamour.  And there is a new cycling infrastructure fund available for businesses to support the region’s aim to be a leading cycling destination. If you aren’t yet enjoying the benefits of membership, join today  and be…
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Inaugural South of Scotland Thistle Awards celebrates the region’s leading lights in tourism and hospitality 

Last night’s triumphant South of Scotland businesses are now preparing to battle it out at the national Scottish Thistle Awards finals in December Tourism and hospitality businesses from right across the South of Scotland are celebrating today after emerging victorious at the region’s first ever dedicated regional Thistle Awards, held in Dumfries last night.  Finalists,…
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New South of Scotland Cycling Infrastructure Fund opens

A new £300,000 South of Scotland Cycling Infrastructure Fund has been created to support the region’s aim of becoming one of the leading cycling destinations in the world. The Fund offers capital grants of £3,000 to £25,000 to support tourism businesses, social enterprises and community groups who own visitor facing assets to invest in cycling…
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Southern pride: team effort from across the region to make first South of Scotland Thistle Awards a glittering success

  Local suppliers pulling out all the stops to honour and celebrate their area’s tourism and hospitality stars The South of Scotland’s first ever dedicated regional Thistle Awards celebrating the best in tourism and hospitality are only days away and businesses from across the region are going the extra mile to ensure the awards event…
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Q&A with Richard Brodie, Chair of The Devil’s Porridge Museum, Eastriggs

Richard Brodie is founder and Chair of The Devil’s Porridge Museum in Eastriggs, Dumfries & Galloway, which commemorates HM Factory Gretna, the largest munitions factory in the world in the First World War. On Thursday 5 October he will learn if he’s scooped the prestigious ‘Tourism Individual of the Year’ award at the South of…
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