Author: Sara Barton

SSDA forms strategic partnership with Scotland Food and Drink

South of Scotland Destination Alliance and Scotland Food & Drink form strategic partnership

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…
Read more

Borders Book festival to take place in Harmony Garden in Melrose in June at

BORDERS BOOK FESTIVAL 2022 RETURNS TO HARMONY GARDEN WITH LIVE EVENTS IN JUNE

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…
Read more

Lighthouses of the Rhins tour includes Corsewall Lighthouse, which is now a hotel.

Lighthouses of the Rhins Experiences Open for Booking

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…
Read more

Golden Eagle release in southern Scotland

More Golden eagles to spot in Southern Scotland

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…
Read more

SSDA Newsletter February 2022

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…
Read more

Reece Wilson Ambassador Scottish Borders

World champion mountain biker promotes Borders’ ‘world class environment’

As he bids to become world champion again, mountain biker Reece Wilson is flying the flag for the South of Scotland as a must-visit destination for cycling and outdoors adventures With cycling and staycations continuing to rise in popularity in the wake of the global pandemic, one of the world’s leading mountain bikers, Reece Wilson,…
Read more

EWS Tweed Valley

EWS Tweed Valley returns to Innerleithen

The Enduro World Series mountain bike race and festival is set to return to the Scottish Borders from the 2nd – 5th June this year. The event, which brought 15,000 visitors to Innerleithen in October 2021, will bring international elite athletes, teams, top cycling brands and spectators to the town for an even bigger weekend…
Read more

Enduro Tweed Valley

Enduro bike race organiser seeks local partners

The Enduro World Series (EWS) mountain bike race and festival returns to the Tweed Valley in the Scottish Borders this year, bringing with it an estimated 20,000 visitors to the area, including elite international athletes, global cycling brands, amateur racers and spectators from across the UK and beyond. The festival takes place in Innerleithen from…
Read more

Alasdair Hutton helps tell the tale of Sir Walter Scott's first love in a new video from Visit Kelso community group.

Telling the Story of Sir Walter Scott’s First Love for Scotland’s Year of Stories

In celebration of Scotland’s Year of Stories, a specially commissioned video is being released by community group, Visit Kelso, to tell the story of Sir Walter Scott’s first love. Scott, who is best known for his connection to Abbotsford, spent time throughout his childhood with his relatives at Rosebank in Kelso. During one of these…
Read more

South of Scotland aiming to be the next holiday destination in UK

South of Scotland: Perfectly Poised as Sustainable Holiday Destination

 Holidaymakers, from staycationers to international tourists, are missing out on a wealth of hidden gems across the South of Scotland, including its stunning beaches and coastline, high-quality local food and drink, adventurous activities and nature and wildlife, new research has revealed. A recent survey of more than 3,400 people across the UK, outside the Scottish…
Read more