Posted on by Sara Barton
Crawick Multiverse designated by Historic Environment Scotland
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) has added Crawick Multiverse to the inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes. The site was nominated to be considered for designation by a member of the public as part of HES’s ‘Designed Landscapes of the Recent Past’ project, an initiative to identify and champion Scotland’s remarkable modern gardens and designed…
Posted on by Sara Barton
The Thistle Awards are back for 2024, honouring the South of Scotland’s magnificent tourism and hospitality sector
After a hugely successful first year, the South of Scotland’s regional Thistle Awards are back for 2024, showcasing the finest in Scottish tourism and hospitality across the region, with nominations open from 1 March and a dedicated online session on offer to help businesses craft a winning entry. Spearheaded at national level by VisitScotland, in…
Posted on by Sara Barton
Over 65 million Cycling World Championships viewers tune in to see the South of Scotland at its best
Wellbeing Secretary Mairi McAllan and Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands Mairi Gougeon joined South of Scotland Cycling Partners, as well as Esther Tacke and Warren Sanders of local business Galloway Cycling Holidays, to mark the economic impact of 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships in the South of Scotland. Over 65million broadcast…
Posted on by Sara Barton
Burns is back in town! Dumfries welcomes the bard as he revisits his favourite haunts
Scotland’s National Poet braved the winter storms to revisit some of his favourite Dumfries haunts before Burns Night this Thursday. His visit marks the start of a new joint campaign to establish Dumfries as The Bard’s Town. The Burns Tourism Partnership aims to celebrate Dumfriesshire’s unparalleled connections to Robert Burns, as the region where the…
Posted on by Gowan Miller
SSDA launches inclusive ‘Basic’ membership for all
Following the South of Scotland’s remarkable successes in 2023, the SSDA is excited to announce an evolution in its membership proposition for 2024. The SSDA is keen to become the largest, most inclusive, energetic and impactful destination management and marketing organisation in Scotland. We want our consumer-facing destination brand, ‘Scotland Starts Here’ to be…
Posted on by Vanessa Wegstein
Town Where Auld Lang Syne Was Written Issues Rallying Cry To Be Recognised As The Bard’s True Home
Campaigners in Dumfries call for the town to be recognised as the place where Robert Burns lived, loved, worked and died As revellers link arms around the world to welcome 2024 with a rendition of Auld Lang Syne, a new action group in the South of Scotland has launched a campaign to celebrate Dumfriesshire’s unparalleled…
Posted on by Vanessa Wegstein
New Campaign Highlights How The South Of Scotland Dazzles In The Darker Months
The latest Scotland Starts Here campaign features a must-do winter ‘Bucket List’ showcasing the best of the region in the chilly season, including starry picnics and coo spotting. A new winter ‘Bucket List’ has been created by the South of Scotland Destination Alliance (SSDA) as part of its ‘Scotland Starts Here’ promotional campaign to highlight…
Posted on by Vanessa Wegstein
Five big 2023 wins for destination South of Scotland!
As we look back on 2023 there is much to celebrate, with five fantastic wins for the South of Scotland as a leading tourism destination. Thistle Awards records smashed: For the first time ever, the South of Scotland won more national Thistle Awards than any other region. In total we took home six prestigious…
Posted on by Sara Barton
Crawick Multiverse designated by Historic Environment Scotland
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) has added Crawick Multiverse to the inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes. The site was nominated to be considered for designation by a member of the public as part of HES’s ‘Designed Landscapes of the Recent Past’ project, an initiative to identify and champion Scotland’s remarkable modern gardens and designed…
Posted on by Sara Barton
South of Scotland aims to become Scotland's “Fastest Growing Visitor Economy by 2034” as Partners unveil New Responsible Tourism Strategy
Launching the South of Scotland Responsible Tourism Strategy, left to right: Steve Rogers, Head of Economy and Development, Dumfries and Galloway Council; Scottish Borders Council Leader Euan Jardine; Councillor Scott Hamilton, Scottish Borders Council’s Executive Member for Community and Business Development; David Hope-Jones, Chief Executive of the South of Scotland Destination Alliance; Tourism Minister Richard…
Posted on by Sara Barton
How the South of Scotland can learn on the hoof from Iceland
The SSDA’s CEO, David Hope-Jones OBE has written and opinion piece which has been published in The Herald as SSDA Annual Conference is held in Dumfries. Picture this: you’re finishing up at your desk, ready to clock off for some well-earned annual leave. As a final task, you pop on your out-of-office message, letting colleagues…
Posted on by Sara Barton
Peebles Hydro named as venue for the 2024 South of Scotland Thistle Awards as entries open to local businesses
TOURISM and hospitality businesses in Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders are being encouraged to enter the South of Scotland Thistle Awards 2024, back after a brilliantly successful inaugural year to celebrate the leading lights of the region’s burgeoning visitor economy. Awards organisers the South of Scotland Destination Alliance (SSDA) announced that Peebles Hydro…
Posted on by Sara Barton
SSDA Annual Members Survey
The SSDA is a member-led network. Everything we do is informed by listening to our members and understanding the needs, concerns and priorities of the businesses, enterprises and communities of the South of Scotland. Every March we have a member survey to take stock of where we are as a network. We invite members and…
Posted on by Sara Barton
The Thistle Awards are back for 2024, honouring the South of Scotland’s magnificent tourism and hospitality sector
After a hugely successful first year, the South of Scotland’s regional Thistle Awards are back for 2024, showcasing the finest in Scottish tourism and hospitality across the region, with nominations open from 1 March and a dedicated online session on offer to help businesses craft a winning entry. Spearheaded at national level by VisitScotland, in…
Posted on by Sara Barton
Over 65 million Cycling World Championships viewers tune in to see the South of Scotland at its best
Wellbeing Secretary Mairi McAllan and Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands Mairi Gougeon joined South of Scotland Cycling Partners, as well as Esther Tacke and Warren Sanders of local business Galloway Cycling Holidays, to mark the economic impact of 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships in the South of Scotland. Over 65million broadcast…
Posted on by Sara Barton
SSDA Newsletter February 2024
Join our CEO David Hope-Jones OBE as he walks you through all the latest news from the SSDA from the past month – it sure has been busy! This newsletter focuses on: SSDA’s Conference News – Speakers and Programme Upcoming Events and Webinars Current Destination Development Activities Support on Working with the Travel Trade Update…
Upcoming Events
