For five years, across Scotland we’ve been turning ambition into action

2021 marks five years since launching our first project in Scotland. During this time, our projects have helped to turn local, regional and national ambitions into action. 

Our work in Scotland is as diverse as the landscapes and people who are scattered across the country’s nearly 78,000 square kilometres of territory. The professionals who work in the country’s tourism industry and public sector agencies, (not to mention the residents of its towns and cities) are rightly proud of the country’s heritage and its dramatic landscapes. We’ve always found a great willingness to share this with visitors, while ensuring that Scotland’s environment and communities aren’t adversely affected by the negative impacts that tourism can bring. 

That’s why throughout the past five years of work in the country, we’ve always made a point of listening to diverse points of view, sharing the best global practices and using our 10+ years of experience and creativity to build consensus that leads to collective action. So, what exactly have we been doing there? 

A major urban tourism strategy

Edinburgh’s 2030 Tourism Strategy

We’re credited with ‘changing how Edinburgh city thinks about tourism’. In January 2020, following an in-depth study on the future of the city, we presented an urban tourism strategy like nothing the city has ever seen before.

A detailed national tourism action plan 

Scotland Outlook 2030

Extensive consultations and a rigorous process of project selection and development led by TOPOSOPHY, resulted in a detailed National Tourism Strategy Action Plan, launched in March 2020. Discover it here. 

A practical guide to the collaborative economy

The Collaborative Economy & Scottish Tourism

We helped to make sense of a fast-moving sector, explore key trends and explain how Scotland could get the most from the collaborative economy, while balancing this with smart regulation. 

A plan to connect city, coast and countryside

Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire Tourism Strategy

Scotland’s largest region offers the truly authentic Scottish experience, with plenty of room to roam. We helped VisitAberdeenshire to form a common vision around the region’s tourism priorities for the years to come. 

An inspirational start to industry events

Keynote presentations in Edinburgh, Fife and Dundee

We’ve enjoyed sharing global trends and inspiring ideas that spark new business opportunities at major B2B tourism conferences around Scotland. We now do the same online too!

A strategy to unite four neighbouring city regions  

Tay Cities Tourism Strategy

Collaboration works best when partners share common goals and are united around getting things done. Our Tay Cities Tourism Strategy brought together Angus, Fife, Dundee, Perth and Kinross to define their common strengths and work on ways to increase the length of visitor stays and spend within these four attractive, neighbouring regions.

A workshop to define common goals 

Opportunity Northeast Destination Development and Collaboration Workshop

Opportunity Northeast provides significant support to projects in Northeast Scotland that will help the region to reach its full economic potential. Together with VisitAberdeenshire, we reviewed the region’s tourism priorities and helped set up a common agenda for action. 

A guide for collective action in Glasgow

Glasgow Tourism and Leisure Strategy, Mid-term Review

Scotland’s biggest city aims to become established as a leisure destination in its own right. We reviewed the city’s recent performance and guided tourism stakeholders on boosting the city’s impressive assets and international reputation. 

A new vision for managing and marketing Scotland’s capital 

Marketing Edinburgh Transformation Plan

Edinburgh has seen many of the successes of urban tourism in recent years, and many of its challenges too. Aware that the city needed a new model for delivering on the city’s ambitions, we provided Marketing Edinburgh and partners with a full transformation and business plan.

A national recovery plan to help Scottish tourism rebuild and prosper 

Scottish Tourism Emergency Response Group, National Tourism Recovery (2-Year) Plan

From March to July 2021 we carried out extensive consultations with tourism stakeholders from across Scotland, and supported the process of selecting projects that would be truly transformational for the country’s tourism sector in the longer term.

OUR PROJECTS HAVE INCLUDED: 

• Analysing multi-sector consumer trends and global travel trends 
• Identifying and sharing global best practices 
• Analysing local, regional and national tourism performance 
• Developing in-depth recommendations (tailor-made)
• Action plan development
• Development of KPIs and measurement systems  
• Keynote conference presentations
• Focus Groups 
• High Level working groups
• Policy and planning meetings with elected representatives and officials  
• Interviews with global experts 
• Financial proposals and business planning 
• Report and presentation design
• Project concept development