Chance to connect

TOURISM businesses from Dumfries and Galloway are being invited to attend VisitScotland Connect 2026. The event taking place next April at the Scottish Event Campus is a key part of VisitScotland's latest push to drive the visitor economy by increasing Scotland’s share of global tourism. Annandale Distillery, Gretna Green, The Cairndale Hotel and Spa and South of Scotland Destination Alliance (SSDA), all attended this year’s event in Aberdeen, to met with tour operators and travel agents who plan trips to Scotland for their clients across the globe, including in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and the UK markets. David Hope-Jones, above, Chief Executive of the South of Scotland Destination Alliance, said: “The energy at this year’s VisitScotland Connect was extraordinary. With over 80 meetings with international buyers, the South of Scotland truly shone. And the response was phenomenal: buyers were actively seeking us out, telling us that we were the region they most wanted to connect with. From rich heritage and history to literary experiences and breathtaking landscapes, it’s clear we offer exactly what the future global travellers are looking for.” Lee Medd, head of marketing at Annandale Distillery, added: "VisitScotland Connect has been a game-changer for us. The format is incredibly efficient, allowing us to have high-quality, face-to-face meetings with a large number of international travel trade partners that we simply couldn't reach otherwise. "The results speak for themselves. We've converted new relationships from key markets like North America, Asia, and India into tangible bookings, not just for remaining 2025 space, but for forward bookings into 2026 and 2027."