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From pristine beaches to magnificent castles, exciting cultural attractions and ancient heritage, Scotland has it all. Come pay us a visit. We promise you won't be disappointed.

Events & Festivals

Travel essentials, visa and immigration, accommodation, getting around scotland.

Sure, we have stunning castles and monuments. Yeah, we have more than 460 museums and galleries. Of course, we have internationally-renowned, national performance companies. However, we’re also an amazing hotbed of new and emerging music, home to one of the largest concert venues in the UK and have a well-earned reputation for putting on a party and having a great time.

Learn more about Scottish culture

Food and Drink

Learn about scotland, map of scotland, money and currency, safety and inclusivity.

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Image: Buachaille Etive Mor and Buachaille Etive Beag seen from Glen Etive

The Highlands

The Scottish Highlands is really the Scotland of your imagination and the perfect backdrop for your next adventure. It's no wonder that it was named as one of National Geographic's "Best of the World" destinations in 2023. Explore the mysterious Loch Ness, pass through the striking Cairngorms National Park, walk up Britain's highest peak, Ben Nevis, or discover the rugged coastline of Caithness.

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Things to do in the Highlands

Slow down and take the time to engage with the Scottish Highlands. Between city, countryside and coast, the Highlands offers plenty of things to see and do.

9 Hidden Gems You Mustn't Miss around Loch Ness

Discover the hidden gems of Loch Ness, and explore some of the best things to see & do in the area. From ancient mysteries, to enchanting forests.

7 Amazing Things To Do Around John O'Groats

Find great things to see and do in John O’Groats and the surrounding area. Discover amazing castles, experience the Northern Lights and more!

12 Top Things to Do in Moray Speyside

Find great things to do in Moray Speyside. Including towns to explore, towers to climb, castles to discover, and more!

11 Amazing Activities & Things to do in Inverness

Find out about attractions, activities, tours and more in Inverness.

Epic Cycling Routes & Holidays in the Highlands

Explore the Highlands on two wheels.

Unmissable Things To Do in Fort William

Get set for action in the outdoor capital of the UK.

Inspiration for Highland breaks

Wherever you choose to stay in the Highlands, you'll find stunning hotels, trendy hostels, comfy B&Bs and a whole range of unique self-catering accommodation. 

The Torridon, a luxury estate retreat in Wester Ross

Places to Stay

Check out these handpicked locations for your next holiday in the Highlands.

Harry Potter Film and Book Locations Itinerary

Follow in the footsteps of Harry Potter with our 4-day itinerary travelling from Edinburgh to the Highlands.

4-Day West Highland Railway Line Itinerary

One of the most scenic rail journeys in the world.

The Great Glen Way

The Great Glen Way is a popular and challenging walking route.

North Coast 500 Itineraries

Check out the 2 free itineraries or become a member for more tips on planning the ultimate themed route.

The North East 250

The North East 250 explores everything for which Scotland is famous in a unique Scottish road trip.

North West Highlands Geopark

Follow one of the Pebble Routes through the North West Highlands Geopark.

Find out more about the National Cycle Network

The routes provide a unique snapshot of the country’s rich history whilst also connecting all of Scotland's major cities.

Unique Experiences

Whether you're attending a Highland Games, sampling local whiskies or adventuring up the UK's highest mountain, let the Highlands spark your imagination. 

Speyside's Malt Whisky Trail

Follow this 3-day itinerary around some of Speyside's top whisky attractions in the north east of Scotland.

Highland Games in Scotland

From the tug o' war to the caber toss, Scotland's Highland games are not to be missed.

Discover Ben Nevis, Scotland’s iconic peak, “the mountain with its head in the clouds”.

Map of the Highlands

Explore the highlands.

Get friendly and helpful advice for your trip at our iCentres.

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The Highlands by Area

Geodiversity, outdoor adventures, history, arts & crafts, music, food & drink - whatever it is you love, you'll find it in the Highlands.

Moray Speyside

Discover a land of natural contrasts, from the mighty Cairngorm Mountains to the rugged world-famous Moray coast.

Inverness & Loch Ness

Discover the history, experiences, people and places that surround Inverness and Loch Ness.

West Highland Peninsulas

Discover rugged mountains, stunning coastlines, beautiful lochs, historic castles and much more.

Easter Ross

A place you can reset the clock, drinking in the scenery whilst sipping a locally distilled single malt.

Fort William & Lochaber

Welcome to the outdoor capital of Scotland.

Aviemore & The Cairngorms

The UK’s largest National Park, in the Scottish Highlands, offers masses of things to do including watersports, snowsports and wildlife watching.

Nairn is a relaxing and friendly seaside town on the Moray firth.

Skye & Lochalsh

Your perfect Isle of Skye adventure awaits!

Wester Ross

Explore and stay in this beautiful area, famous for walking and hiking.

Caithness & Sutherland

Adventurers will find this region rich in unique leisure opportunities.

Travel to and around the Highlands

Getting to the highlands, bus and coach.

You can easily get to and around the Highlands using the extensive network of public transport and roads. The region may appear remote, but this beautiful part of Scotland is very accessible and is certainly worth the journey. 

For local bus services and timetables check out  Stagecoach Bus

To work out your travel plans, decide which area of the Highlands you want to visit, and you can then find information on travelling by train or other forms of transport.

Inverness is a travel hub for the Highlands, with local services to and from places such as Nairn and Elgin, or connections further afield to cities like Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

For train times and ticket information check out Scotrail

Depending on which part of the Highlands you are travelling to, local websites have up-to-date information on how to get there by car and other forms of transport. Choose a location and take a look at the one of the links below: 

Travel to Inverness, Nairn & Loch Ness  

Travel to Moray Speyside  

Travel to Skye  

Travel to North Highlands  

Travel to Fort William & Lochaber  

Travel to the Cairngorms National Park  

Travel to Ullapool and Wester Ross  

Inverness Airport is located to the east of Inverness city centre, with a short journey time to the centre by car. The airport has flights to and from destinations across Europe, including several airports in London.

It is also possible to fly to other airports in Scotland, including Edinburgh Airport and Glasgow Airport before travelling north to your destination.

Discover more about flying to Scotland

Getting around the Highlands

The Highlands is a beautiful place to explore on a bike. There are a number of cycle routes  to explore in the area, which provide a blend of wide open spaces, forests and woodland - along with relatively quiet roads in many locations. 

Using public transport on your trip to the Scottish Highlands is easy and accessible. 

A local bus network connects towns and villages in the region including popular places such as Inverness, Fort William and Aviemore.

Railway stations in the Highlands include Fort William, Wick, Thurso, Carrbridge and Kingussie.

You can get to most places that have rail services from Inverness train station. 

For more information, visit the Scotrail website.

The Highlands has an extensive road network including several waymarked driving routes such as the NC500  and SnowRoads Route .

Bringing your electric car? Browse charging points in the Scottish Highlands.

The A9 links Inverness to southern Scotland. Both Glasgow and Edinburgh are around 3 hours away, while the west coast of Scotland is accessible via the A86 and A82 to Fort William. The A96 links Inverness to Aberdeen on the east coast.

What's on in the Highlands

Nairn Highland Games

© Iain Fairweather

Find out about the great events happening in the Scottish Highlands, spanning from cultural exhibitions to physical challenges in stunning landscapes! 

Places to eat in the Highlands

MacGregors Bar, Inverness

Food and drink

A tip from your local expert.

Knockan Crag National Nature Reserve

Just north of the beautiful fishing village of Ullapool, Knockan Crag Visitor Centre is open year-round and promises an earth-moving experience for all. Follow the Rock Route into the North West Highlands Geopark and step back in time!

Assistant iCentre Manager, Ullapool

Other things you might like

A First-Time Adventure to Caithness & Sutherland

The Scottish History That Inspired Outlander

The Loch Ness Monster - Is Nessie Real?

Loch Ness & Highlands Tour

Scotland's National Parks and Natural Heritage Sites

Scotland's Landscapes, Scenery & Nature Spots

14 Iconic Scottish Views

10 Scottish Surnames & Their Clan History

Upper Loch Torridon, Wester Ross

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E-Brochures and Downloadable Guides

Discover all that scotland has to offer with our online visitor brochures. you’ll find maps, tips on scotland’s great outdoors, food and drink, events and festivals, as well as music and great images to transport your clients here.

Downloadable Resources

The free downloadable maps are here to help you plan itineraries and give to clients when you’re sending them to scotland. a necessity for anyone in the travel trade, if you would like scotland maps please send any requests to [email protected] . if you require print versions of the other maps contact: [email protected].

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• DESTINATION GUIDE

The essential guide to visiting Scotland

Here’s everything you need to know about this land of lochs—when to go, where to stay, what to do, and how to get around.

Why you should visit Scotland

Monumental mountains and misty glens. Castles with hidden stories. A dram of whisky straight from the source.

Best time to visit Scotland

Spring: Many attractions are open without summer crowds. Golf courses open in April; the season officially starts in May.

Summer: This is the ideal time for hiking and biking, although accommodations along the most popular routes—such as the West Highland Way —fill up well in advance. There are plenty of events, including the Edinburgh Festival and Highland Games .

Autumn: Changing leaves create arresting scenes in forests—it’s a great time to visit Perthshire , known as “Big Tree Country.” The Edradour and Glenturret distilleries are well placed for combining a walk with a whisky sampling.

Winter: The Edinburgh Christmas Market kicks off in November, and Scots prepare to celebrate Hogmanay (New Year’s Eve). On January 25, pubs honor Burns Night —the birthday of national poet Robert Burns —with a dinner of haggis , neeps (turnips), and tatties (mashed potatoes).

Lay of the land

Cities: Well-heeled capital Edinburgh hosts the world’s largest performing arts festival . The medieval Old Town looms over Princes Street gardens and the New Town with art galleries and chic bars. Glasgow is boisterous and friendly, with a lively music scene. Craggy Stirling , topped by the eponymous castle, was the site of several historic battles. On the east coast, Dundee and Aberdeen pack museums and maritime history into their walkable downtowns.

Highlands: Hikers flock to the heather-bound moors and mountains of Cairngorms National Park ,   overlapping the Speyside whisky-producing region. The landscapes surrounding Glenfinnan and Glencoe have featured in films.

Hebrides: The Isle of Skye is famed for its otherworldly topography. Flawless beaches await on Lewis and Harris . On Mull ,   stop by the colorful coastal town of Tobermory or scale the rugged slopes of Ben More.

Northern Isles: Neolithic sites, including Skara Brae, are scattered across the Orkney Islands . View Viking sites and the eponymous ponies on the Shetland Islands .

Southern Uplands: Stately homes and castles grace the Scottish Borders. Dumfries & Galloway is home to the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere and the majestic Sweetheart Abbey .

North East:   Seek out royal connections at Glamis Castle in Angus, or Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire. Photogenic Perthshire is home to the prestigious Gleneagles hotel and golf course.

Central Belt: Relive the greatest victories of Robert the Bruce and William Wallace at Bannockburn and the National Wallace Monument , respectively. The John Muir Way spans 134 miles of lochs and woodlands.

Getting around Scotland

By plane: Daily flights operate from Glasgow to several Hebridean islands. Flights to   Sumburgh (Shetland) and Kirkwall   (Orkney) depart from Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Aberdeen.

By bus: National Express and Citylink operate buses between the major cities. Buses are limited in the Highlands and Islands.

By train: ScotRail runs most services in Scotland, mostly along the Central Belt. This reduces to a few main lines in the Highlands.

By car:   Driving in Scotland is on the left and requires an international driving permit. Road types include motorways (M), A-roads (A), and B-roads (B). Scotland’s main roads include the A1 from London to Edinburgh; the A74(M)/M74 from Gretna to Glasgow; and the M9/A9, stretching from just outside Edinburgh to Thurso on the north coast.

By boat: Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) ferries sail to 21 Hebridean islands; Northlink runs car ferries to Orkney and Shetland. Book well in advance.

Know before you go

Scottish languages: Scots Gaelic (pronounced “gaa-lik”) is still spoken by around 60,000 people, mostly in the Highlands and Islands. English, however, has been the main language spoken in Scotland since the 18th century. Though many believe it to be a dialect, Scots (descended from Northern English) is a distinct language , spoken by 1.5 million people.

Hours: Even in cities, restaurants can keep restrictive hours, with some kitchens closing as early as 8 p.m. On Sundays, businesses often open at 1 p.m. and may close by 4 p.m.

LGBTQ+:   Scotland legalized same-sex marriage in 2014. Glasgow hosts Scotland’s largest Pride festival, as well as the Scottish Queer International Film Festival (SQIFF) in autumn.

How to visit Scotland sustainably

Outdoors: Read the Scottish Outdoor Access Code before setting out. Avoid deer stalking areas between July and February. Refrain from stone stacking, which can cause erosion .

Dining:   Farm-to-table—or, indeed, sea-to-table—is easy to find in this nation of farmers and fishermen. It’s increasingly common for restaurants to display ingredient provenance on their menu.

Shopping:   Seek out independent farm shops and sustainable distilleries . Support Scottish artisans at rural markets and festivals, such as the Pittenweem Arts Festival . Check labels to be sure the products you’re eyeing were made in country.

Accommodation and attractions: The Green Tourism certification scheme, which now operates in 20 countries, was founded in Scotland. It assesses 70 criteria, such as ethical production, carbon, and waste. Certified members—including accommodations, attractions, and tours—display a Green Tourism plaque.

What to read

Scotland: A Concise History , by Fitzroy Maclean (Fifth Edition). The former soldier and politician brings bloody battles and national heroes to life. In the fifth edition, journalist Magnus Linklater adds chapters on Brexit and the 2014 independence referendum.

Rival Queens , by Kate Williams. The historian charts the alliance between Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I of England, which ends in devastating betrayal.

Rob Roy , by Sir Walter Scott. The celebrated writer’s classic work takes place during the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715.

Raw Spirit: In Search of the Perfect Dram , by Iain Banks. A humorous travelogue of Scotland’s distilleries, from the iconic to the obscure.

( For more tips on what to do in Scotland, see our Explorer’s Guide .)

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• PEOPLE AND CULTURE

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Tourism statistics

Information on where to find up-to-date information on tourism statistics in Scotland.

Tourism statistics can be found via the following sources:

Office for National Statistics (ONS)

Leisure and tourism Visits and visitors to the UK, the reasons for visiting and the amount of money they spent here. Also UK residents travelling abroad, their reasons for travel and the amount of money they spent. The statistics on UK residents travelling abroad are an informal indicator of living standards.

VisitScotland

Visitors from the UK Our UK market represents a significant proportion of the visitors Scotland welcomes each year. Understanding more about who they are, how they behave and the preferences they have for their visits can offer a real advantage to those in the tourism industry.

International visitors Scotland’s tourism economy enjoys a healthy international market that includes a variety of well-established and emerging demographics. Those who flock from around the globe to enjoy Scotland’s world-class attractions and experiences make a huge contribution to the overall health of our industry – so it’s vital we have a clear understanding of them.

Accommodation The stats behind the stays - whether you’re looking for occupancy information on self-catering properties or caravans.

Industry barometer In partnership with local councils and destination organisations, VisitScotland have been inviting businesses to participate in our survey to capture tourism business performance in their regions.

VisitBritain

Inbound tourism performance in Britain A wealth of data, covering  inbound tourism trends , visits to  nations, regions, counties  and  towns  in Britain, as well as  popular activities  undertaken by visitors in Britain.

Scottish Household Survey 

Culture and heritage section

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Our Strategic Framework

Browse our Strategic Framework for 2024 to 2027, which sets out our purpose, vision, and mission.

The Strategic Framework is our organisational blueprint as the national tourism organisation.

The framework summarises the scope of the work we will carry out between 2024 and 2027. It aims to contribute to a vibrant and dynamic visitor economy, creating better places for people to live, work, and visit.

In this article:

1. our purpose, vision, and mission, 2. our core activities, 3. our strategic pillars, 4. our building blocks, our purpose and our vision.

Our purpose is to drive the visitor economy, growing its value to Scotland.

Our vision is that we contribute to a vibrant and dynamic visitor economy, creating better places for people to live, work, and visit.

Our mission

Through strategic leadership and industry partnerships, we will lead, support, and contribute to a globally competitive visitor economy.

We will do this by highlighting the benefits of tourism and events in delivering the very best for our visitors, our businesses, our people, our communities, and our environment.

To deliver on our purpose, vision, and mission, we have created five core activities which shape our priorities each year.

• Stimulating demand.
• Supporting tourism and events businesses.
• Working collaboratively with our partners, including community, destination, and sector organisations.
• Enhancing our organisation insight, capability, planning, and compliance.
• Supporting and enabling our people.

We inspire life-long love affairs with Scotland, building a responsible destination brand

We develop a rich understanding of:

• key markets and traveller segments
• visitors to Scotland
• those who engage through our multiple touchpoints

This is to support the creation of relevant, compelling, and effective activities.

We build long-term relationships with current and potential visitors. By extension, we influence investors, students, and migrants. Thusly, we actively manage the lifetime worth to the country of these aforementioned groups.

We build a global brand whose attributes will:

• increase awareness and propensity with target audiences
• grow our long-term, global reputation

We put responsible tourism and climate change at the heart of all our marketing activity. This is to ensure that communities and visitors can build strong and harmonious relationships.

We harness our paid, earned, and owned channels. We work with partners to grow the contribution of the visitor economy to the overall Scottish economy.

We work with regional organisations and sector partners to promote a breadth of visitor experiences. This stimulates regional and seasonal spread of visitor spend.

We mobilise information and advice to:

• support a safe visitor experience
• encourage visitors to spend more time and money across Scotland

We deliver unique and memorable sporting, cultural and business events. These showcase our talents and enhance our global reputation as the perfect stage.

Together, we build a responsible, quality product. We invest in Scotland’s tourism and events communities

We support the industry to deliver the aspirations and objectives of “Outlook 2030”.

We engage with communities to rebuild tourism in a responsible and inclusive way. This ensures that the infrastructure and welcome reflects and supports issues around:

• over-demand
• visitor management
• Scotland’s target of net zero by 2045

We draw together enterprise investment. This will let destinations, product owners, and sector specialists invest in internationalisation.

We raise the profile of tourism and events as a force for economic and social good.

We lead industry efforts to create a quality, end-to-end, measurable customer experience. This will attract visitors who are both responsible and high value.

We work with industry partners to spread the economic and social benefits of tourism and events across the whole of Scotland. This will be in line with capacity.

We provide information, at the point of need, through our iCentres and digital assets.

We provide leadership and support to the industry in key strategic areas:

• customer experience
• distribution

We support industry upskilling and digital adoption.

We use research and analysis to build a robust picture of tourism performance and prospects in Scotland. This makes us get a thorough understanding of responsible tourism indicators and issues.

We use intelligence, tools and technology in facilitating collaboration and embracing change. This is in support of a fairer, more responsible, and inclusive visitor economy

We collaborate and empower industry innovators to bring technology and new ideas to market. This will enhance people’s real-life experiences

We digitally enable the tourism and events industry.

We provide the intelligence and insight that enables strategic decision making.

We provide tools, platforms, and talent that empower the following to market and sell their own product:

• Destination Management Organisations
• local authorities
• event organisers
• sector specialists

We collaborate with destinations and key industry partners to develop low carbon products. These will dynamically evolve our offer. This will underpin our responsible ambitions towards Scotland’s target of net zero by 2045.

We work closer with industry groups to develop new and innovative approaches and solutions for the tourism and events sector. This is to adapt to the evolution of our sectors.

We deliver a comprehensive data and insight resource. This supports the responsible tourism ambitions and strategies. It empowers the industry and government as well to make data-driven decisions on strategy, policy, and investment.

We share relevant, rich insight. This supports businesses, partners, and stakeholders in their strategic and business planning.

Scotland – A powerfully enriching personal experience.

Invest in technology that makes people’s real life visitor experiences better

We don’t believe that technology will ever replace the physical experiences we have . Nor do we believe it will ever replace the relationships we build when visiting Scotland.

But we do believe that the right technology will help visitors:

• find, and share the experiences that they love
• spend more time with the people they meet

This, in turn, enhances our reputation as a world-class organisation and destination of choice.

To enable that to happen, we need to ensure that our own people have access to technology. This technology will allow them to work smarter, gather, interrogate, and interpret data and information.

This will lead to a greater understanding and fulfilment of our visitor, partner, and internal stakeholder needs.

Protect our natural environment

We pledge to combat climate change and support Scotland’s aspirations to be net zero by 2045. We plan to do so by:

• resetting tourism in a responsible way
• working hand-in-hand with communities, tourism businesses, and visitors.

This is to ensure that tourism enriches our communities and our environment.

Our ambition is to be a Net Zero Organisation by 2030.

Find out more in our responsible tourism section.

Flexible, specialist, and passionate people who embrace change

The specialist skill-sets required to realise our strategy are dramatically changing. We need to identify and integrate the changing skillsets required to

• become a fully rounded world-class organisation
• embrace, nurture, and develop specialists in key areas of the business

Thereby, we create an organisation which:

• possesses the skill-sets required for future growth
• demonstrates an in-depth knowledge and passion for tourism and events

Strategic partnerships will be our most powerful differentiator

The right channel, technology and industry partners will open up a world of opportunities to help us achieve our vision and goals.

Directing and influencing investment aligned to 2030 ambition

Private and public sector capital and infrastructure investments are going to be key elements. They will support recovery, visitor management, and future growth ambitions.

We must engage, influence, challenge, support, and where appropriate facilitate discussions. This is to secure the right investments in the right locations. In turn, this will deliver the right outcomes for the sector, communities, and the environment.

Raise the profile of tourism and events as a force for economic and social good. Provide the intelligence and insight that enables strategic decision making.

Related links

Our destination climate action plan, plana gàidhlig | gaelic language plan, our corporate plan, annual and corporate reports.