THE Scottish food and drink industry has grown considerably in the last decade and is one of the country’s biggest employers.
Sales of Scottish brands within the UK have risen by 40%* in the last 10 years alone. While this is a phenomenal achievement, with a record number of visitors coming to Scotland, we have a powerful foundation for unlocking food tourism potential to create a wider economic impact.
In 2018, Scotland Food & Drink and Scottish Tourism Alliance launched Scotland’s very first Food Tourism Action Plan, marking a significant milestone in the future of our food, drink and tourism sectors. At the heart of that plan was bringing together proud and passionate local ambassadors who would each champion food tourism within their own region.
In 2021, we appointed 24 Regional Food Tourism Ambassadors to represent their local areas and collectively raise Scotland’s profile as a global food tourism destination. At the end of last year, many of those ambassadors came together in Glasgow alongside representatives from regional food groups in what was a powerful combination of brilliant leaders, who are all delivering exceptional work on the ground across the country.
Sessions like this are a refreshing reminder that Scotland has a unique network of experts that are passionate about the opportunities for food tourism. It’s no secret that the last couple of years have presented challenges for both food and drink and the tourism sectors, but there is a renewed sense of positivity amongst our network of industry leaders about what the future holds.
Whether it's beef from Angus or smoked fish from Arbroath, there is something exciting to taste wherever you go in Scotland. Food tourism allows visitors to interact with local businesses, learn about the cultural history of our produce and discover less known regionally-sourced ingredients. Bringing regional ambassadors together to discuss the opportunities and challenges they are facing creates a space for collaborative planning and encourages multi-regional and cross-industry food tourism experiences.
Collaboration plays an important role in delivering the Food Tourism Scotland Action Plan and we have already seen where joining forces can bring great success. The Taste of Shetland festival delivered by Shetland Food and Drink is a brilliant example of an event that brings together a number of partners, and last year was headlined by Scottish celebrity chef and restaurateur Nick Nairn, and attracted more than 1,200 visitors. Shetland Food & Drink Limited picked up the Regional Food and Drink category at the Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards.
There is so much to shout about across our regions, and we are currently working towards a major food tourism session at ScotHot, Scotland's biggest food, drink, hospitality and tourism trade show on March 8. We are looking forward to bringing together more regional leaders that are helping Scotland’s food tourism sector thrive.
Fiona Richmond is Scotland Food & Drink’s Head of Regional Food
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