Ancestral tourism

If you and your staff can speak knowledgeably on local history, that is a great way to add to the experience of customers exploring their Scottish connections.

Depending on your type of business, the depth of knowledge you offer might vary, however building a sound basic knowledge of the following subjects is a good place to start:

• Be familiar with key historical sites, events and people in your area.
• Does your area have a strong connection with particular surnames? If so, find out about any clans or families associated with those names, and any relevant associated monuments, castles and burial places.
• If you are an accommodation owner, be able to recommend local visitor attractions, heritage centres, and museums where visitors will be able to gain insights into what life was like for their ancestors in the past.

Find out more about how visitors can research their Scottish ancestry.

Stories seen on screen encourage visitors to come to Scotland, especially those with Scottish roots such as Braveheart or Outlander. Stay up-to-date with new developments which feature famous Scots and events in Scotland’s history, especially if your local area features in the plot, or was used as a filming location.

Find out more about filming locations in Scotland.

One of the things visitors with Scottish roots love to do is meet their fellow Scots. Keep up-to-date with local events where they can meet and mingle with the community. Events might include:

• Highland games
• traditional music festivals
• music or storytelling pub sessions
• ceilidh nights

Search for events and festivals in your area.

Do you run a visitor attraction with historic or ancestral connections? Consider how you can tell its story in an engaging and interactive way for ancestral visitors. Perhaps staff wearing historical outfits, or a costumed storyteller might be appropriate for your business.

If you are an accommodation provider, think about ways in which you could bring the history of your building or area to life for guests. If you have a particularly old property, even something simple like displaying photographs or artwork depicting the origins and story of your property, can add to the experience.

Be ready to assist those ancestral visitors who want to do genealogical research as part of their visit. Check your local authority website to ensure you and your staff know where local records offices and libraries are located. Perhaps pay them a visit yourself to find out what records they hold and how your guests can access them.

Search on mygov.scot to find your local council’s website.