The Enchanted Forest to go Head to Head at The Scottish Thistle Awards

The Enchanted Forest, a multi-award winning event, is set to go head to head this week with some of the North East of Scotland’s top tourism businesses at the regional final of the Scottish Thistle Awards, to be held next Tuesday in Aberdeen.

If successful the event, which currently holds the coveted Event Management Grand Prix from the 2011 Scottish Event Awards, will secure a place in the national final this November.

Shortlisted in the VisitBritain Marketing Campaign of the Year Award, The Enchanted Forest will be keeping its branches crossed that its 29% increase in visitor numbers in 2011 will seal the deal as they compete against The Hilton at Coylumbridge for the title.

This year’s Scottish Thistle Awards, which recognise excellence in the Scottish tourism industry, are running with a new regional format which aims to recognise the exceptional efforts made by even more tourism businesses throughout Scotland.

The Enchanted Forest is not the only Perthshire business nominated and will be supporting its colleagues which include; The Famous Grouse Experience, Perthshire Amber, Perthshire Racecourse and Hilton Dunkeld House.

Richard Pinn, Regional Director for VisitScotland, said;

“We are delighted that Perthshire’s tourism businesses have made it through to the regional final of the Scottish Thistle Awards. The region has a great tourism offering in terms of the quality of things to see and do and places to stay here and these nominated businesses have an excellent chance of securing a place at the national Scottish Thistle Awards which will take place this November.”

The ceremony for the North East region takes place on Tuesday 15th May at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre.

The Scottish Thistle Awards celebrate excellence across the industry with special emphasis on quality and enhancing the overall visitor experience. VisitScotland’s Quality Assurance scheme seeks to capitalise on this further and aims to position Scotland as one of the world’s best visitor destinations.

VisitScotland will work closely with winners to tailor make a package of benefits to best suit the winners’ needs. This could include, amongst many other options: entry into the Quality Assurance scheme, advertising, promotion in a VisitScotland Information Centre, promotion in VisitScotland PR activity.

Richard Pinn added: “To make the most of the opportunities presented by the next few Winning Years and to capitalise on once in a lifetime milestones like the Olympics, Disney Brave and Glasgow 2014 – the tourism industry as a whole needs to be as polished as it can be. This drive for quality is even more important when we are in the international spotlight.

Businesses need to think about what can help them to shine – whether it’s a Scottish Thistle Award or being graded in our world leading Quality Assurance scheme – now is the time for businesses to do all they can to stay at the very top of their game and reap the rewards.”