VisitScotland – All things white and beautiful

As the much-loved Scottish Snowdrop Festival returns from 31 January to 15 March, visitors this year can do more than admire these stunning flowers.

At Cringletie House, near Peebles, visitors have the unusual opportunity to actually taste specially created snowdrop scones, while visitors to Cambo Estate, near St Andrews, can explore enchanted illuminated woodland at Snowdrops by Starlight.

In order to make the most of the festival, VisitScotland is embarking on a wide range of marketing activity to help create awareness of the Festival and gardens that are involved.

Activity includes press advertising, posters in VisitScotland Information Centres and inspiring direct mail packs. Online, the Festival will be given wide support on VisitScotland’s social media channels, including a specially-created blog, ezines and digital banners on visitscotland.com.

Furthermore, for the month of February, a snowdrops prize draw, offering the chance to win a brilliant break for two in Fife, will feature on the back of Edinburgh Tram tickets – with an estimated reach of around 200,000 people.

VisitScotland research has found that in 2013, a total of 508,000 British holidaymakers visited a Scottish park or garden as part of their trip, with a further 32,000 coming to Scotland with the express purpose of sampling the country’s horticultural delights.

Those who enjoyed a stroll through Scotland’s gardens spent £176 million during their holiday, with over 65s comprising nearly a quarter (24%) of those people who visit a park or garden as part of their trip.

The Snowdrop Festival, now in its ninth year, is the perfect event to remind people of the beauty of Scotland in the winter months and is a welcome boost for gardens, woodlands and the surrounding tourism businesses as the industry goes through its traditionally quieter months.

Over 60 properties will offer beautiful displays of snowdrops in stunning natural settings. The collections are set among outdoor sculptures, ancient trees and abbeys, spectacular waterfalls and woodland walks.

Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive of VisitScotland said:

“The Scottish Snowdrop festival is great to kick off the new year, inspiring visitors to come and experience the breathtaking beauty of Scotland outside of the traditional peak holiday season.

“With over 60 properties taking part, the Festival has grown tremendously over the years and offers a fantastic opportunity to enjoy one of the natural highlights of the spring calendar.

“From admiring snowdrops at starlight to celebrating the Year of Food and Drink with a snowdrop scone, this is the perfect opportunity to get out there and visit the beautiful gardens across Scotland that are right on our doorstep.”