SCOTLAND – ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO VISIT

Scotland will be one of the top countries in the world to visit next year. The travel guide, Lonely Planet, described it as “jam-packed schedule of world-class events” which made it “the place to be” in 2014. Only Brazil (host of the World Cup) and Antarctica came above Scotland in the rankings.

The Commonwealth Games – one of the attractions of 2014

Certainly, 2014 will see a lot happening here, the Year of Homecoming. There’s not only the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next summer, but the Ryder Cup will also be held at Gleneagles. But the book adds that Highland Games and the Edinburgh festivals are events that will draw travellers, while noting that the cities too were well worth a visit. In particular, the guide described Edinburgh as “the most gothic city outside Transylvania”. It then advised readers to “take the high road to Loch Lomond, Loch Ness and Cairngorms National Park and fall in love with the landscape that inspired poet Robert Burns”.

Mike Cantlay
Chair of VisitScotland

“It’s clear that 2014 is Scotland’s chance to shine on the world stage,” said Mike Cantlay, chairman of VisitScotland, “and to have this commendation from Lonely Planet is a fantastic seal of approval. From the bells bringing in our year-long Homecoming celebrations on Hogmanay, to the biggest ever sporting events to take place in Scotland – the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, and the Ryder Cup, this could be the greatest ever chance for our country to be seen as a globally recognised, must-visit destination for many years to come.”

The destinations featured in the guide were chosen because they meet certain criteria. A spokeswoman for Lonely Planet explained that it “could be that there is something special going on that year, that there’s been recent development and a lot of buzz about the place, or that we think it’s up-and-coming and suggest travellers visit before the crowds do.”