by The news that Perthshire in Scotland has topped Booking.com’s list of the world’s “most welcoming” regions may come as a surprise to anyone caught up in perceptions that Scotland – and indeed we Scottish people – can be inhospitable. and unfriendly. Whisper it, even a little dour. So what is the reality for visitors outside of the big pipe and the political bluster on both sides of the border?
Having worked as a travel writer for over twenty years, doing 30-40 trips a year (most always around Scotland), the news does not surprise me. Glasgow was named the world’s friendliest city in 2022 after all; Kirkwall one of the friendliest towns in the UK last year.
Scotland has always looked beyond its borders – with a global diaspora, partly because of the Goat Clearances, about 20 million, we had to – and has welcomed the world accordingly. The Glasgow “Refugee” scheme is a great example. In fact, my English wife has “never had a single issue in this country” in the past twenty years. I checked last night because I never thought to ask her before. For balance I also asked a Welshman and a Northern Irishman. We are all good there too.
So where does any unwelcoming attitude come from? In part, I blame Taggart. Not just him, but a succession of hard-nosed Scottish cops/soldiers/lovers that plague TV and film. Scots are often portrayed in fiction – and indeed themselves – in stereotypical terms (being “stiff” is another). We are the other; easier to characterize than to take seriously. One English friend who lives here controversially thinks it’s a defense mechanism that allows those who do it to avoid questions about their own identity. He also took over the dorness – he’s from Lancashire.
I hear some grumbling from visitors on the road, but it’s usually in indistinct terms. Isn’t this a real example of being thrown out of Highland hotels by big Gaels, or being refused craft gin because you’re really happy that England won the World Cup in 1966. It’s more in terms of “that Salmond” or “That Sturgeon”.
Yes, we have finally mentioned the tartan-covered elephant in the room – independence. I can see how continued support for Scottish nationalism can be mistaken for perceptions of how hospitable the English are. Not taking sides on independence, I think that’s maybe because people don’t understand the nationalism I personally see here, people outside of Scotland seem to think so.
A desire, yes, to control Scotland’s own affairs, but one rooted in internationalism (Scots vote against leaving the EU) – not one driven by hatred. And we’re a country of cans too, so even the most passionate supporters of independence will still be happy to take your tourist pound.
On the road around Scotland for 20 years, I always see positive hospitality in action, and it’s not just a smile from behind the bar. You will understand that we are extremely positive if you have read the sermons of our other national poet, John Knox. Scotland offers a constant welcome and goodwill that Americans, Canadians and most nationalities wax lyrical about. Without the population pressures of Southern England, people, especially outside Scotland’s eight cities, have more time for you – and visitors understand that.
It’s a symbiotic relationship, of course, because Scotland needs tourism – it’s one of our biggest industries. And she is a golden hen that we cannot take for granted. A surge in Covid-19 has caused tensions, tensions that new initiatives like the Scoto community tourism project are working to ease. The idea is that you are welcomed as a “temporary local”. You invest your money in community-run businesses and make time for people; in return they do the same for you and will try to help you in any way they can. That’s Scottish hospitality and personality at its best.
As an example of how friendly and harmless Scotland is, we have to take a closer look at the most welcoming region in the world: Perthshire.
If anyone should be dour and gloomy it is Perthshire, as it is the only landlocked region in Scotland. That hasn’t stopped the flood of tributes over the years – Perth was the UK’s first “Cittaslow” and in 2020 was named Scotland’s happiest city. No wonder as it is a region of incredible scarcity. Visually, Perthshire is alive with soaring Munros, the country’s mightiest river (the Tea) and sparkling lakes. Local beef and lamb are excellent, as are salmon, trout and soft fruit. And there are many distilleries in the valleys.
I’m smiling now running through a vivid mental reel of positive experiences I’ve had in Perthshire. And not only at five-star hotels like Gleneagles, but also by the bus driver who continued beyond the end of his route to let me off, and the white water rafting guide who realized he needed his mum and dad rise as high as the little ones. on a kayaking excursion. At its best the Perthshire (and wider Scottish) adventure is a seamless life-affirming tag game, where you are carried from one positive experience to the next. One minute you’re trusting the guide to save you as you zip from a bungee jump, the next disappearing into a Highland cliché with a dram by a roaring fire.
A new Museum opens in Perth this Easter, and the star displays the iconic Stone of Destiny, which crowned Scotland’s monarchs until Edward I usurped it in 1296. Scotland has moved on. The stone was brought back home from Westminster Abbey in 1996 and, unhappily, Scotland brought the stone back last year for the coronation of King Charles III. Well, what else would you expect from these most welcoming of countries?
Three ways to welcome a Scotsman
Yes good
This glorious island shows what can happen when the locals take back control. Eigg is clean, green, community-owned, buzzing with life thanks to residents from all over the UK and beyond. They have their own brewery, record label and an exciting new community shop/cafe where you will be welcomed like an old friend. Next door, Welshman Owain is available to rent you an e-bike so you can explore the sweeping hills, sandy beaches and wildlife of this Treasure Island. See isleofeigg.org.
Live water a lot
Don’t forget Speyside, the island of Islay is a must-visit for whiskey fans. The industry is booming and soon there will be 14 distilleries on the “Banríon na hInse”. Each is warmly welcomed, with tours, restaurants and creative tasting experiences; you are sure to leave happy. See islayinfo.com.
Halloween toast
This is the big one. Edinburgh has all the headlines with its multi-day New Year’s Eve procession and huge street party and concerts. Meanwhile the fire festivals at Comrie and Stonehaven offer a warm literary welcome. It took my English wife years to fully understand that Halloween is bigger than Christmas for many Scots. See visitcotland.com.
