Background to the ancestral tourism initiative

The Ancestral Tourism initiative

In both the new Strategy for Tourism and the more recent Tourism Framework for Change, ancestral tourism is identified as a potentially significant niche market.

For four years, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise and VisitScotland have been working together with industry to identify opportunities for the development of tourism using genealogy as a driver.

The Ancestral Tourism initiative is co-ordinated by a steering group, comprising representatives from public and private sector organisations with an interest in the ancestral tourism sector. A project manager co-ordinates product development initiatives in association with the trade, and the Ancestral Tourism marketing manager, based at VisitScotland, co-ordinates marketing activity in key consumer markets, including the consumer website www.ancestralscotland.com.

Significant results have been achieved from the work that has been carried out to date.

Key achievements include:

• A product audit of current web-based activity in the area of ancestral tourism;
• A market appraisal outlining the scale and nature of the market, and the expectations of customers;
• Qualitative research to find out about what motivates ancestral tourists to visit Scotland;
• Organisation of a successful ancestral tourism event to launch the initiative;
• Establishment of an industry-led steering group to oversee the project;
• Identification of an active community of over 300 businesses and individuals with an interest in ancestral tourism across Scotland;
• Development of a communications plan to keep businesses and individuals up to date with developments in the ancestral tourism community;
• Two workshops held to share best practice and encourage networking amongst the ancestral tourism community;
• A range of local and sectoral groups given assistance to develop new and improved ancestral products

Phase three activities

Steering group