If more proof were needed Scotland is one of the world’s holiday hot spots and a huge hit with visitors, it comes in the form of the latest figures from ALVA – the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions.
These show Scotland’s tourist attractions, museums and galleries outperformed the rest of the UK last year, with an overall 15.6% increase in visitor rates.
A grand total of 15 million people chose to enjoy a wide range of venues.
Of course, it also takes an entire army to make sure these visits are an enjoyable experience – according VisitScotland, 217,000 people work in the tourism sector in Scotland, with 83 per cent in hospitality.
The good news is, if you’d like to be a part of their success story, there are many opportunities on s1jobs to join them.
But first let’s take inspiration from the kind of venues you could be working in as we look at some of Scotland’s biggest and best attractions.
National Museum of Scotland
This was the number one most visited venue in Scotland in 2016, bringing in 1.81 million visitors. Located in Edinburgh, its diverse collections offer insights into the history of Scotland and far beyond. It’s a great place for budding tour guides to get a feel for sharing the wonders of art, nature, science and fashion.
The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
Where better to put yourself in the picture than an art venue that attracted 285,688 visitors? Home to collections of modern and contemporary art, it’s actually made up of two buildings, Modern One and Modern Two. If you’d like to work in the arts sector of tourism this is a great place to find inspiration.
Edinburgh Castle
It should come as no surprise this iconic monument remains the most popular paid-for attraction in Scotland with 1.778 million visitors. Its last royal inhabitant was Charles I, just before his Scottish coronation in 1633 but there are events all year round. And for anyone keen on catering – or simply eating lovely things – there are the Queen Anne Tearoom and Redcoat Café.
The Riverside Museum
Already an integral part of Glasgow’s skyline, this stunning building welcomed 1.259 million visitors, who marvelled at its incredible collection of cars, bicycles, ship models, trams and locomotives. There’s certainly enough inspiration here to get your own career on track with s1jobs!