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Scots urged to extend the welcome to year long celebration
30 June 2008
Rt Hon Alex Salmond, MSP, First Minister of Scotland has launched the country’s first ever
Homecoming year.
Inspired by the 250th anniversary of the birth of Scotland’s national poet, the international
cultural icon, Robert Burns, Homecoming Scotland 2009 will encourage people of Scottish
descent, Scots, and those who love Scotland to come home in 2009 and take part in an
inspirational celebration of our culture, heritage and some of the many great contributions
Scotland has given the world.
From Burns Night (Jan 25) to St Andrew’s Day (Nov 30) 2009, a country wide programme of
Homecoming events and activities has been designed to celebrate some of Scotland’s great
contributions to the world: Burns himself, Whisky, Golf, Great Scottish Minds and
Innovations and Scotland’s culture and heritage which lives on at home and through
Scotland’s global family.
Organisations all over the country ranging from community groups, to public and private
bodies are planning new and enhanced Homecoming activity and invite both Scots and
those with a passion for Scotland to join the celebrations. From the Shetland Isles in the
north to Selkirk in the south; Barra in the west to Aberdeen in the east, a packed calendar of
over 100 events is already in place with many more activities being developed in the run up
to 2009.
Speaking at the launch at Edinburgh Castle the Rt Hon Alex Salmond, MSP, First Minister of
Scotland said: “Next year is the 250th anniversary of the birth of our national poet and
cultural icon Robert Burns and a chance to celebrate Scotland’s contribution to the world.
“The exciting programme of events unveiled today demonstrates the richness of our culture
and heritage, with events ranging from the biggest clan gathering for 200 years to an
exhibition of contemporary art, inspired by Robert Burns, which includes contributions from
John Byrne and Tracy Emin.”
The First Minister urged Scots to embrace the year and get involved by encouraging friends,
family and colleagues from around the world to come and join the celebrations:
“With so many inspiring and exceptional activities to choose from the programme promises
to give everyone a reason to come home. It is an invitation to connect with Scotland’s past
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and future, on a scale never seen before. Now we all need to make sure that Scots at home
and abroad get the message.”
Homecoming Scotland 2009 is a Scottish Government initiative being delivered by
EventScotland in partnership with VisitScotland.
Paul Bush, Chief Operating Officer, EventScotland said: “As Scotland’s national events
agency, EventScotland is ideally placed to manage the delivery of Homecoming Scotland in
2009.
“EventScotland has already created a portfolio of world class events, ensuring Scotland
capitalises on the growing trend of event tourism, and Homecoming is an extension of this
work. We have worked with our public sector and event industry partners to create a
tailored programme of events and festivals to inspire Scots worldwide to come home in
2009.
“The result of this enthusiasm is that 2009 will be a very exciting year, and will bring Scots,
people with Scots ancestry, and those who simply love Scotland ‘home’ for this landmark
year.”
Commenting on the worldwide marketing of Homecoming, VisitScotland's Chairman Peter
Lederer said: "We have already seen a great deal of interest in Homecoming 2009 from our
key tourism markets and the fantastic range of events announced today is sure to be very
popular with visitors. VisitScotland has been promoting Homecoming extensively, with
Scotland in Toronto, New York's Scotland Week and a travel trade event in Australia just
some examples of our recent activity. We will build on this success with a programme of
marketing and PR which will promote Homecoming Scotland 2009 to potential visitors
within the UK and around the world."
The event programme launched today is a key part of Homecoming. Marie Christie,
Homecoming Scotland 2009 Project Directorsaid: “In developing the programme so far
we’ve had a fantastic response from organisations, large and small from every area in
Scotland, who have really taken the concept of Homecoming to their hearts and have
developed diverse and inspiring activity for 2009.
“The programme detail announced today is just the beginning of the Homecoming story,
over the coming months we will be releasing more information and bringing more and more
partners on board. We think there is something in the programme for everyone and we
hope Scots, and those who love Scotland, at home and abroad will join the celebrations in
2009. It’s an exciting year for Scotland, it’s a great year to come home.”
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A key part of today’s announcement was the call for Scots to get involved in Homecoming.
Here’s how:
Extend the invite: Whether you are a native Scot; part of Scotland’s extended global family,
or maybe you just love Scotland, spread the word by telling your friends and relatives
wherever they live, about the special year of Homecoming and encourage them to join us in
our 2009 celebrations.
Log on to the official Homecoming website: www.homecomingscotland2009.com and send
an e-invite inviting friends and family home.
Sign up for the Homecoming Scotland newsletter and be the first to get updates on exciting
events as well as general information about
Homecoming: www.homecomingscotland2009.com
For event organisers looking to develop Homecoming activities, contact the Homecoming
Team who can assist with advice and in-kind marketing support. Further information can be
obtained by contacting Rebecca McPherson, Homecoming Scotland 2009 T: +44 (0) 131 472
2408 / email: info@homecomingscotland.com
For businesses and organisations wishing to promote Homecoming Scotland 2009, a logo
can be downloaded from the website www.homecomingscotland2009.com for inclusion
within marketing communications.
Contacts for Homecoming Scotland 2009
Wendy Grannon, 0131 472 2430 or 07966 55 2009
Richard Saville-Smith, 0131 472 2313 or 07909 52 7629
Notes:
Homecoming Scotland 2009
1. Homecoming Scotland is funded by the Scottish Government and is managed by
EventScotland the national events agency in partnership with VisitScotland, the country’s
national tourism agency.
2.Homecoming Scotland 2009 aims to engage Scots at home as well as motivate people of
Scottish descent and those who simply love Scotland, to take part in an inspirational
celebration of our culture, heritage and some of the many great contributions Scotland has
given to the world.
3.2009 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns,
with the programme's design guided by Scotland's unique position as the home of Burns
himself, Golf, Whisky, Great Minds and Innovations, and Scotland’s culture and heritage
which lives on at home and through Scotland’s global family.
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4.The budget for Homecoming is £5 million and the target is for an 8 to 1 return on
investment i.e. £40 million revenue additionality.
5.For more information on Homecoming Scotland please
visit: www.homecomingscotland2009.com
Event Scotland
1.EventScotland is the national events agency.
2.EventScotland is working to make Scotland one of the world’s leading event destinations.
By developing an exciting portfolio of sporting and cultural events 3.EventScotland is helping
to raise Scotland’s international profile and boost the economy by attracting more visitors.
For further information about EventScotland, its funding programmes and latest event news
visit EventScotland.org
VisitScotland
1.VisitScotland is Scotland’s national tourism organisation. Its core purpose is to maximise
the economic benefit of tourism to Scotland.
2.The organisation has five roles:
- To give strategic direction to the tourism industry.
- To attract visitors by marketing Scotland and the country’s tourism assets to all parts of the
world in the UK and internationally.
- To provide information – and inspiration – to visitors and potential visitors to enable them
to get the best out of a visit to Scotland.
- To provide quality assurance to visitors and quality advice to industry partners to ensure
the industry delivers to meet – or exceed – visitors’ expectations.
- To promote partnerships with the wider industry to ensure we all reap the economic
benefits of collective effort.
3.VisitScotland is working with the tourism industry and other partners to achieve a 50 per
cent growth in tourism revenues for Scotland by 2015.
4.The organisation employs over 1,000 people and has offices and tourist information
centres across Scotland.
5. For more information on VisitScotland, please visit: www.visitscotland.com