Andy Murray serves tourism top ten for Scotland

Scotland’s tennis ace Andy Murray is helping to encourage more visitors to plan a trip to his home country by telling them about his top ten things to do and see there.

He’s the latest Scottish sporting celebrity to give his ideas to VisitScotland’s new Top10 website, Visitscotland.com/top10, which is designed to help visitors plan their perfect trip to Scotland.

The 20 year old’s favourite pastimes include watching Hibs play at Easter Road, playing at Edinburgh’s Craiglockhart Tennis Centre where he won his first Scottish junior title and golfing at Gleneagles where he learned to play when he was young.

The UK’s number one player is currently in New York for the US Open where he’s through to the second round after a straight set win in the first.

He said:

“I love spending time at home, which does not happen often nowadays, so when I do get the chance I like to revisit old hangouts like Craiglockhart Tennis Centre, the only clay court venue in Scotland and of course Easter Road where I started playing for Hibs kids when I was 5.

“I like to tell people about how great Scotland is when I’m travelling around the world. VisitScotland’s new Top10 website can help them see for themselves what they can get up to if they visit.”

VisitScotland’s UK and Ireland Group Product Manager, Suzanne Casey said:

“We are delighted that Andy has given us his top 10 things to do and see in Scotland. We hope that it will help encourage some of his fans to take a trip to Scotland and discover some of his favourite haunts for themselves.

“We want to show visitors that there’s always more to do and see in Scotland and the Top10 site does just that – it will even give them one or two surprises about the kind of things they can experience on holiday here.

“Where else in the world can you visit a world famous castle one day, go white water rafting the next, see dolphins up close or take in one of our internationally renowned festivals to round off your trip?

“The Top10 site, which is a great joint initiative with Highland Spring bottled water, shows thousands of potential visitors that Scotland’s is a must visit, must return destination.”

One lucky visitor to the site will win their Top10 holiday to Scotland if they enter the joint competition with Highland Spring.

This campaign will also be promoted on over 35 million bottles of Highland Spring’s water which is sourced from a protected organic source under the Ochil Hills in Perthshire.

Andy Murray’s Top 10

1. Craiglockhart Tennis Centre, Edinburgh - the only clay court venue in Scotland and where Andy won his first Scottish junior title.
2. Golf At Gleneagles – he learned to play on the 9 hole par 3 course there when he was tiny, plus enjoyed cycling around the grounds and courses.
3. Hibernian FC - supporting Hibs at home matches at Easter Road. Andy was a member of Hibs kids between the ages of 5-8.
4. Braehead Arena - played Davis Cup match v Serbia here in March 06 and also watched first live boxing match here.
5. The Wallace Monument - loved the Braveheart movie and the views from the top of the monument followed by great pizza at Corrieri’s Cafe at Causewayhead afterwards.
6. Edinburgh Dungeons
7. The Himalayas putting green on the sea front at St Andrews. Such a great course. Really challenging.
8. Landmark Centre Carrbridge - great flying fox and climbing frames.
9. Hard Rock Café – Edinburgh
10. Go Karting – Knockhill

For more information go to Visitscotland.com/top10.