Scotland set to welcome bikers

Motorbike touring in Scotland is given a helping hand by VisitScotland today with the launch of a new search facility on the visitscotland.com website.

Visitors can now scan the huge database of accommodation providers and visitor attractions in Scotland for those that are specifically geared up to cater for motorbike riders and their machines, and are members of VisitScotland’s popular Bikers Welcome scheme.

Earlier this year, Crieff-born Ewan McGregor and his best friend Charley Boorman started their latest motorcycling adventure, Long Way Down, in Scotland. VisitScotland is offering enthusiasts the chance to win a trip for two along the Scottish leg of the Long Way Down route by logging on to Visitscotland.com/longwaydown.

Motorcycling is an increasingly popular activity and many bikers enjoy the freedom of seeing Scotland’s dramatic scenery by bike.

Ewan McGregor said: “It was lovely for me to start the trip in Scotland. It has some of the best roads in the world to ride a bike on and it is just spectacular - the scenery, the corners, the twisties - they’re absolutely magnificent. And it gave me an opportunity to be in my country again, to be in Scotland again, because I don’t get up there nearly as much as I’d like to.”

VisitScotland created the Bikers Welcome scheme in 2005 to give recognition to tourism business in Scotland that offer a fine, warm welcome to bikers and to give guidance to bikers as to where to stay and what to see during their trip to Scotland. There are currently over 100 members of VisitScotland’s Bikers Welcome scheme.

Businesses have to meet a number of core criteria in order to be members of the scheme, including having a positive attitude towards bikers and a genuine desire to meet and anticipate their needs, providing a separate space for drying outdoor clothing and footwear, and visor and boot cleaning facilities, being able to recommend a number of tours including routes, viewpoints and visitor attractions for example and providing safe storage and hard standing for motorbikes.

Colin Houston, Quality Development Manager at VisitScotland, helped develop the scheme. He commented: “This online search facility for accommodation and attractions that you know are going to meet your specialised requirements is a real benefit to visitors. The touring motorcycle market is increasingly valuable as more people, often with quite high levels of disposable income, take up the hobby.

“As well as providing a useful service to bikers coming to Scotland, the Bikers Welcome scheme also aims to challenge preconceived ideas of bikers that some people may still have. The more we are able to raise awareness of and meet the needs of consumers within niche markets, the more we will be able to contribute towards achieving the industry growth ambition of increasing tourism revenues by 50% by 2015.”

Denny MacKean, one of the owners of the Scarinish Hotel on the Isle of Tiree, was also involved in developing the Bikers Welcome scheme. She said: “Most of what we do for bikers and other specialist markets is common sense. We have bikers in the family and we asked bikers who came to stay with us what would make their trip easier and started from there.

“It is the little things we do that can make such a big difference to someone’s trip, such as providing sturdy hangers for heavy biking gear, and shortbread biscuits in the shape of motorbikes on arrival, which are always popular with our biker guests! We have found that for not a lot of money or effort we can make a huge difference to the visitor experience, which all contributes towards making Scotland a must-visit, must-return destination.”

For more information on Scotland go to Visitscotland.com.