Scottish Highlands ready to welcome food and drink enthusiasts this summer

Visitors to the Scottish Highlands now have direct access to over 250 food and drink experiences, thanks to a new directory platform that can help them plan their trip.

The new Highland Food and Drink showcase website, created by Highland Tourism CIC with funding support from membership organisation Scotland Food & Drink, is a one stop shop for visitors to explore experiences across the Highlands.

The platform hosts information on over 250 experiences, from Michelin star dining to top beach café spots to not-to-be-missed distillery experiences and world-renowned producer tours. This site forms part of the development of Escape to the Highlands, a new region-wide website which will reveal the treasures and hidden gems that the Highlands offers

The Highlands is home to some of the world’s most legendary food and drink experiences. The marine larder around the 5,000km coastline is one of the planet’s richest natural resources, and the land ranges from heather-rich pastures to fertile river valleys, producing an abundance of game, foraged treasures and sustainably farmed produce.

Inspired by the diverse harvest, artisans and makers have been creating delicious foods across the Highlands for generations. From five-star hotel restaurants to river-side street food vendors, there is a distinct quality and passion for food and drink, making the region a must-visit hot spot for food and drink travellers this summer.

Samantha Faircliff, Managing Director at Cairngorm Brewery Company and Regional Food Tourism Ambassador for Scotland Food & Drink for the Highlands, said: “As we look to the summer ahead, there is so much to be excited about for our vibrant tourism sector, and in particular our network of world class food and drink experiences. The Highland region was recently listed in National Geographic’s ‘Best of the World’ destinations for 2023, one of only two UK based destinations to make the prestigious list of nominees. Our new platform will make it easy for visitors to explore the wonderful range of experiences we have to showcase across the region.”  

The region expects to welcome millions of tourists over the 2023 summer season and is encouraging food and drink enthusiasts to explore the different experiences on offer across the Highland larder.

Yvonne Crook, Highland Tourism CIC Chair, said: “Our food and drink offering in the Highlands is legendary. So much more than the amazing array of whiskies being produced, our larder is rich with phenomenal produce and, our food and drink community boasts spectacular experiences created by some of the most passionate and skilled people in the industry.

“We are delighted with the support of Scotland Food & Drink and our founding sponsor Tomatin Distillery. Their joint backing has enabled this showcase to be developed and we look forward to continuing to build on it so that our visitors can see for themselves the spectacular food and drink landscape we have to offer."

Stephen Bremner, Managing Director of Tomatin Distillery added: “This site is an excellent example of why we’ve provided such substantial financial investment in the work of Highland Tourism CIC. This new directory website showcases so much of what is great about the food and drink sector in the region. Perhaps above all, it is community-driven and totally in keeping with our own goals and values for sustainability and the environment. Highland Tourism CIC get things done and this chimes with our own approach. We look forward to seeing the success of this new website and how our support will help to bring other projects to fruition.”

Pre-pandemic there was a strong surge in domestic tourism to the Scottish Highlands. Post-covid, the Highlands is now welcoming the return of international visitors too. The region expects to have a busy summer and is encouraging food and drink enthusiasts to explore the different experiences on offer across the Highland larder.

For more information or to explore food and drink in the Highlands, please visit: https://foodanddrink.highlandtourism.org/