A final evaluation report of Scotland’s UNESCO Trail has been published by VisitScotland, the country's national tourism organisation. The report finds that the trail not only raised Scotland’s profile as a holiday destination, but also as a “global leader” in promoting UNESCO values and responsible, sustainable tourism practices.
Scotland UNESCO Trail final evaluation report gives detail on initiative success
July 17th 2025
The world-leading Scotland’s UNESCO Trail has been hailed a success, as new findings from VisitScotland reveal that it inspired two in five visitors to visit one of Scotland’s designated UNESCO sites.
Driving awareness and inspiration to visit
The evaluation reports that around one in twelve (8%) domestic visitors typically visit a UNESCO site while taking a holiday or short break in Scotland. This increased to around one in six (16%) for short-haul visitors and one in four (28%) for long-haul.
Visitor surveys conducted in 2022 and 2023 found that around a quarter of visitors from key European markets were aware of the trail, rising to a third from UK and North America.
Between 31% and 46% of visitors stated the trail was an important factor in their decision to visit a UNESCO site. The trail was most important for visitors to the Antonine Wall and New Lanark, followed by Shetland, Orkney, the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere and Old and New Towns of Edinburgh.
Collaborative Working
All of Scotland’s UNESCO designations stated that the trail encouraged collaborative working between them and the wider tourism sector.
“As a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001, we are immensely proud of our place on the Trail. It has opened new avenues to engage audiences both in the UK and internationally bringing us to the attention of visitors who may not have discovered us otherwise. The Trail not only supports responsible tourism but also fosters a sense of collective identity and shared purpose among Scotland’s UNESCO designations. It allows us to highlight the cultural, industrial and social importance of New Lanark, while reinforcing our commitment to sustainable heritage tourism."
John Stirrat, Head of Operations, New Lanark UNESCO World Heritage Site
Pioneering, award-winning initiative
Scotland’s UNESCO Trail was launched as a digital trail in October 2021 – the first of its kind in the world – and included all 13 of Scotland’s UNESCO designated sites at the time. The Flow Country, Perth City of Craft and Folk Art, and the Isle of Arran, which have since received UNESCO designation, were added to the trail as it was reworked.
Scotland was the first nation in the world to create the pioneering initiative, developed through a unique partnership between VisitScotland, the Scottish Government, the UK National Commission for UNESCO, Historic Environment Scotland, NatureScot, the National Trust for Scotland and Scotland’s UNESCO designations.
The trail was designed specifically to support the ambitions of the national strategy to make Scotland a world-leading responsible tourism destination, encouraging visitors to stay longer and visit all year round in line with the country’s responsible tourism ambitions.
“Each one of Scotland’s UNESCO sites tells a story of Scotland’s rich and varied culture, history and heritage. Together, they form a powerful showcase of Scotland’s unique proposition as a year-round sustainable tourism destination.
“The UNESCO Trail has been a pioneering project led by VisitScotland in partnership with sites across the country and this analysis shows the clear value of the initiative as it helps build a compelling story that is attracting tourists and visitors from across the world to our incredible, unique UNESCO sites up and down the country.”
Richard Lochhead, Minister for Business and Employment, Scottish Government
Scotland’s UNESCO Trail has received numerous accolades including a prestigious international award for responsible tourism (‘Tourmag - Césars du Voyage Responsible' Award’, Marseille March 2023), the Santagata Foundation Award and Wanderlust Sustainability Award (both November 2022).
