The Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions (ASVA) Conference 2025 brought together leaders, innovators and storytellers from across Scotland’s visitor-attraction community for a day brimming with inspiration, fresh ideas and enough note taking to satisfy the most devoted stationery fan. Through the chatter and presentations one thing became unmistakably clear: visitors now want experiences that make them feel. Whether it is a sense of curiosity, joy, connection or a fresh perspective on the world, this emotional layer is now front and centre. Once you start seeing through that lens, you spot it everywhere.
This roundup brings together the ideas that stayed with us long after we left, drawn from the speakers and breakout sessions we managed to catch on the day. Purpose, people, creativity, community and the power of thoughtful detail all came through loud and clear.
Setting the Scene: Quality, Distinction and What Visitors Want No
Michael Golding, ASVA’s CEO, set the tone with an honest look at where the sector is right now. Even with rising costs, staffing pressures and those familiar post pandemic shifts, attractions still saw a welcome lift in footfall. A small but encouraging sign that people are still keen to show up when something feels meaningful.
Michael also challenged us to rethink what “quality” really means in 2025. Visitors are looking for warmth, authenticity and a clear sense of who you are. His reminder to find your organisation’s “purple cow” – that spark that sets you apart – became a bit of a running theme for the rest of the day.
After Michael, we heard a ministerial welcome from Richard Lochhead, who reinforced just how important the sector is to Scotland’s culture and economy.
Heritage and Innovation: Meeting Challenges With Creativity
Creative Conservation at Hill House
Hill House in Helensburgh faced a tough problem: Mackintosh’s experimental materials plus over a century of Scottish weather left the building saturated and at serious risk. National Trust for Scotland’s Chief Executive, Philip Long, shared how they responded with vision. A protective “Box” now shelters the house while it dries and offers visitors new elevated views. Inside, refreshed interpretation tells richer stories of architecture and family life. The result is a compelling example of conservation + storytelling done well.
Delivering Joy at Perth Museum
At Culture Perth & Kinross, Helen Smout described how the new Perth Museum was built around playfulness, warmth and inclusivity. With Youth Collective input, human-centred objects and local stories at the heart, it delivers a joyful, welcoming experience rooted in everyday life. A visitor satisfaction rating of 95% proves that when you design with warmth, inclusion and local voices, visitors feel it.
Redefining Experience: Personal, Immersive and Intentional
The Macallan Estate: Quality over Quantity
At The Macallan Estate, Gillian Swan shared how covid spurred a radical rethink of the visitor journey. Smaller groups, longer durations, pre-booked experiences and a slower pace combine to create something more personal and connected to place and people alike.
The Transformation Economy
One of the most thought-provoking sessions came from Stuart Cassells, who explored how we’ve moved beyond services and experiences into the realm of transformation.
Key ideas:
- Visitors seek health, wealth, wisdom or purpose
- Experiences increasingly become moments of personal change
- Guests leave as story-keepers, carrying meaning home
- The market has shifted: from services → experiences → transformation
VisitScotland CEO Vicki Miller supported this, noting that today’s visitors crave grounding, joy, reflection and emotional connection. For Scotland’s attractions, that demand is an opportunity.
Beyond World Class: Creativity, Design and Scotland’s Moment
The “Beyond World Class” panel brought together voices such as Victoria Taylor, Arantxa Garcia, Chris Mather, Ian Stirling and Gayle Shepherd to explore what it truly takes to create memorable experiences. Their consensus: “World-class” rarely comes from one big idea. It emerges from a multitude of layered decisions that shape atmosphere, emotion and identity from the moment a visitor arrives.
Gayle Shepherd, Director of Executive Office and Social Impact, Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, spoke about the opportunities major events bring, including visibility, civic pride and shared anticipation. It’s the perfect moment for attractions to start thinking about how they can get involved. We’ve pulled together our thoughts on exactly that here.
And in true Games spirit, the mascot Finnie made an appearance and brought a hearty welcome to the gathering of minds!
Purpose, Community and Adaptability
The Scotch Whisky Experience
Angela Dineen, Operations Director at The Scotch Whisky Experience, shared how the team has built on an exceptional 2024, where they took home three major visitor experience awards.
This year has been about staying curious. Angela spoke about their Creativity Club, where light hearted prompts like “If you were a superhero, how would you use your powers to solve this problem” help the team see challenges in new ways.
She also highlighted the Alastair S McIntosh Apprenticeships, which give staff space to grow within their role. Many have since become visitor experience managers, showing how committed the organisation is to developing its people.
Angela’s message was clear. Their success is rooted in creativity, care and a culture that helps people thrive.
Royal Zoological Society of Scotland
Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Head of Marketing and Sales, Lisa Robshaw, shared one of the day’s most compelling lessons in brand growth. When the pandemic hit, the team realised many visitors did not actually know the Zoo was a charity. With conservation work at real risk, it became clear that the brand had to pivot quickly and creatively.
Rather than making small tweaks, RZSS reframed its entire approach. Brand purpose became the anchor for both commercial and communication goals. Every message and visitor touchpoint was brought back to one simple truth: people care more, give more and return more when they feel emotionally connected to your mission.
What followed was a powerful combination of creativity and commercial clarity. Emotive fundraising language, a consistent tone of voice, refreshed guidelines and warm, engaging storytelling all played their part. The real takeaway was larger than any single tactic. It was a brilliant example of how a mission driven brand, when aligned with commercial objectives, can pivot under pressure and emerge stronger, clearer and far more connected to its audience.
Irish Innovation: Inspiration that Sparks Change
The day also featured an Irish Innovation session hosted by Catherine Flanagan, CEO Association of Visitor Experiences & Attractions, Ireland. Great Lighthouses of Ireland, represented by Ethna Murphy, showcased how heritage can be a vehicle for community pride and regional impact. This cross-border initiative protects lighthouse heritage while supporting coastal and island communities. It is grounded, purposeful and full of meaning.
At Guinness Storehouse, Catherine Keegan shared how the attraction adapted to reach local audiences as well as their international guests. Following the pandemic, the team leaned into fresh ideas with morning events featuring 0% Guinness, dance sessions and even “STOUTies”, where visitors can have their image printed directly onto the foam head of a pint.
When you understand what different audiences need, bold ideas and new formats can thrive.
Our Key Takeaway
The takeaway from ASVA 2025 is clear: visitors want experiences that feel human, purposeful and beautifully crafted. Those organisations that lean into their distinctive strengths, tell meaningful stories and stay agile in a changing world will thrive.
Scotland’s visitor-attraction sector is bursting with creativity and resilience. The conference was a powerful reminder that when we lead with passion, people and purpose, we create moments that stay long after the visit ends.
