SCOTLAND’s national tourist organisation is urging businesses to capitalise on the opportunities for tourism that the Queensferry Crossing provides.
VisitScotland has created a free industry toolkit to help firms providing accommodation, tour companies and visitor attractions to help them use the bridge to their advantage.
It comes ahead of next week’s official opening of the world’s longest three-tower, cable-stayed bridge.
The toolkit contains a selection of stunning images and video footage, as well as varied content for social media posts, newsletters and factsheets. VisitScotland has also published a blog offering tips to amateur photographers on the best angles to capture the incredible new structure, which opens to traffic on August 30, alongside the Forth Bridge and the Forth Road Bridge.
Unlike the road bridge there will be no pedestrian access on the Queensferry Crossing, but there is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to walk across on Saturday and Sunday, September 2 and 3. According to VisitScotland’s blog, among the best places to snap the three engineering icons are Port Edgar Marina, North and South Queensferry, Blackness Castle and even from above while taking off or coming in to land at Edinburgh Airport.
VisitScotland’s chief executive Malcolm Roughead, said: “As we celebrate the 2017 Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology, next week’s official opening of the Queensferry Crossing marks a historic moment as Scotland becomes the world’s first destination to have three bridges spanning three centuries in one stunning location.
“The completion of this remarkable Scottish trilogy is a great opportunity for tourism, and our industry toolkit and photography guide will help businesses to take full advantage of this remarkable feat of engineering.”
Economy Secretary Keith Brown added: “Excitement is certainly building ahead of next week’s opening to traffic and also as we look forward to a weekend of celebrations at the start of September when over 50,000 people will have the chance to walk the bridge.
“This toolkit will be warmly welcomed by visitor attractions and others as a simple yet effective way of promoting this magnificent structure.
“We’ve already seen some stunning images of the latest addition to this wonderful setting and it’s important to build momentum ahead of the Forth Bridges tourism strategy launch later this year.” Earlier this week, Transport Minister Humza Yousaf launched a new website that should also do its bit to attract tourists to the area.
The site — www.theforthbridges.org — which is seen as a “one-stop shop” for all matters relating to the three bridges, will act as a central hub for information on them.
Operated by Amey on behalf of Transport Scotland and the Forth Bridges Forum, it features a photo archive of the crossings, along with real-time travel information and cameras from Traffic Scotland.
Traffic on the Queensferry Crossing will initially be restricted to a 40 mph speed limit, with cyclists and pedestrians using the Forth Road Bridge. This will allow work to be carried out on the road bridge to complete its transformation into an active travel corridor.
Once the work is finished, buses will be switched to the road bridge and the Queensferry Crossing will be given motorway status.
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