Welcome
Welcome to Scotland's community tourism network
Seeking to recalibrate tourism in Scotland to deliver for our communities and environment first
Join the SCOTO Network today!
Find out how

The strength of the SCOTO Network lies in the sharing of information and inspiring each other, and we strongly believe everyone should have a voice in this conversation. Additionally we provide various benefits to our SCOTO Enterprises and if you're interested in championing this initiative, why not become a SCOTO Supporter?

Community Visitor Info Points
May - Aug 2024

With the closure of VisitScotland VICs by 2026, we're providing a monthly online ‘CHAT’ over the summer to explore what communities have already done to provide visitor information and offer tips to any community affected by the closures – or simply wanting to enhance visitor information provision in their local area.

You also might be interested in our Visitor Information Map Offer!

Case Studies
Community led tourism case studies

Explore our diverse range of 31 case studies from SCOTO Enterprises and other organisations across Scotland. This month we've added 3 Case Studies from organistations who have set up Visitor Information Centres/Hubs, with more to come.

Take time to PRESS PAUSE
Do you feel tourism just happens to your community?

Do you have a community led tourism idea that you would like to explore? Are you keen to see tourism help your community become an even better place to live, work and visit?

Sign up for a SCOTO Press Pause facilitated workshop and action plan.

Visitor Information Maps
SCOTO Enterprise special offer!

SCOTO in partnership with Landmark Press can now produce Be Local branded visitor information tear-off countertop and folded maps for your community. This offer is open to all SCOTO Enterprises as one of your Enterprise benefits.

SCOTO Gatherings
Join our monthly online meetings.

The SCOTO monthly online gatherings are back this September. Join us each month from September through April as we delve into and discuss the latest trends in community-led tourism.

What does it mean to be local?

Community Tourism: Blending what communities need and visitors seek

What is community tourism?

It’s a question many people ask – and often because they like the sound of it and want to know more!

For SCOTO, which is working at a grassroots level across Scotland, community tourism is where a community enterprise or a geographic community is directly involved in shaping and managing the tourism offers in their area and ensuring tourism derives tangible benefits locally.

Historically many communities have felt that tourism happens to them rather than with them but there is a growing sense that tourism can be a force for good.

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How can SCOTO Help?

At SCOTO, our work revolves around seven key activities

Our first year has surpassed all expectations! See the highlights of our impact here.

Forum & Networking

Providing a forum for networking and connecting with peers engaged in community led tourism

Resources

Providing an online learning and development resources for community led tourism

Programmes

Providing programmes of support  for community led tourism including grants

Advocacy

Providing leadership that strengthens the representation of community led tourism initiatives in strategy, policy and delivery.

Promotion

Providing a promotional platform, targeting conscious consumers and ethical travelers.  

Data

Gatheing data and intelligence about community led tourism in Scotland

Services

Undertake contracts and services to grow and develop community tourism across Scotland

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From tourist to temporary local: Fight to make Scottish tourism fair

STV's Scotland Tonight programme, 9 June 2023

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A focus on visitors

Be a temporary local

We have created a dedicated website for visitors to unleash their inner local, as we invite them to be inspired to embrace the local community spirit on their travels and to give something simple back that will make the community an even better place to live, work and visit.

SCOTO was established in April 2022 believing in:
Community Wealth Building
Community Wealth Building

Community tourism can support economic and social growth and grow resilient communities that are then equipped to innovate and optimise further opportunities for development and investment

Responsible Tourism
Responsible Tourism

Community tourism underpins the concepts of sustainable and responsible tourism delivering more than economic return with due consideration to the social and environmental as well as economic impacts that tourism brings

Place Making
Place Making

Community tourism is place-orientated and grassroots led and therefore integrates its development with other community priorities

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Getting Involved

Be part of it

We welcome individuals, community enterprises and supporters to get in touch and find out more about the  SCOTO Network, or to simply ask us for info. Discover more about SCOTO below:

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