A new guide has been launched to help businesses across Ayrshire & Arran make the most of a growing demand for Scotland’s culinary experiences.   

It comes as new research by Visit Scotland found that over a third of visitors to the region took part in a food and drink experience as part of their trip.

This included visiting a farm shop or farmers market, fine dining or attending a festival.  

To help local businesses capitalise on this trend, VisitScotland, in partnership with Scotland Food & Drink, has created a free industry guide.  

Hosted on VisitScotland.org, the online guide contains information to ensure that businesses can cater for the interests and expectations of their visitors.  

Lynsey Eckford, VisitScotland Regional Director, said:  “Scotland’s reputation for food and drink is exceptional and Ayrshire & Arran is home to a diverse range of culinary delights, from distilleries and farm shops, to top of the range restaurants and artisanal cafes.  

“We know that promoting food and drink is a recipe for success and this free resource on our VisitScotland.org website will provide a clear and practical guide to help industry understand how to make the most of this growing demand for food and drink experiences.   

“With particular demand for locally produced food and drink, developing this tourism offer can benefit those in the wider supply chain supporting communities and the economy as well as our own responsible tourism ambitions.”