In July 2010 a new Royal Sailing Exhibition opens at The Royal Yacht Britannia.

This new exhibition will tell the story behind the Royal Family's passion for sailing. The focus will be on the annual Cowes week regatta in the Isle of Wight, the Royal Family's private holiday sailing in the Western Isles of Scotland and past royal racing yachts.

In addition to this exhibition the classic and elegant 1930s racing yacht Bloodhound, owned by The Queen and Prince Philip in the 1960s, will be moored alongside Britannia. Visitors will have the opportunity to view one of the most successful racing yachts ever built.

New for 2010 at Edinburgh’s Our Dynamic Earth will be a £700,000 investment to create Scotland’s first permanent 4D theatre.

The theatre will be an exciting addition to the five-star visitor attraction’s story of planet Earth and will redevelop and bring to life the ‘Journey of Contrasts’ gallery. Through beautifully rendered animation, 3D projection and innovative 4D technologies, visitors will learn about the diversity of habitats that sustain life on earth.

The experience is based on a journey that visitors take from the arctic tundra to the tropical rainforests, with a range of effects including spatialised audio, special lighting, seat movements, snow, wind and olfactory to engage viewers in the experience.

Commenting on the investment, Douglas Walker, commercial director of Our Dynamic Earth, said: "In recent years we have refreshed the visitor experience through introducing full dome technology, revamping galleries and bringing new events to Our Dynamic Earth. With this latest investment, we are not only proving that there is always something new at Dynamic Earth, but we are expanding our facilities for corporate events as well.

"As with the full dome technology of our Futuredome, where we have made a considerable investment in the latest equipment that enables us to introduce new films, we intend to expand the opportunities that this 4D installation will offer in the future."

The technology and storyline for the new theatre is being developed in a collaboration between Dynamic Earth and both Global Immersion and NSC Creative, both specialists in large format immersive cinematic experiences.

Work will start on the new facility in January 2010 with completion due in time for the Easter holidays. During that time the existing gallery will close to allow the area to be completely revamped.

New Managing Director – Graeme Ward
Radical Travel Group

I am delighted to announce that Graeme Ward will succeed me as Managing Director of Radical Travel Group. 

After a career break travelling and teaching business English in South America Graeme joined Radical Travel Group as a HAGGiS Adventures guide in 2002.  After spending 5 years in London in various Sales and Marketing roles with Haggis Adventures and Busabout Europe, Graeme returned to Edinburgh taking overall responsibility for Sales & Marketing for all Radical brands in 2008.   A graduate from Stirling University, Graeme’s background is Management Consultancy, having worked with over 20 global companies throughout UK, Europe and North America. 

The succession follows my appointment as Global Brand Director with Contiki Holidays, a sister company within The Travel Corporation group of companies.  After almost 17 years as co-founder / Managing Director of Radical Travel, I am looking forward to the new challenge and to living in Geneva as of February 1st, 2010.  Until then I will assist Graeme with the transition to his new role, as we have been doing quietly for some time now.  Graeme can be reached on 0131 558 2341 or graemew@radicaltravel.com .

Thank you for your friendship & support throughout the years, the great laughs & the precious memories.

Best wishes for 2010.

Kind regards
Alastair

Alastair Campbell

p. 0131 557 9775
m. 07879 897 510
alastairc@radicaltravel.com

An additional 11 new jobs could be created, with a boost of over £½ million a year to the economy, if proposals for a new lobster hatchery in North Berwick, Scotland go ahead, according to a feasibility study released this week by Jura Consultants.

Jura, appointed earlier this year to conduct the study, found resounding support for the project in the town. The findings (copy of report attached), presented to local fishermen and representatives from East Lothian Council, North Berwick Harbour Trust, North Berwick Community Council and the Scottish Seabird Centre, demonstrate that such a facility would generate significant benefits for fishing and tourism in the area.
In the proposals, twenty to forty thousand juvenile lobsters would be released throughout the Firth of Forth every year, helping fishing communities in East Lothian and Fife. Optimal release levels and sites would need to be determined through an environmental impact study and the technical survey indicates that the hatchery might also help to sustain local populations of crabs, langoustines and oysters.

The hatchery would also operate as a tourist attraction, complementing the highly successful award-winning Scottish Seabird Centre at the harbour in North Berwick. It is estimated that the hatchery would attract approximately over 30,000 visitors in its first year.

The consultants indicate that £1.8million would be required to build and fit out the proposed facility. They highlight that the hatchery would not initially be financially viable and that ongoing revenue support would be required to ensure its survival. However, they highlight that funders are likely to be interested in supporting a project that would result in such significant and widespread benefits. This financial support would be essential to build and operate the hatchery.

The report recommended that the best location for the building would be at North Berwick harbour, adjacent to the Seabird Centre and in easy reach of high quality sea water (essential for a successful hatchery). It was suggested by the fishermen that holding tanks for catches would be a useful additional facility which has been incorporated into the plans.

Paul Jardine, Managing Director of Jura Consultants, commented, “The proposed lobster hatchery has the potential to build on the success of similar centres across the UK, with benefits for both marine conservation and the local economy.”

Scottish Seabird Centre Chief Executive, Tom Brock OBE commented: “This comprehensive study, confirms the belief that such a hatchery would be of real benefit to local fishermen with major positive, economic, environmental and education impacts. There is a long way to go, but with continued strong, local support, we believe that this exciting and innovative idea can become a reality. North Berwick could become home to the first hatchery of its type in Scotland.”

Following the consultant’s presentation, it was unanimously agreed that the proposals should be investigated further and that a Steering Group should be formed to identify how the North Berwick Lobster Hatchery could be progressed.

Still time to enter the Nature Photography Competition 2009! 
CLOSING DATE 4TH NOVEMBER

The closing date for the Scottish Seabird Centre's Annual Nature Photography competition has been extended to 4th November, due to the current postal strike.The annual Nature Photography Competition & Exhibition, organised by the Seabird Centre, features five categories; Scottish Wildlife, World Wildlife, Landscape, Creative Visions of Nature and Environmental Impact. There is also a junior competition.

Now in its fourth year, the competition has become well established, attracting around 250 entries each year and offers an excellent opportunity for amateur photographers to showcase their work and win some excellent prizes.

The Nature Photography Exhibition will run at the Scottish Seabird Centre from 20th November 2009 until February 2010 and will feature the top 100 shortlisted entries. In "X-factor" style, the public will have the chance to vote for their favourites. Application forms can be downloaded from the Seabird Centre's website www.seabird.org or call 01620 890202.

Lizard's Salad Days 

Cafe workers found a lizard which had travelled for days from the Middle East in a bag of salad. 

The eight-inch Lebanon Lizard was in a packet of rocket leaves from Israel. 

The creature, nicknamed Rocky, was discovered by catering staff at the National Trust For Scotland's cafe in Charlotte Square, Edinburgh. 

He is now at the Edinburgh Butterfly and Insect World in Lasswade, Midlothian. Trust conservationist Lindsay Mackinlay said: "He's doing well."

Britain's biggest greenhouse is to be created in Scotland in an ambitious plan to boost the fortunes and reputation of the nation's main botanical garden.

The £25 million development to be carried out at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is tipped to become Scotland's answer to the Eden Project in Cornwall.

The venture, which is expected to take up to a decade to come to fruition, will mean the existing glasshouses, which date back to the 1960s, will be dismantled. They will be replaced by a striking new eco-friendly complex to house the vast plant collections and research facilities.

It will be built next to the Garden's listed Victorian temperate palm house, which dates back to 1858 and was refurbished four years ago, and the older Tropical Palm House, which was built in 1834.

The Scottish Government has already agreed to pay £25,000 to help get a feasibility study under way into the replacement for the climatically controlled glasshouses.

Experts at RBGE, which last week officially opened its new John Hope Gateway visitor centre, are expected to travel the world to study the latest energy-saving technology being deployed in modern botanical centres, with a view to emulating the latest low-carbon production techniques in Edinburgh.

The new glasshouse, which would have a much bigger capacity than the ageing structures it will replace, is also expected to help generate thousands of new visitors to the Botanics. It will boast a new education centre, conference facilities, lecture hall and plaza terrace for delegates overlooking the garden itself.

Alan Bennell, the RBGE's head of visitor services, said the existing glasshouses are now proving to be a huge drain on resources and are "approaching their sell-by date."

He said: "We have some very fine glasshouses here, including the temperate palm house, which is still the tallest glasshouse in Britain.

"Our range of other glasshouses features some very fine post-war architecture, but there is no double-glazing in any of them. The heating system dates back to the 1960s, so it is hugely expensive for us to run, even though they house some of our most important biological collections.

"When you think about the carbon footprint in these buildings they are obviously not the most sustainable way of doing things."

The Botanics' history stretches back to 1670, when a garden was created next to Holyrood Palace for the cultivation of medicinal plants.

Such was its success, the garden moved to the area now occupied by platform 11 at Waverley Station, before going on to Leith Walk, and eventually, in 1823, to its present location in Inverleith Row.

By the 1960s, most of the glasshouses at the garden had fallen into disrepair and modern structures were built to host a greater variety of plants. The "Front Range" glasshouses were filled with topsoil that had been removed from the construction site of the Forth Road Bridge, which was being built at the same time.

The £16m John Hope Gateway is the first new building created at the Botanics, which already attracts 600,000 visitors a year, for more than 40 years and was some six years in the planning stages. It is hoped the new glasshouse complex will become a striking new landmark which will blend into the landscape as well as with listed buildings, such as Inverleith House and the Caledonian Hall at the Botanics.

Bennell said project managers would be looking at the kind of new facilities that have been built around the world and what kind of technology they are using. One example is the recently erected research glasshouses at the New York Botanical Garden.

"We wouldn't want to replace the glasshouses with big barns; we want something of a suitable stature which will be a major new focal point."

Cllr Tom Buchanan, Edinburgh's tourism leader, said: "The Royal Botanic Garden is already one of Edinburgh's most popular visitor attractions and, naturally, I welcome these plans, which can only add to its world-class reputation."

The Eden Project is a lottery-funded attraction near the Cornish town of St Austell, which includes the world's largest greenhouse. The project attracts around 1.1 million visitors a year.

Source: news.scotsman.com Publication date: 19/10/2009

New figures have revealed an increase in visitor numbers to Scotland's historic sites over the summer.

Edinburgh Castle was Historic Scotland's most popular site with more than 580,000 visits in the four months to the end of August, a 7% annual rise.

Stirling Castle was the second most popular of Historic Scotland's sites - attracting more than 228,000 people over the same four months.

The top 10 also included Skara Brae, Iona Abbey and Fort William.

All saw a rise in visitors over the year before. Historic Scotland has credited the increase to the Year of Homecoming and the fact that the weak pound made Scotland an attractive holiday destination for Europeans.

Kari Coghill of Historic Scotland said: "Our attractions enjoyed a good summer right across the country.

"The 2009 Year of Homecoming campaign was clearly a major help as it brought the whole of our tourism industry together to focus on the common goal of attracting visitors by promoting all that's best about Scotland.

"At the same time we obviously benefited from the fact that a weak pound made Scotland an attractive destination for Europeans.

"But we have also been doing a huge amount to market all that Historic Scotland has to offer, and the good value it provides, and that has seen our membership numbers pass 100,000 for the first time."

SOURCE: BBC NEWS 20/10/09

The Real Mary King's Close is thought to be one of the most haunted places in Scotland. For a more 'paranormal' take on the site, try our Supernatural History Tour, where the urban myths and legends will be examined. From the famous documented 'Satan's Invisible World' written in 1685, right through to sightings since its opening in 2003. The true stories may send a shiver down your spine... or perhaps one of the ghosts associated with this site just brushed past your back?

We'll also give you an unique opportunity to make your own mind up - do ghosts exist?  You'll hear first hand evidence of alledged ghostly communications on the Close.....and IS that picture of a ghost real?!  Decide for yourselves.......

Supernatural History Tours run from Friday 23rd October 2009 to Sunday 1st November 2009 inclusive from 6pm to 9pm every 20 minutes.  It will then run every Saturday between November and March (excluding December) from 6pm to 9pm.

Pre-booking for our Supernatural History Tours is essential as each tour is limited in places. To book, please call our booking office on 0845 070 6244.

EVENING NEWS 05 OCTOBER 2009 By VICTORIA RAIMES

THE number of people visiting the Capital's best-known museums has soared as families opt for a cheap day out during the economic recession.

Admissions to well-known attractions such as the Museum of Edinburgh, the National Galleries of Scotland and the National Museum of Scotland have risen by up to 30 per cent during the first half of the financial year from April to August.

It is believed that the rise is due to parents searching for purse-friendly options during the credit crunch – and several museums also said they had attracted visitors by making their latest exhibitions more child-friendly.

The overall increase in the past six months for the 12 council-run museums, which include the People's Story, Lauriston Castle and the Brass Rubbing Centre, is nearly 8 per cent, but some venues have seen huge increases.

The Museum of Edinburgh has seen a 29.3 per cent increase in visitors when comparing this year with 2008, from 25,418 to 32,869. The Museum of Childhood saw an 18.6 per cent increase, from 117,109 to 138,846.

Despite charging a £3 entry fee, the Scott Monument reported an increase of 26.6 per cent, with 35,506 people in 2008 compared with 44,947 this year. Overall, the council's museum service attracts about 600,000 viewers per year.

The National Galleries, a non-council-run attraction, has seen a 12.6 per cent increase in visitors in this financial year to date.

The National Museum of Flight reported a 23.4 per cent increase and 55,274 visitors, and the National Museum of Scotland has increased its number of attendees by 7.4 per cent.

Frank Little, the city council's museum manager, said he believed that there were two reasons there had been an increase.

He said: "The economic climate may well have had an effect on what people are choosing to do. All of our exhibitions are free, apart from the Nelson Monument and Scott Monument, which charge £3. But I think it is largely to do with the amount of research we have been doing into who visits the attractions and who doesn't.

"We have become a lot more child-friendly, offering entertainment such as puppet shows. We recently got in partnership with Edinburgh World Heritage, which is helping us focus on a younger audience.

"The exhibition programme and the recently introduced schools activity area at the Museum of Edinburgh have increased visitor numbers, as have the improvements to the entrance and new signage at the Scott Monument."

Councillor Deidre Brock, culture convener, said: "These fantastic figures show there is a huge appetite among city-dwellers and visitors for exploring Edinburgh's cultural and historical treasures."

The finest Scottish art and food come together at the National Gallery.

We are delighted to announce a new collaboration with Victor and Carina Contini, the hugely successful partnership that brought the restaurant Centotre to Edinburgh.

The Scottish Café and Restaurant at the National Gallery will celebrate the very best ingredients from Scottish producers and growers, offering delicious, yet affordable food in a wonderful setting.

The restaurant, which, for the first time, will serve breakfast every day from 9.00 am, will open on 19 October 2009, in the National Gallery Complex, on The Mound. The restaurant will also now open for dinner on Saturday evenings.

For more information, see http://www.nationalgalleries.org

The award winning Mary King’s Ghost Fest will be back  in 2010 from Thursday March 18th to Tuesday March 23rd 2010!!!! 

As always the festival will be packed year with a programme of events will kept the most avid of ghost hunters and the most serious of sceptics entertained for hours….perhaps the darker nights of March will draw out more of Edinburgh's spooky residents? Every year the festival offers a wide range of exciting events which allow people the opportunity to explore and examine under supervision the truly ‘haunted’ nature of extraordinary Edinburgh.

Highlights for Ghost Fest 2009 included a return to the Close for Dr Ciaran O'Keeffe and Steve Parsons from Living TV's Most Haunted, 'The Paradox Experience' at Blair Street Vaults and Mary King's Close with North West Spirit Seekers, a Victorian Seance with City of the Dead Tours and ghostly storytelling at The Peoples Story and Mercat Tours.

Favourite spooky films, clairvoyant gatherings, fascinating talks from leading  experts, kids bus tours and unusual tours also featured and we welcomed new partners for 2009 - The Screening Club at The Scotsman Hotel, The Peoples Story, The Museum of Edinburgh, North West Spirit Seekers and Gilmerton Cove.

For further information  please visit http://www.marykingsghostfest.com/

We are having a hugely successful summer with our highest number of visitors ever. This year has also seen the acquisition of a number of new exhibits like the Slowtron which slows your voice down when you speak into it which makes it impossible to read anything coherently. 

At the end of the summer we will begin work on our new extension which will see us almost double our exhibition space for next year.

Camera Obscura and World of Illusions is consistently rated in the top three out of 251 things to see and do in Edinburgh on the travel website Tripadvisor.  We are delighted with all of this positive feedback from our visitors and we look forward to seeing more of you.

Please check our opening times on our website www.camera-obscura.co.uk/.

An octopus which was discovered in the creel of a Methil fisherman has gone on display at Deep Sea World in North Queensferry.

The curled octopus was accidentally caught by fishermen on board the Nereus who kept it alive in a bucket and contacted the zoological team at the Fife aquarium.

Aquarist Chris Rowe said the octopus was in excellent condition and was now recovering in its own display tank. “Octopus are truly incredible creatures and can squeeze through the tiniest of gaps. It’s probable that this particular individual managed to get into the creel in search of food and was then hauled up by the fishermen,” he said. “She’s a fine specimen and is already proving popular with visitors who often find it difficult to believe that such an exotic-looking creature could be living around our coastline,” he added.

Curled octopus get their name from their slender, tapering arms which curl at the end. Although they are usually reddish brown in colour they can change shades quickly and discharge ‘ink’ when threatened. They spend much of their time lying low in holes and crevices or among rocks. Octopus have no bones or skeleton and can squeeze through any gap that their beak can fit through. This could be a small as a ‘Smarties tube’. The octopus has a highly developed nervous system. Its eyes are like humans and it has the largest and most advanced brain of any invertebrate.

Despite the fact that they belong to the same family as slugs and snails, octopus can perform highly complex tasks. As well as unscrewing jars, they can open boxes, distinguish between different shapes and colours and complete mazes.
According to Israeli scientists some of the octopus’s intelligence is actually contained within each of its arms. Each of the octopus’ eight arms can have up to 1,000 suckers and is controlled by an elaborate nervous system consisting of 50 million neurons.

Further information www.deepseaworld.com

Manager, Cafe Hub

The Hub, home of the Edinburgh International Festival is a unique restaurant, cafe and wedding venue located on the Royal Mile.

We are looking for a manager for Cafe Hub, to help us ensure an exceptionally high standard of service for this daytime and evening operation. The successful candidate will have a minimum of 3 years management experience or equivalent in a hospitality environment, strong numeric and communication skills, a friendly and outgoing manner and a commitment to a career in hospitality.

As well as the day to day running of Cafe Hub the manager will be expected to play a major part in the training and recruitment of staff, rota and payroll management, preparation of financial reports and to have up to date knowledge of EPOS systems. 

For further particulars please contact Kirsten Stewart, Human Resources and Payroll Manager on 0131 473 2087 or email recruitment@eif.co.uk.

A job pack is available to download at http://www.eif.co.uk/about-festival/jobs/working-festival-or-hub

Salary c£21,000 Closing date noon on Monday 5 October 2009.

AUGUST 2009 - PRESS RELEASE

Rabbie’s is an Inspiration!

Rabbie’s Trail Burners achieved a great milestone recently when they were honoured with a Special Judges Award for "Inspiration" at the Scottish Business in the Community Awards for Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility.

This award recognises the efforts Rabbie’s have made in tackling climate change in a highly appropriate way for their core businesses, for being innovative and thorough, and generous in sharing their learning, for being an inspiration to SMEs.

Robin Worsnop, Managing Director of Rabbie’s said “I understand this award is only occasionally given out and it is a great honour for a small company to be recognised in front of an audience of Scottish corporate businesses.”

Rabbie’s reduced their passengers' carbon footprint last year by 21% and have undertaken an ongoing programme to reduce detrimental impacts on the environment and enhance the benefits of sustainable tourism policies.

Their small group tours are designed around sustaining local rural communities which means local businesses also benefit, such as guesthouses, small restaurants, cottage industries and visitor attractions throughout the Highlands and Islands. The economic impact of a customers’ visit goes directly into those communities, thus helping to sustain their social fabric and vital for continued business success.

This award is very fitting in the Year of Homecoming, marking the 250th anniversary of Scotland’s most famous poet Robert Burns.  After all, Rabbie’s is named after the bard. Robert Burns has left Scotland (and the world) with the greatest legacy of poems and songs, written in the wonderfully descriptive Scots dialect, and as the great man wrote "My heart’s in the Highlands". Who are we to disagree? A sentiment echoed today by everyone at Rabbie's!

ENDS
 
Notes to Editors:
Rabbie’s Trail Burners Ltd, formed in 1993, is Scotland’s longest running small group tour company offering an extensive programme of daily tours throughout the year from 1 day to extended tours, leaving from Edinburgh and Glasgow.  Passengers pre book Rabbie’s tours online, by telephone or at our ticket office on High Street,Edinburgh or through various sales agents eg hotel concierges. Tours are limited to 16 passengers to provide a more personal experience, tour content affords time out of vehicles to truly appreciate the natural landscape and beauty of Scotland and where possible guides/drivers use back - roads (often inaccessible to larger vehicles) to deliver a more authentic Scottish experience and time with locals.

As a result of our proven commitment to sustainability, Rabbie's has received various awards which give independent confirmation of our environmental achievements including Keep Edinburgh Clean, Gold Award, December 2006 and Green Tourism Business Scheme, Gold Award, February 2007. Robin Worsnop, Managing Director, is actively engaged in the promotion and delivery of sustainable tourism for Scotland through work with the Tourism Innovation Group and other tourism agencies.

Media enquiries:
Robin Worsnop
Managing Director
Rabbie’s Trail Burners Ltd
T: 0131 226 3133
M: 0771 325 7128
E: robin@rabbies.com
W: www.rabbies.com

The wait is over…. finalists for the VisitScotland Scottish Thistle Awards 2009 have just been announced and Rabbie’s Trail Burners are nominated in two categories - 'Operator Programme of the Year’ and 'Extra Mile (large business)'.

Operating since 1993, Rabbie’s Trail Burners promote Scotland’s wonderful natural assets and heritage. Once again, this pioneering tour operator is at the forefront of Scottish tourism development. Their new Scottish Island Adventures programme offers visitors a chance to explore remoter parts of Scotland, enticing them to return to Scotland or to extend their time. Travelling in small groups with committed and passionate driver/guides ensures a unique experience of Scotland, which now encompasses many of Scotland’s beautiful islands.

Rabbie’s demonstrate the importance of continued customer feedback and research into general tourism trends in underpinning their product creation. Clearly defined targets and objectives not only take account of the company’s growth agenda, but also look at the wider benefits for the Scottish economy. Scottish Island Adventures has already established itself as a valuable asset to Rabbie’s and Scotland, promoting these beautiful regions of Scotland to a wide audience.

Guaranteed departures offer peace of mind and Rabbie’s are so confident in the experience offered that in 2009 they introduced a no-quibble Guaranteed Experience -or your money back! The team are passionate ambassadors for Scotland and this applies to every part of the tour experience, from the welcoming office on the Royal Mile to the driver/guides on the comfortable mini-coaches.

High levels of repeat business are testament to the personal relationship many customers develop with the company; guests frequently remark on the willingness of the Rabbie’s team to adjust itineraries to suit individual requirements. New products are developed in response to customers’ suggestions, ensuring that Rabbie’s continues to provide new and authentic experiences of the best Scotland has to offer.

Robin Worsnop, Managing Director of Rabbie’s, said “We are delighted to have been short listed for the very highly sought after and prestigious Scottish Thistle Awards, which celebrate innovation and business excellence in Scottish Tourism.

We have been nominated in two categories and the standard of entries is reported to have been very high, so we are proud that all our efforts have been recognised. The winners will be announced on 23 October, meanwhile we are committed to delivering a memorable and enriching experience that lasts a lifetime.”