Back to the Borders
On Tuesday 3rd March, Ron, as chairman of the Scottish Borders Ancestral Tourism Forum launched the Back to the Borders website. The Forum is a collaboration of private businesses throughout the Borders who have joined together, and with agencies such as Scottish Borders Council, Scottish Enterprise and Visit Scotland to attract the ancestral tourist and in so doing bring economic benefit to the area.
The Forum grew out of a workshop on ancestral tourism held in Hawick in March 2008 and has been helped by three very distinct factors:
funding by the three agencies named above
the splendid facility of the Heritage Hub, Scottish Borders Council’s Archive Centre, and
the coincidental timing of 2009 as Scotland’s Year of Homecoming.
www.backtotheborders.com gives information on accommodation, attractions and events in the area, as well as directing website users to an ancestral toolkit which will help them prepare for their research into their ancestors, as well as making the most of their visit when they get here.
The economic downturn may well help the two year project as British visitors may well want to holiday at home, while attractive currency exchange rates may encourage those from further afield.
At the launch, Ron spoke of the vast market which might be targeted, likening it to the layers of an onion: from those who had themselves been born and educated in the Borders but left in pursuit of employment, through second, third or more generations with Scots ancestry, possibly with famous Borders family names, and those who had a fondness for things Scottish and wanted to investigate a possible link.
The project will assist them in their quest, aiming to bring satisfaction in growing the family tree, as well as having a full and enjoyable stay, which would encourage them to return.
Members of the Forum pay a small fee, which will bring the benefits of a course in ancestral tourism. While the funded project is for two years, the intention is that the Forum will continue into the future. Businesses or organisations which would like to work with the Forum are invited to contact Ron at rsmith@scotborders.gov.uk
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