Celebrating ASVA Members Shortlisted for the 2026 Scottish Thistle Awards
Added: 16 Jul 2026
ASVA members from across Scotland have once again been recognised among the regional finalists for the Scottish Thistle Awards, with 23 member organisations and representatives shortlisted across five regions.
The Scottish Thistle Awards celebrate the very best of Scotland’s tourism and events industry, recognising the attractions, businesses, teams and individuals who create exceptional experiences for visitors.
This year’s ASVA regional finalists have been recognised across a wide range of categories, including Best Visitor Attraction, Climate Action, Inclusion, Innovation, Employer of the Year, Rising Star and Individual of the Year.
From castles and historic homes to wildlife parks, distilleries, gardens, canals and immersive visitor experiences, the shortlist demonstrates the strength, variety and ambition of Scotland’s visitor attraction sector.
Aberdeen City and Shire
Five ASVA members and representatives have been shortlisted in the Aberdeen City and Shire regional finals.
Castle Fraser has been nominated for Best Visitor Attraction, while Glen Garioch Distillery has also been shortlisted in the category for a second consecutive year.
The National Trust for Scotland has received further recognition through Birks Pond at Castle Fraser, which has been shortlisted for the Climate Action Award, and Timesliders at Drum Castle, nominated for the Innovation Award.
Lynne McKenzie of the National Trust for Scotland has also been shortlisted for Individual of the Year, recognising her contribution to Scotland’s tourism industry.
The Aberdeen City and Shire finalists are:
- Castle Fraser – Best Visitor Attraction
- Glen Garioch Distillery – Best Visitor Attraction
- Birks Pond at Castle Fraser – Climate Action Award
- Timesliders at Drum Castle – Innovation Award
- Lynne McKenzie, National Trust for Scotland – Individual of the Year
Central and East of Scotland
ASVA members have an exceptionally strong presence in the Central and East of Scotland regional finals, with nominations spanning visitor experience, sustainability, inclusion, innovation and workplace culture.
Camera Obscura & World of Illusions has received four nominations, the highest number achieved by any ASVA member this year. The Edinburgh attraction has been shortlisted for Best Visitor Attraction, the Climate Action Award, Employer of the Year and the Innovation Award.
Edinburgh Zoo has retained its place among the Best Visitor Attraction finalists for a second consecutive year and has also been shortlisted for the Inclusion Award.
Dewar’s Aberfeldy Distillery joins the Best Visitor Attraction shortlist, while Dynamic Earth and Rosslyn Chapel have both been recognised in the Inclusion Award category.
The Central and East of Scotland finalists are:
- Camera Obscura & World of Illusions – Best Visitor Attraction
- Dewar’s Aberfeldy Distillery – Best Visitor Attraction
- Edinburgh Zoo – Best Visitor Attraction
- Camera Obscura & World of Illusions – Climate Action Award
- Camera Obscura & World of Illusions – Employer of the Year
- Dynamic Earth – Inclusion Award
- Edinburgh Zoo – Inclusion Award
- Rosslyn Chapel – Inclusion Award
- Camera Obscura & World of Illusions – Innovation Award
Highlands and Islands
Five ASVA members and representatives have been shortlisted in the Highlands and Islands regional finals.
Cruise Loch Ness has been recognised in the Best Visitor Attraction category, celebrating the memorable experiences it provides on one of Scotland’s most famous waterways.
The region has a particularly strong showing in the Inclusion Award category, with Inverness Botanic Gardens, Highland Wildlife Park and The Singleton of Glen Ord Distillery all shortlisted.
Gemma Shaw of The Macallan Estate has also been named as a Rising Star finalist, recognising emerging talent and future leadership within Scotland’s tourism industry.
The Highlands and Islands finalists are:
- Cruise Loch Ness – Best Visitor Attraction
- Inverness Botanic Gardens – Inclusion Award
- Highland Wildlife Park – Inclusion Award
- The Singleton of Glen Ord Distillery – Inclusion Award
- Gemma Shaw, The Macallan Estate – Rising Star
West of Scotland
Three ASVA members have reached the West of Scotland regional finals.
Tennent’s Visitor Centre and The Tall Ship Glenlee have both been shortlisted for Best Visitor Attraction. The Tall Ship Glenlee has now achieved recognition in the same category for a second consecutive year.
Scottish Canals has been shortlisted for the Climate Action Award, following its Innovation Award nomination in 2025. This year’s recognition highlights the organisation’s continued development across different areas of its visitor offer.
The West of Scotland finalists are:
- Tennent’s Visitor Centre – Best Visitor Attraction
- The Tall Ship Glenlee – Best Visitor Attraction
- Scottish Canals – Climate Action Award
South of Scotland
In the South of Scotland, Abbotsford – The Historic Home of Sir Walter Scott has been shortlisted for Best Visitor Attraction.
The nomination recognises the work of the Abbotsford team in sharing the life, legacy and remarkable home of one of Scotland’s most influential writers.
The South of Scotland finalist is:
- Abbotsford – The Historic Home of Sir Walter Scott — Best Visitor Attraction
Continued Recognition for ASVA Members
Seven ASVA member organisations have been shortlisted in both the 2025 and 2026 regional finals:
- Camera Obscura & World of Illusions
- Edinburgh Zoo
- Glen Garioch Distillery
- Highland Wildlife Park
- Inverness Botanic Gardens
- Scottish Canals
- The Tall Ship Glenlee
Three attractions have retained nominations in the same category across both years: Edinburgh Zoo, Glen Garioch Distillery and The Tall Ship Glenlee have each been shortlisted once again for Best Visitor Attraction.
It is also encouraging to see members receiving recognition in different areas from one year to the next. This reflects the wide-ranging work taking place across Scotland’s attractions to strengthen visitor experiences, improve accessibility, take meaningful climate action, support employees and develop innovative new ideas.
Many of the values celebrated by the Scottish Thistle Awards are also at the heart of the ASVA Quality Scheme, which supports visitor attractions in maintaining high standards and continuously improving the experiences they provide.
The strength of this year’s shortlist demonstrates the dedication of the teams and individuals working throughout Scotland’s visitor attraction sector. Their enthusiasm, knowledge, creativity and commitment help ensure that visitors receive the warm welcome and memorable experiences for which Scotland is known.
We would like to congratulate every ASVA member and representative shortlisted for the 2026 regional finals.