Scottish Attractions Inspiring People Awards 2026

Celebrating the People who make
Scotland’s Attractions World-Class

The ASVA People Awards, sponsored by Visit Scotland, celebrate the incredible individuals who make Scotland’s visitor attractions world-class. From frontline stars to behind-the-scenes heroes, these awards honour those who go above and beyond to create unforgettable experiences.

What are the categories?

We have five categories to choose from, all focused on the people who contribute significantly to Scotland’s attractions sector:

• Rising Star: For the up and comers making waves in the industry.
• Audience Builder: Recognising those growing audiences and finding new ways to connect people with their attraction.
• Commercial Excellence: Recognising those driving commercial success while supporting a great visitor experience.
• People’s Hero: Acknowledging the heart of our communities, fostering inclusivity and accessibility among teams, communities, stakeholders, and visitors.
• Experience Maker: Recognising those delivering world-class experiences, face-to-face or behind the scenes.

Entering is simple

Shortlisted nominees will receive a complimentary ticket to the ASVA Conference.

This is your chance to showcase outstanding people and achievements. Whether you’re nominating yourself or a colleague, just follow these steps:

1. Select the category
2. Review the award guidelines
3. Submit your entry

Join us in celebrating and giving well-deserved recognition to the people who make our attractions exceptional!

Award guidelines

To make sure every entry gets the recognition it deserves, please keep these guidelines in mind:

• Anyone entering or being nominated must work for an ASVA member attraction.
• Members can submit multiple entries, either across different categories or more than one entry in the same category.
• Please note, each question has a word count which should be adhered to.
• The entry questions for each category can be viewed here.
• We recommend preparing your answers in a Word document first and then copying and pasting them into the form when you’re ready to submit.

Dates

Entries close: 5pm on Friday, 18th September
Shortlist announced: Late October
Winners announced: 12th November at the ASVA Conference, Perth Concert Hall

All shortlisted candidates will receive a complimentary ticket to join us at the Conference. Your complimentary ticket includes full access to an inspiring day of industry insights and networking opportunities.

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Rising Star
✨ Megan Sherdley ✨ from The Real Mary King’s Close.
Megan Sherdley embodies the spirit of a Rising Star: inspiring her peers, delivering outstanding results, and shaping the future of Scottish tourism with passion, integrity and vision.

Experience Maker
✨ Ashleigh Pink ✨ from the Dundee Heritage Trust.
Ashleigh shows us how to enhance visitor experience through diversifying your product, reimagining your stories and reigniting excitement in not only external audiences, but in your team, too.

Technology Innovator
✨ Kate Lapping ✨ from the New Lanark World Heritage Site.
Kate Lapping wins this award because her visionary leadership in harnessing cutting-edge technologies such as AI and VR are positioning New Lanark as a model of inspiring heritage engagement.

Sustainability Champion
✨ Victoria Erasmus ✨ from Uile-bheist Distillery and Brewery.
Victoria wins this award because her tireless dedication to sustainable and inclusive practices sets a global benchmark for the tourism industry and leaves a powerful, positive legacy for the Highlands.

People’s Hero
✨ Caroline Currie ✨ from the Burrell Collection, Glasgow Life.
Caroline champions the local community, ensuring that Burrell Collection delivers experiences to improve people’s lives. She breaks down the barriers to visiting museums, fostering inclusivity.