Felicity Long
Like Santa, I've been making a list and checking it twice, although mine is a top-10 compilation of destinations I want to revisit in 2021 -- and high on that post-pandemic wish list is Scotland. Eye-popping scenery, spooky castles, a lake with a monster -- what's not to like?
With that in mind, here's what VisitScotland is hoping we'll get excited about for the coming year.
The Red Carnation Hotel Group is set to open its first hotel in Scotland, 100 Princes Street, in Edinburgh. Set to debut next summer, the 30-bedroom property, Red Carnation Hotels' 19th worldwide, is currently being renovated and will feature 30 guestrooms and an executive lounge overlooking Edinburgh Castle.
Lanrick Treehouses in Perthshire opened its doors this October. The property comprises five ecofriendly luxury treehouses on the banks of the River Teith. The private woodland setting borders Trossachs National Park and is about an hour from both Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Cameron House Hotel will reopen in April 2021 following an extensive restoration at the luxury five-star resort Cameron House on Loch Lomond. The resort features a golf course, spa, boat house and dining as well as wedding and special events facilities.
St James Quarter is a new retail-focused, mixed-use destination in Edinburgh's emerging East End district. Set to open in spring 2021, the area will feature residential and retail venues and is designed to spearhead the neighborhood's transformation.
111 by Modou, helmed by chef Modou Diagne, is one of the newest additions to the restaurant scene in Glasgow. Patrons recommend the tasting menu, which can run to six courses by request.
Next year will also mark the opening of the flagship Johnnie Walker Princes Street in Edinburgh as well as the launch of the Arbikie Distillery Experience in Angus and the opening of 8 Doors Distillery, mainland Scotland's most northerly distillery.
The Great Tapestry of Scotland will get a new home in 2021 when the Great Tapestry of Scotland Visitor Centre opens in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders. The new visitor attraction will tell the story of Scotland through one of the world's largest tapestries, created by more than 1,000 artisans in communities across Scotland.
The relaunch of the David Livingstone Centre in South Lanarkshire in 2021 will reinterpret the explorer's life for a new generation, from his beginnings as a Blantyre millworker to becoming a world-famous adventurer.
Of course, there's more to Scotland than new hotels and venue openings, and VisitScotland is also taking a hard look at what would-be visitors will likely be looking for as they begin to travel again next year.
In its most recent insights paper, "Navigating the New Normal: Post-Covid19 Consumer Trends," VisitScotland identified that "convenience, reassurance, value, inspiration and connection will be key to recovery, with responsible and sustainable tourism at its core."
The country's Year of Coasts and Waters, for example, is a celebratory event that showcases the country's natural beauty, including coasts, lochs and rivers, as well as the culture, stories and ways of life that have been shaped by its coasts and waters.
Suggestions include wild swimming -- go with a guide like Soak Up Skye, SwimWild or Immerse Hebrides, if you're a novice -- foraging for berries and mushrooms with experts like Galloway Wild Foods or Wildwood Bushcraft, and stargazing.
VisitScotland's new Visitor Charter and the Scottish Outdoor Access Code offer practical advice for enjoying Scotland's countryside.