Best of Scotland Holidays; Celebrating 40 Years in Business
Best of Scotland Holidays is one of Britain’s longest-established independent tour operators. This Destination Management Company (DMC), started in 1983 by the Dewar family, now celebrates their 40th year providing expertise in planning leisure and golfing packages in Scotland, England, Ireland, and Wales from their base in Fife.
Unparalleled in local knowledge, and the ability to provide personal attention to all their clients, Best of Scotland look forward to providing another 40 years of service to clients worldwide.
The four decades have not been without their challenges, but Best of Scotland Holidays has weathered the storms; nine prime ministers, three UK recessions and a global pandemic later, the company is thriving. From its infancy with a small team of part-time staff, it has grown into a globally respected DMC with a dedicated team of travel specialists.
To mark this milestone anniversary, they have commissioned a unique tartan commemorating the 40-year achievement. The tartan incorporates the navy, green and white corporate colours to create an elegant nod to their Scottish roots on their Ruby Anniversary. The title of the tartan will be 'Best of Scotland Holidays' with the accompanying description reading, "We have designed this tartan to celebrate 40 years in business. It incorporates our brand colours; the green of the trees and mountains, and blue for the sky and seas around our island destination."
Chief Executive Officer and founder, Duncan Dewar, said: “I’m delighted that we are celebrating our 40th Anniversary this year. Prior to starting Best of Scotland Holidays, my background was in travel and tourism. I spent 5 years managing a travel agency in Edinburgh and 11 years as Assistant Tourist Officer and subsequently Tourist Officer promoting Fife as a holiday destination both in the UK and overseas.
Over the past 40 years, we have navigated multiple industry and global hurdles. More importantly, we have garnered an extensive knowledge of travel in the UK across our team and created a tight resilient business community that allows us to offer our clients a vast range of experiences and packages.”
“In the early years of Best of Scotland Holidays, there was no email or even fax – we had to communicate by telex. For those too young to remember, it’s a post-World War II messaging system, a hybrid between a typewriter and a telegraph. Thankfully, shortly after Best of Scotland Holidays launched, the fax machine arrived, massively streamlining communications with our primary market in the USA. Since then, we have continued to invest in technology to provide the best possible service to our global client base."
Duncan has served on many committees both within Fife and Scotland with the most prestigious being elected to the position of President of Fife Chamber of Commerce in 1994-96 and again in 2006-08.
Operations Director, Jacqui Curley, said: "It's a pleasure to work for a family-owned business where the human element is extremely important to us. I'm approaching five years with the company, and it's really special to celebrate a milestone like this with Duncan, Marie and the team. We have many special things planned to make it an extra special year, and we can't wait to see how we can keep up the momentum for the next 40!"
Establishing a unique tartan will provide a lasting celebration of Best of Scotland Holidays' past achievements. However, they're already focused on what's ahead, and it's not just about their future. Accepting the need to protect the environment for future generations to enjoy, Best of Scotland Holidays has partnered with SIGTOA and the Woodlands Trust and is committed to becoming Carbon Net Zero by 2025.