Pitching your business

Pitching your business to the right audience at the right time and in the right way is vital to secure repeat and new leisure tourism revenue.

VisitScotland Connect is a workshop-style format and the more you prepare and fine tune your business pitch, the easier and more successful you will find the one to one business conversations with attending tour operators, travel advisors and Destination Management Companies (DMCs). At VisitScotland Connect, you have 12 minutes to introduce your business, detail your proposition and tailor it to suit the needs of your conversation partner.

This page is designed as a step-by-step guide to help you create a compelling business pitch and smoothly navigate your one to one appointments.

What is a business or “elevator” pitch?

An elevator pitch is how you describe your product or business and explain its key selling points in 30-60 seconds. Focus on who you are, what you offer and what value you bring to a tour operator, travel advisor or DMC sending clients your way.

Why is it important?

You will use it during:

• tea and coffee breaks
• drinks receptions
• networking dinners
• one to one appointments to pitch your product or business to buyers

Fine tune your business pitch

• remember that buyers might not know Scotland specifically well – so share where are you located with proximity to key attractions or distance to cities or international airports
• clearly explain what type of business you are and don't leave them guessing what your offering is
• share your target market, and whether there's a specific visitor type you aim to attract. For example, whether you have capacity for large groups, FIT or can offer staggered tours. 
• what would you like the buyers to remember about your product or business? Focus on stand-out facts and figures
• what makes your product/business stand out? What makes it unique?
• how will buyers benefit from contracting your product or experience?
• are you able to share trade rates for 2025 and 2026? Don't include trade rates in your written pitch, but make sure you signal that you have this available for the in-person conversation.
• research the buyers you're meeting with and tailor your proposition and pitch to suit their clients and markets (e. g. number of visitors they send to Scotland, from which market or country their clients come from, what types of products or regions they already sell, what type of buyer they are - tour operator, travel advisor or DMC). If you don’t know, ask them where in the travel distribution chain they sit.

Your business pitch is about starting a business relationship

• keep the conversation focused on your product or business – don’t get distracted discussing unrelated global events
• mention any green and sustainability credentials as these have an increasing importance across the industry
• make sure you check whether your product or experience is suitable for their clients. If not, identify what their clients are looking for and if you can customise your proposition
• always summarise key actions, takeaways and follow-up before you conclude the meeting - and action these as soon as possible
• don’t over promise. Consider this meeting as the beginning of a business partnership with mutual benefits
• remember that contracting new business can take up to 24 months, so don't underestimate "keeping in touch" conversations during this time

• number of rooms
• facilities
• tour operator allocations
• booking and cancellation policies
• trade rates for 2025 are mandatory and 2026 rates are necessary to secure business via travel trade incl. seasonal price points, distance from major cities, accessibility, open all year?

• facilities
• visitor experience
• suitability (family-/pet-friendly, accessible?)
• capacity / group size
• language provisions
• booking and cancellation policies
• trade rates for 2025 and 2026 incl. seasonal price points, seasonal opening times, distance from major cities, accommodation packages / in vicinity

Transport

• routes / location
• timetables / seasonality
• fleet and capacity
• facilities
• booking method
• trade rates
• packages

What should you be asking the buyers?

Contracting
When are the tour operators, travel advisors and DMCs looking to contract?  Are they still contracting for 2025 or looking at 2026 or 2027? Allows you to follow up at appropriate time of year.

Product Development
When do they start annual planning/looking at product development? Allows you to follow up at appropriate time.

FIT/Group
What size of groups/number of clients are they looking at sending your way? Allows you to tailor your pricing, T&Cs and bespoke add-ons.