Katie Scott was awarded Tourism Individual of the Year at the 2023 Thistle Awards
The Real Mary King’s Close is celebrating success as Operations Manager, Katie Scott, was honoured at the 2023 Scottish Thistle Awards this week.
Katie was awarded Tourism Individual of the Year for the Central and East Regional category by Visit Scotland. This follows on from her recent achievement in being named one of the Top 100 Women in Tourism in Scotland in March 2022.
Katie joined The Real Mary King’s Close as a Tour Guide in 2016 and has since moved her way up the ranks, most recently becoming Operations Manager in January 2023 and overseeing all on-site activity at the celebrated attraction.
The Real Mary King’s Close is one of the UK’s Top Ten visitor attractions, according to the number of positive reviews received by Trip Advisor in 2023. Katie is an integral part of the company, responsible for every new experience that has been launched at the attraction over the past four years.
Katie is passionate about community and inclusivity, which has been demonstrated through the development of special tours that interrogate lesser-known or less often studied narratives from Edinburgh’s past, such as the ‘Herstory’ tours and Pride History tours.
These initiatives have not only helped to promote diversity but forge meaningful partnerships with organisations like Edinburgh’s Strut Safe and LGBT Youth Scotland, making The Real Mary King’s Close a welcoming space for all.
After winning Tourism Individual of the Year, Katie Scott, Operations Manager at The Real Mary King’s Close, said: “I am delighted to have won the Tourism Individual of the Year award, something I would never have imagined when I started as a Tour Guide at The Real Mary King’s Close in 2016.
“I am incredibly grateful that my dedication to developing the attraction and creating a welcoming and creative workplace culture that supports inclusivity within the industry has been recognised”.
For more information on The Real Mary King’s Close, please visit:
https://www.realmarykingsclose.com
About The Real Mary King’s Close
- Top 10 Visitor Attraction in 2023 as rated on TripAdvisor
- Scottish Thistle award winner for Best Heritage Tourism Experience 2019
- Since opening in 2003, the visitor attraction has welcomed over 2.75 million guests.
- The site offers a range of bespoke themed events, group activities, educational visits, venue hire, and a retail area filled with authentic Scottish gifts and produce.
- The Real Mary King’s Close is proud to be a Silver Investors in People.
- Since opening, the attraction has donated over £60k to charities both at home and nationally.
- Lothian and Borders regional winner of the two Scottish Thistle awards for Best Visitor Attraction and Best Heritage Tourism Experience in 2019.
- Winner of the first Service Excellence award at the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce business awards 2019.
- Part of Continuum Attractions