One of Scotland’s most iconic castles and a record-breaking mountain bike championships were among those named best in the business at Scotland’s biggest awards night in tourism.
Eilean Donan Castle in the west Highlands won the award for best heritage tourism experience at last night’s 25th Scottish Thistle Awards final in Edinburgh.
The UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Fort William was named best sporting event.
Other winners included Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre, which picked up the inaugural best business event gong for hosting the Alzheimer’s Research UK Conference, the largest dementia-focused gathering of its kind in the UK.
The Hebridean Celtic Festival was named best cultural event and Portavadie Loch Fyne won the award for best accommodation provider.
Willie Macleod, executive director of the British Hospitality Association in Scotland, came away with a prestigious Caledonian MacBrayne Silver Thistle Award, presented by VisitScotland chairman Lord Thurso.
A total of 16 gongs were handed out to celebrate innovation, excellence and success in the hospitality and tourism sector.
Still Game and River City star Sanjeev Kohli co-hosted the evening with STV presenter and former Miss Scotland Jennifer Reoch.
There were a record-breaking 750 entries for this year’s competition.