The refurbished Inverness Castle is helping make the city one of the recommended 50 best places in the world to visit next year.
The influential publication Travel + Leisure released its choices this month. The Highland capital is listed with the likes of Hong Kong, Rome and Marrakesh.
The New York-based magazine has 4.8 million readers. Staff vetted nearly 120 contenders on the merits of ‘not only what’s new, but what feels like right now’.
And the £36million castle project, due to open next year, made the cut.
Egypt, Thailand, Inverness…
The list puts Inverness alongside Thailand, Lisbon and the Algarve, Luxor in Egypt and Budapest as destinations to seek out for ‘cultural immersion’.
Travel + Leisure says: “In the year ahead, the city will unveil its own impressive attraction in the form of the Inverness Castle Experience, a major restoration that will transform what was once the city’s prison and courts into a venue for history, music, storytelling, and regional cuisine, with gardens and panoramic views.”
Castle will be a ‘world class experience’
Vicki Miller, CEO of VisitScotland, and head of the Inverness Castle Experience Garry Marsden toured the site recently.
Ms Miller said: “The castle is going to be a truly world class immersive visitor experience like no other castle experience we have.
“We have many castles, but nothing like what is going to be created here.”
She said the fact Travel + Leisure has put Inverness in its Top 50 for next year showed there is a huge interest in the upcoming attraction.
“It’s fantastic. It highlights the Highlands offers a phenomenal experience and the castle will be a beacon at the heart of it.”
The castle experience expects to attract around 500,000 visitors a year.
Ms Miller said a big part of the attraction will be encouraging tourists to stay longer and explore other parts of the region.
She added: “Tourism is our second growth sector in the Scottish economy and its great to see investment like this going into the visitor economy.
“It keeps Scotland on the map and the experience here will continue to ensure visitor spend in the Highlands is strong.”
‘A fantastic opportunity’ for Inverness and the Highlands
Mr Marsden is coming to Inverness from King Charles’s Sandringham estate and has previously worked at Balmoral.
He will eventually head up a team of around 90 at the castle.
He said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to do something, not just for Inverness, it’s much bigger than that, but also for the Highlands.”
Mr Marsden said there is a crossover between his new job and his roles on the Royal estates.
“There are a number of big similarities.
“In my current role we have to be a facility for people locally, and want local people to be proud of it.
“But we are also an international tourist attraction and a brand that is internationally recognised.
So does he have any influence in bringing Royalty to open the redeveloped castle? “I’ll put in a good word.”
Will Inverness Castle open soon?
Construction of the castle project is nearing completion.
Designers Mather & Co has been involved in attractions including Downton Abbey: The Experience and the R&A World Golf Museum at St Andrews.
The fit-out is being carried out by Workhaus Projects. The company also worked on Harry Potter Wizarding World in New York and the V&A in Dundee.
New feature will be a symbolic gateway
Visitors to the new castle experience will be greeted by the Journey Stone, a symbolic gateway to the Highlands.
The feature, has received financial support from the Global Energy Group.
The Inverness Castle project is part of the Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal.
It is supported by up to £315 million from the UK and Scottish governments, Highland Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and University of the Highlands and Islands.
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