It was formerly a tourist ‘must have’ apparently consigned to history by the onset of phones, tablets and online booking platforms.

However, the humble printed Tourist Guide, it seems, still holds a treasured and enduring place in visitors’ hearts, as one Highland Perthshire company has unexpectedly discovered.

With third party apps like Booking.com and Tripadvisor enabling tourists to book accommodation and attractions direct from their smartphones, the printed guide- formerly a staple of Scottish B and B establishments- looked to have had its day.

Indeed, VisitScotland reflected changing traveller behaviour by closing all 25 of its local tourist offices because holidaymakers could find the same information, quicker, online.

But a company that produces Explore Pitlochry and Highland Perthshire has this month celebrated a new milestone, shifting the highest number of printed guides ever.

Rising numbers

When local SME, Explore Scotland Limited, took over the publication of the Guide in lockdown, demand stood at 40 000 copies. In April they printed 70 000, in reaction to growing demand.

Ironically, the closure of the Pitlochry tourist office may have partly sparked the hike.

Tourists arriving in the picturesque town were accustomed to checking in at the office on Atholl Road for accommodation tips as well as things to do, prior to its closure last September.

With the building closed and the office windows now painted over, Explore Scotland Ltd moved to fill the void for visitors, adapting the guide to include local accommodation providers as well as popular walks and things to do.

The company has also been clocking up the miles, hand delivering Guides, as the Tourist Office previously stocked around 30 boxes.

Tracking the data

The numbers don’t lie, either, with the company tracking the popularity of the Guide compared to the Amazon kindle version they also provide, with a scannable QR Code.

The online version has been accessed 10 000 times but the desire for tourists to have a physical copy makes the printed Guide 7 times more popular.

“The demand has been unprecedented,” said Marius Bezuidenhout, co-Director of Explore Scotland Limited.

“We are already having requests for restocks.

“People probably thought that the printed tourist Guide was dead, with everything moving online. It seems not. It is actually more popular now than it has been for years.”

Head of Design and Development, Ali Penman, added: “The previous owners and producers did a great job and published the Guide for 30 years. However, when the Tourist Office closed, there was no information that hotels, B and Bs and businesses that cater for tourists, could leave for guests. “What it also shows is that Highland Perthshire remains a destination that visitors from near and far want to come to.”

New sites and walks

First published in 1997, The Explore Scotland Limited team have advanced the Guide, also fully upgrading outdated maps of Highland Perthshire towns which hadn’t kept pace with new buildings and historic sites.

The new hand-drawn maps have been commissioned from Pitlochry-based illustrator, Dylan Gibson, who has also incorporated popular walks within the new maps.

“Marius wanted to produce a definitive map of the area which tourists could use as a physical map and take with them, explore the town and the surrounding area. Some of the existing maps went back 20 years or more,” explained Dylan.

The new Guide, whilst being a refresh on an enduring concept, does nod towards changing visitor trends with QR Codes linked to entries so people can hop online for more information.

“The Guide has been a remarkable journey,” added co-Director Angela Bezuidenhout.

“People love accessing trip information and booking from phones but they also appreciate something physical that they can keep, even as a memento.”

Learn more about Explore Pitlochry and Highland Perthshire.