Scottish Golf Tourism Week and Awards, Scotland’s biggest golf industry conference with a global attendance, will be hosting its first-ever events in Edinburgh this March, and has announced a partnership with The Johnnie Walker Experience as the event’s Official Whisky Experience Partner.
In this week’s announcement, The Johnnie Walker Experience will partner with both events to showcase its standout award-winning venue to businesses both from across Scotland and global golf tour operators.
The Johnnie Walker Experience will also provide a celebratory Johnnie Walker whisky toast for guests during the 13th edition of the Scottish Golf Tourism Awards, a staple tradition of the ceremony each year.
The Johnnie Walker Experience, named as the World’s Leading Spirit Tourism Experience 2025, has welcomed over 1.5 million visitors since opening in 2021, guiding guests through the 200-year heritage of Johnnie Walker through sensory storytelling, immersive experiences and expertly crafted cocktails.
The brand’s new subsidiary, Scotland Distilled – Diageo Whisky Experiences, will also proudly sponsor one of the most distinguished awards at this year’s Scottish Golf Tourism Awards, the Best Tour Operator.
Finalists of this year’s award, as voted for by Scottish businesses attending the event, include boutique and luxury tour operators Bonnie Wee Golf, Connoisseur Golf, Haversham & Baker Expeditions and Pioneer Golf.
Owen Wyatt, Chief Growth Officer from event organiser DC Thomson, said: “Scotland consistently punches above its weight on the world stage. From golf to whisky, we create experiences rooted in place, heritage and quality that resonate far beyond our borders, and few global brands understand that better than Diageo.
“This partnership brings together two world-class assets. Scotland’s unrivalled golf offering and an iconic international whisky brand built on the same values. Working with The Johnnie Walker Experience across our 2026 events allows us to elevate every touchpoint and deliver a genuinely global guest experience.
“Our ambition is not just to grow in scale, but to lead on substance. Collaborating with a partner of The Johnnie Walker Experience’s calibre helps us showcase Scotland at its most confident, compelling and internationally relevant.”
Ashleigh Davidson, Head of Business Development – The Johnnie Walker Experience and Diageo’s Malt Brand Homes, added “we’re delighted to support Scottish Golf Tourism Week. Golf and Scotch whisky are a natural pairing, each rooted in craft and a strong sense of place, making this partnership a perfect fit. At The Johnnie Walker Experience, we offer an exciting, modern take on Scotch whisky, and we look forward to sharing our award winning visitor experience with attendees in Edinburgh.”
The events, taking place between 10-12 March 2026 at Kimpton Charlotte Square Hotel and the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, mark its debut in Scotland’s capital and will welcome delegates from around the world.
Each year, event organiser DC Thomson schedules over 3,700 face-to-face meetings between over 100 Scottish golf businesses and 94 international golf tour operators, which during the 2025 event represented 45 countries, including the US, Argentina, Australia and more. The event offers a rare opportunity for Scottish hotels, resorts, courses and experiences to connect directly with key global travel trade professionals they wouldn’t normally get the opportunity to meet Golf tour operators from more than 45 countries travel to meet with Scottish businesses at the three-day event.
Suppliers who attended the previous event estimate an average increase in turnover of over £400,000 in revenue across the following three years as a direct result of the new connections they built at the event.
