Catching Up: SSDA Conference 2026 and a positive look at our visitor economy

I’m back on the mic as the tour guiding season kicks into life. In this episode, I share the key insights I took from the recent SSDA (South of Scotland Destination Alliance) Conference — and why they’ve left me feeling optimistic about the future of the visitor economy in the Scottish Borders.There’s a real energy building behind tourism here. You could feel it in the room at the conference, and it’s echoed in the conversations I’ve been having across the region over the past few weeks. In this episode I dig into what’s shifting, why I think it matters to everyone and why the Borders should feel confident and excited about the road aheadMy SSDA Conference Presentation Catriona McAllister (Live Borders) SSDA PresentationStuart Holmes (Historic Environment Scotland) SSDA PresentationRaj Singh-Dehal (Center Parcs) SSDA Presentation