How the ‘Outlander effect’ keeps on boosting tourism in Scotland

It was the summer of 2013 when the US cable network Starz and Sony Pictures Television first announced their plans to adapt Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series for television.

The historical romance features Caitríona Balfe as time-travelling nurse Claire Randall and Sam Heughan as Jacobite Jamie Fraser.

The first of eight seasons began filming later that year, in a new studio in Cumbernauld and at locations around the country including Culross, Doune and Glencoe.

And even before the first episode was aired, Visit Scotland began work with Sony on what would become known as the “Outlander effect”.

“It’s got romance, it’s got battles, it’s got culture,” said Jenni Steele, film and creative industries manager for Visit Scotland.

“It’s got Gaelic, it’s got music, it’s got food and drink and the mystery about people trying to change through different time zones and periods in history.

“Anything we put out about Outlander did really well in terms of media coverage, social interest and engagement on our website. And it just became this huge, huge hit.”

The first season of Outlander wasn’t seen in the UK until 2015, but by then fans of the show from the US and Germany were coming to Scotland to see where it was filmed.

There are nine books in the series – including Outlander which was published in 1991 – and scores of fan groups are aligned to the books, the show, and individual characters.

General fans are known as the Outlandish. Sam Heughan’s are Heughligans and followers of Catriona Balfe are united in Balfever.

“It’s not just the locations,” said Jenni Steele.

“They’re really interested in getting under the skin of Outlander and it’s about discovering the real history behind Scotland and the stories they see on screen.”

And it’s not just international visitors who are learning new things about Scottish culture from the programme.

Elizabeth Thomson, Sheila MacKay and Maureen Caddon are part of the Badenoch Waulking Group.

It was set up 30 years ago to revive and promote the tradition of “waulking” – where people pound tweed to shrink the cloth.

It’s accompanied by Gaelic song and ever since the group featured in the opening episode of Outlander their demonstrations have attracted attention including an online video which has been seen by millions.

“My ancestors are all from the islands,” said Elizabeth.

“So they would undoubtedly have taken part in this, but I hadn’t heard of it.”

Sheila added: “I think it’s so important to pass this to a new, younger generation.

“We do have a young waulking group within the primary school in Newtonmore but if you don’t use it, we’re going to lose it.”

The group has gathered over a hundred songs which they sing while demonstrating the waulking and they say it makes onlookers emotional.

“We witness so many people in floods of tears while listening to us singing,” said Sheila. “Especially from across the pond.

“I think some of that is Outlander-related, but it’s also about keeping the culture going, which isn’t happening in a lot of areas.”

Filming has already wrapped on the eighth season of Outlander, with the last show due to be released next year. But there’s a new chapter to this story.

A prequel to the books, Blood of My Blood, has been released in the US, with the UK release set for Saturday.

Filmed in Scotland, it follows the parents of both Jamie Fraser and Claire Randall and switches between 18th Century Scotland and First World War France.

Jenni Steele says she hopes it will boost location visits, which have often doubled or trebled when featured in the show.

“It goes back in time even further, which is great because it links into an earlier period of history that we can tap into,” she said.

“Our recent visitor surveys show that around 30% of international visitors are inspired to come to Scotland having seen this nation on film and TV, and Outlander plays a huge role in that.

“There’s a real love for the series and of course it keeps filming going in Scotland which helps boost the economy, it helps with locations, and it helps us to showcase Scotland.”

She added: “We’re not seeing any sign of the original Outlander fans slowing down, so hopefully this will really engage people for years to come.”