‘They just want to come back again and again…’
Orkney Tourism Awards nominees go the extra mile to offer the full island experience
Orkney is not just a “once in a lifetime” experience — it’s a destination that visitors feel drawn to return to again and again.
So say the business folk who dedicate their time to offering holidaymakers, and folk looking for a break away not too far from home, an unforgettable time.
“Forty-one per cent of my guests are return visitors,” says Kathy Bichan who has run Buxa Farm Chalets in Orphir, alongside her husband, Keith, since 2005.
“A lot of them are from the UK — staycation visitors are really important for our business.
“Some of our visitors have returned up to ten times.
“They feel that they haven’t seen everything or experienced everything.”
“They feel that they haven’t seen everything or experienced everything”
Kathy Bichan feels there is always more for folk to see and do in Orkney, bringing them back to stay at her accommodation in Orphir again and again.
Buxa Farm Chalets is one of a number of businesses in the running for the Best Self Catering Accommodation Experience category at the upcoming Orkney Tourism Awards, organised by Destination Orkney.
A public vote is ongoing for the awards, which celebrate the best the county has to offer visitors and locals in terms of accommodation, experiences, food and drink.
Accommodation providers told us, this week, just how much of a draw Orkney’s culture and heritage continues to be — with so much to see and do, and an ever-evolving list of potential experiences on offer.
“There is always something to see and do,” says Kathy.
“When the Ness of Brodgar dig was on the go, they were constantly uncovering new things to see. Now, with the Tomb of the Eagles reopening, people want to come back and see what has been going on with that.
“There’s the new Scapa Flow Museum as well — there’s always something new to see!”
Whether your Orkney break takes you halfway across the world or just a few miles up the road, there’s always the opportunity for adventure.
Orkney Tourism Awards will celebrate this element of our islands’ offering with the Best Adventure/Activity Experience prize.
In a show of just how varied an Orkney adventure can be, those shortlisted span experiences delving into our islands’ vibrant natural landscape to explorations of our storied past.
For those with sea legs and a flair for trying something completely different, eFoil Orkney is one of the businesses which have made an impact.
Set up by life-long water-sports enthusiast Colin Rendall, eFoil Orkney offers a truly unique experience.
Using hydrofoil technology, an eFoil is essentially a levitating surfboard, allowing you to fly effortlessly above the waves.
Colin is not alone in wanting to give visitors and locals a less expected side of Orkney.
Jon and Clare Chapman at 59° North in Sanday have been nominated for the Best Self Catering Accommodation Experience award for their one-bedroom but ‘n’ ben Clickimin.
The restored 18th century cottage offers an upgraded taste of traditional Orkney life, just a short walk away from the couple’s pizzaria — not something you would immediately expect to find in the North Isles!
An upgraded taste of traditional Orkney living, alongside their Sanday pizzaria, is offered by 59° North.
A dedication to offering that little something extra goes a long way, according to Lesley Sinclair who, alongside her husband Greig, runs Orkney Self-Catering Holidays in the West Mainland.
The Sinclairs, who have run their accommodation business since 2005, have worked hard to give guests a chance to explore Orkney’s coastal and agricultural landscape right on their doorstep.
“We were thinking ‘what else can we offer our guests that’s more than the normal’.
“We have got a very small farm as well and what we have done is build walkways round that farm so they can see the animals, and then we have got a coastal walkway as well.
“So it’s all those little things.”
The couple are delighted to be in the running for the Best Self Catering Accommodation Experience award, and are pleased to be among those recognised for going the extra mile.
”We have got quite a lot of return visitors,” says Lesley.
“It’s the love of the place — folk who go fishing want to come back fishing every year. They feel that when they have been here they still haven’t seen it all and they just want to come back again and again.”
Vote in the Orkney Tourism Awards: www.orkney.com/life/industry/tourism/awards