Musselburgh Racecourse has again been awarded five stars from VisitScotland for its raceday experience, the most prestigious accolade given by the tourist board, as part of the Racecourse Association’s (RCA) Quality Assured Racecourse Scheme.
The East Lothian course was visited by a trained assessor from VisitScotland whose job is to objectively assesses the raceday experience.
This assessment includes all customer touchpoints from the raceday and also comprises pre and post event information.
It was a particularly good year for Scottish racecourses, with all five courses impressing in their assessments and rated as either four or five stars.
Musselburgh, alongside Ayr and Hamilton Park, all retained their five-star ratings, confirming the long-standing offering of excellence to racegoers and recognising their continued investment into the raceday experience.
Perth retained their four-star rating and Kelso improved from a three-star to a four-star attraction for the first time, meaning that all racecourses in Scotland are now considered excellent or exceptional venues by VisitScotland.
Paul Swain, the RCA’s Brand & Experience Manager, said: “The RCA’s Quality Assured Racecourse Scheme provides all racecourses with a recognised kitemark of quality from renowned experts Live Tourism and VisitScotland.
“The assessments are incredibly thorough and provide detailed feedback on every element of the customer experience. Combined with racegoer feedback, such evidence is invaluable as we strive to ensure racing remains a world class day out.”
Bill Farnsworth, Musselburgh Racecourse general manager, added: “Retaining our VisitScotland 5 star status is important because it assures our racegoers that they will receive a first class day out at Musselburgh and that the quality of our racing and our guest and catering facilities is second to none.
“This award also recognises all the behind-the-scenes hard work that goes in throughout the year by all our staff, and the ongoing investment we make to maintain and improve standards at Musselburgh.”
Riddell Graham, Director of Industry and Destination Development at VisitScotland, said: “It is a testament to the dedication of the racecourse staff that they continue to strive for excellence in delivering a high-quality experience for all visitors.”
