Celebrating St Andrew鈥檚 Day in Scotland鈥檚 special year
St Andrews Day is an ideal time to think about the impact Scots and Scotland have had on the world.
Did you know, for example, that James Bond isn鈥檛 English? Scottish author Ian Fleming described him in his books as a Scot. Or that penicillin was discovered by another Fleming, and that television and the steam engine were invented in Scotland too?
Scotland today has a huge amount to offer whether you are a tourist, a student or looking to do business.
This year looks like being a record year for tourism, but in a usual year, 20 million people can be expected to visit Scotland, four times more than the entire Scottish population.
They come for Scotland鈥檚 mix of vibrant, cosmopolitan cities; the biggest arts festival in the world; the beautiful, clean and unspoilt scenery, with thousands of historic castles, houses, battlegrounds, ruins and museums.
And 40,000 overseas students come every year to seek an education fit for a King. It was, after all, at one of Scotland鈥檚 world-class universities, St. Andrews, that HRH Prince William studied and where he met his future wife.
This academic excellence helps to continue Scotland鈥檚 proud tradition of innovation. With the highest level of education in the UK outside of London, Scotland is already a top location for Research & Development and Foreign Direct Investment in the UK.
And with increased certainty about Scotland鈥檚 political future, many other firms will be looking to join household names like Amazon, Dell, Samsung, Microsoft, IBM, Morgan Stanley and Pfizer in moving their operations to Scotland.
Businesses can make use of Europe鈥檚 fifth largest financial centre, Edinburgh, and the expertise that Scotland offers in sectors as diverse as business process outsourcing; financial services; life sciences and biotech; oil and gas; renewable energy; and technology.
Visitors can enjoy Scotland鈥檚 food and drink, famed around the world, and the great outdoors.
And let鈥檚 not forget Scotland鈥檚 contribution to global fashion. It鈥檚 no accident that tartan and high quality Scottish textiles are beloved of designers the world over.
This St Andrew鈥檚 day, take another look at Scotland. Whether it is uncovering forgotten Scottish ancestors, forging a new business relationship or enjoying an unforgettable holiday, you can be sure it will surprise you.