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  2. Five minutes with Mercat Tours

Five minutes with Mercat Tours

Theresa Steven, Corporate & Incentives ·March 22, 20244 minutes

We spoke with Kat Brogan, Managing Director at Mercat Tours to discuss the work of the organisation and the importance of supporting and engaging with underprivileged communities.

Mercat Tours - Edinburgh Underground Vaults tour

© Mercat Tours

Mercat Tours

Mercat Tours is a local, independent, family business which has delivered award-winning walking tours of Edinburgh since 1985. The organisation works closely with key community projects and provides storytelling experiences which reveal the fascinating history of the city whilst exploring its premium attractions and venues.

Kat Brogan, Mercat Tours, Managing Director

Partnership with the Grassmarket Community Project

Our partnership with the Grassmarket Community Project (GCP) reflects our shared values of dignity, respect, and care. For over ten years, we've worked together, benefiting our teams, community and Edinburgh as a whole. The "Our Stories, Your City" project emerged from this partnership. Donations fund private tours and city attraction entries for GCP members, strengthening our bond and helping us recover from the pandemic. This initiative supports Living Wage employers and fosters community pride and connection. 

Our vision and success have been recognised with four prestigious awards: 

  • Living Wage Scotland Leadership Award 2021
  • UKInbound Attraction of the Year 2022
  • Tiqets Remarkable Venue Award - Most Innovative Venue 2022
  • Federation of Small Businesses Awards - Larger Small Business 2022 

To thrive, our community needs equitable opportunities and experiences, fostering a sense of pride and ownership among locals and ensuring a warm welcome for visitors. Edinburgh is a unique destination with the potential to balance the needs and benefits of both locals and tourists. 

“

Event planners can support us by organising city tours or donating to the "Our Stories, Your City" project, helping reconnect vulnerable communities. 

Business Events

The business events market is crucial to Mercat Tours. Event planners can support us by organising city tours or donating to the "Our Stories, Your City" project, helping reconnect vulnerable communities.  

In November 2022, we attended CHS Birmingham with VisitScotland Business Events, sharing our sustainable business models with the wider UK market. The enthusiasm from the 50 buyers who attended our presentation highlighted the benefits our tours bring to their organisations and clients, many of whom aim to leave a legacy in the destinations they visit. 

A Mercat Tours guide welcomes a group at The Mercat Cross on the Royal Mile, Edinburgh

A Mercat Tours guide with group

© VisitScotland / Kenny Lam

The Future

We recognise the impact of the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis on school and household budgets, affecting students' ability to access off-campus activities and connect with their city. Believing in storytelling's power to heal and connect, we're launching phase two of "Our Stories, Your City" in April 2023. This project, supported by the Scottish Government's Developing the Young Workforce project and Skills Development Scotland, funds educational tours for underprivileged young people in Edinburgh. 

“

The Our Stories, Your City initiative provides an opportunity for our pupils to enjoy the rich cultural experiences our city has to offer with no cost barriers to consider. This provides a real sense of equity for accessing school excursions making them accessible for all.

Joan

Head Teacher of Holy Rood RC High School

Our Stories, Your City

Partnering with Holy Rood RC High School, we aim to eliminate cost barriers for students to access cultural experiences. Joan Daly, Head Teacher at Holy Rood RC High School, highlights the initiative's role in raising aspirations and developing skills and confidence in young people. 

The "Our Stories, Your City" initiative provides an opportunity for our pupils to enjoy the rich cultural experiences our city has to offer with no cost barriers to consider. This provides a real sense of equity for accessing school excursions making them accessible for all.” 

Additionally, we're launching a new adult-only tour, "Witches; Trial and Truth," exploring the misogyny, persecution, and discrimination faced by women and minority groups from the 1600s. This tour provides a unique platform to discuss diversity, equity, and inclusion over the years. 

To learn more, visit Mercat Tours.

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