We were delighted to host our first ASSC “Talk” of 2026, where we explored key trends and opportunities for Scotland’s self-catering sector in the year ahead.
The “Talk” will opened with a warm welcome from Victoria Brooks, ASSC, followed by insightful presentations from two leading industry experts:
Together, they shared their expertise and insights to help you navigate 2026 with confidence and help you plan for a successful and profitable year for your business.
This session was designed to equip you with actionable insights based on the latest data and tourism trends. From understanding booking behaviours to adapting your marketing activity.
We were delighted to welcome back Sally Henry VP of Business Development at Key Data, who delved into the latest performance metrics for Scotland’s self-catering sector.
Sally shared essential insights on:
✔2025 review with lessons learned for 2026
✔Occupancy Rates
✔ Revenue and ADR (Average Daily Rate)
✔ Length of Stay Trends
✔ Booking Patterns: When and How Guests are Booking
Sally also explained why these metrics matter and how you can use this data to enhance your business performance and drive revenue growth in 2026.
Next, Lesley Whitehill, Senior Tourism Insight Manager at VisitScotland, provided a comprehensive overview of expected visitor trends for 2026, drawing from historical data and global market patterns.
Key topics included:
✔ Insights into recovering and emerging tourism markets.
✔ Expected visitor trends for 2026 and beyond.
✔ Highlights from VisitScotland’s upcoming “Trends for 2026” publication, packed with valuable insights to help you stay ahead.
This session was a unique opportunity to align your business planning with industry trends, ensuring you’re prepared to attract and satisfy your guests throughout the year.
Sally Henry, VP Business Development, Key Data
Sally Henry has been in the Vacation Rental Industry for over 20 years and joined Key Data in November 2022 as Vice President of Business Development, to help internationalise and expand the business outside of the US. Prior to Key Data Sally was Sales Director at Awaze UK for 20 years and has seen a huge amount of change and development in the industry, spanning two decades. It’s an industry she loves with a passion.
Lesley Whitehill, Senior Tourism Insight Manager, VisitScotland
As Senior Tourism Insight Manager, Lesley has responsibility for delivery of industry intelligence and actionable insight on tourism in Scotland, including changing consumer behaviour, market profiling and business sentiment. Lesley has educated decision making and strategy in many commercial environments and has first-hand experience of benefits of evidence-led decision making in small and medium sized businesses.