Fraser Galloway, Wigwam Holidays Wigtown

I am part of the family team behind Wigwam Holidays Wigtown, a 300-acre beef, sheep, and glamping enterprise in Southwest Scotland. Having grown up on the family farm, I studied Rural Business Management at SRUC Edinburgh. After completing my degree, I returned home to join the family business.

In November, I attended the Scottish Agritourism Futures programme. It was a brilliant experience that gave me a lot to think about moving forward.

The event ran over two days and brought together young people from across Scotland, all connected to the agritourism sector and all passionate about shaping its future.

The first day focused on training and development, giving us the chance to learn new skills, share ideas, and build confidence.

• We heard about the history of Scottish Agritourism and why the organisation exists and how it fits in with Scotland’s National Agritourism Strategy
• We had discussions around being young in an agritourism business and planning for succession in a way that allows multiple family members to stay, living and working on the farm
• And we had training on presenting and chairing conference sessions – a great confidence booster and an opportunity to step outside our comfort zones

A highlight of the first day was hearing from Stephen Buchan, who is head of agriculture for Virgin Money in Scotland. Stephen spoke to us about finance and business growth in a way that felt practical and relevant to rural enterprises and he gave us some great tips for developing business plans and what a bank might look for if they were considering funding a business plan.

In the evening, we visited The Free Company, a venue on a farm just outside Edinburgh, which was inspiring to see in action. Their focus on quality and sustainability showed what is possible with the right vision and commitment. We enjoyed a delicious meal and we were able to relax, reflect on our day and get to know each other better.

More than anything, the first day was about connection meeting other young people in the sector, learning from each other, and realising how much potential there is in agritourism.

The second day was equally as interesting but entirely different. We met with George Burgess, Head of Agriculture at the Scottish Government who explained about his role and how it fits with the government and then we went to the Scottish Parliament where we had the opportunity to question MSPs from different parties about the policies that are and will affect the future of agritourism.

This was one of the most powerful parts of the experience. Being able to raise real issues, share our experiences, and hear directly from decision-makers made it feel like our voices genuinely mattered. It was encouraging to see such interest in supporting young people and rural businesses.

Overall, the event was motivating, informative, and empowering. It showed the importance of investing in young people within the sector and giving us space to learn, grow, and be heard.

When I arrived for the first day of the Agritourism Futures programme, I had some thoughts about how I would like to develop our agritourism business. Being able to take time away from the farm and the business and chat to other people in similar positions really cemented this for me so when I got home, I had a good chat with my parents about my ideas and the potential for growing the agritourism side of our business.

A few weeks later, when we came together again at the Scottish Agritourism conference, I had the opportunity to speak with Stephen Buchan from Virgin. We already work with Virgin Money so we were able to pick Stephen’s brain about the feasibility of our ideas which was really valuable.

Also, as a result of participating in the Agritourism Futures programme, I have taken the step of joining South of Scotland Enterprise’s Entrepreneurship Scheme and through this, I am working with a business coach to support my ideas and work towards a full business plan.

I’m grateful to have been part of such a positive and forward-thinking experience, and I’m excited to take what I’ve learned into the future.