Falkirk young entrepreneur is a rising star

Craig MacDonald of Wee 
Heroes received the Rising Star award at the regional finals for Central, Fife & Tayside, which took place last night at Prestonfield House Hotel.

The award is supported by HIT Scotland and recognises young people who have the passion, ambition and dedication to have successful careers within the tourism industry.

Seven days earlier Craig was a joint winner of the Leisure/Retail Business of the Year at The Falkirk Herald Business Excellence Awards ceremony held in the Macdonald Inchyra Hotel & Spa in Polmont.

Craig is the owner of Transcend Escape Rooms and Wee Heroes Laser Tag in Falkirk.

He also chairs the Visit Falkirk Partnership, which is tasked with increasing visitor spend and updating the Falkirk Area Tourism Strategy.

Craig stood out for judges for his collaboration and influential work within the region.

He said: “I am delighted to win this award for the second year, it is a testament to my team’s continued dedication and hard work. I would like to thank my family, friends and loyal customers for their support.”

The Scottish Thistle Awards, now in their 27th year, help shine the spotlight on individuals and businesses going above and beyond to create a destination and visitor experience worth talking about amongst our valuable tourism industry.

In 2019 there were almost 600 entries submitted, including more than 1000 nominations from members of the public keen to give hotels, restaurants, B&Bs, visitor attractions and individuals the opportunity to earn the recognition they deserve from their own industry peers.

Craig and the other regional winners now go to the prestigious National Final in March, where they will join the country’s tourism elite to be honoured with the highest accolade in the Scottish hospitality and tourism sector.

Congratulating the winners, Rebecca Brooks, who chairs of the Scottish Thistle Awards Industry Panel, said: “Tourism is more than a holiday experience, it creates jobs and sustains communities. These awards let us recognise the unsung heroes of our industry who show real dedication and enthusiasm for Scotland’s tourism industry.”