Here we are: launch week.
Originally, the plan was to hold a soft launch, inviting friends, family, and business colleagues to experience the tour before opening it to the public. As preparations progressed, however, it became clear that everything was in place and ready to go. Rather than delay, we decided to launch the tour fully.
So far, I’ve led three tours, and they seem to be settling into a comfortable rhythm. Guests are enjoying the experience, and it’s incredibly exciting to see a new project come to life. Every guide asks the same questions before a launch: Will the stories work? Will the tour flow smoothly? Will people enjoy it? And perhaps most importantly, will I forget what I’m supposed to say?
The truth is that if you’ve done the research, prepared thoroughly, and put in the work, things usually come together on the day.
For me, this is the most rewarding part of the process. The creative development and training the team has been fantastic, but my real passion lies in guiding tours. Edinburgh’s history has fascinated me for as long as I can remember. It began in primary school, when a teacher would tell us stories about the city’s past. Those stories stayed with me and never really left. Combined with my background as a performer, standing in front of an audience and sharing stories feels completely natural. In many ways, this is exactly where I’m meant to be.
And so, Experience Edinburgh Tours & Events is officially underway. Our first tour, The Heart of the Royal Mile, is now ready for both visitors and locals to enjoy.
I’ll admit that I’m enormously proud of what we’ve accomplished in a relatively short period of time. Of course, the tour will continue to evolve. Fine-tuning is part of the process: a historical detail may need to be added, a section may run too long or too short, or a particular story might need to be reshaped. That’s how a strong tour is built.
In truth, no live experience is ever completely finished. Every group is different, and sometimes a spontaneous moment or a new line of narration can transform a tour for the better. That ongoing process of learning and adapting is what makes live storytelling so rewarding.
I’m excited for more people to experience the tour, and I can’t wait to see where this journey takes us next.