From sunny Cornwall to the shores of Fife, Rosie Willmot’s career has been shaped by storytelling, people skills and a deep-rooted connection to tourism. Now Head of Communications at the Scotch Whisky Association, Rosie sits at the intersection of culture, industry and tourism, helping tell the stories of one of Scotland’s most significant sectors. In this Q&A, she reflects on her career path, the value of starting on the shop floor, rediscovering professional identity after parenthood, and what being part of Women in Tourism means to her.
- Where are you from? Sunny Cornwall
- Where do you live now? Sunny Fife!
- What did you study/train in? I studied English and Art History in Birmingham
- Job title and organization: Head of Comms at the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA)
- Years working in tourism: Peripherally, about 20 years!
Tell us a bit about your current role and what you love most about it.
I’m part of the team at the SWA, which represents the Scotch Whisky industry on everything from tax and regulation to international trade. As Head of Comms, I’m a bit of a butterfly – I get to chat to everyone in the team and across our industry about what they do, learn about everything and tell every story. I love being part of such a culturally, economically and politically significant sector – here in Scotland, it’s relevant and important whatever area you work in (including, and maybe especially in, tourism).
What path led you to a career in tourism?
I was born and raised 500 miles away in Cornwall, where tourism and hospitality are the bread and butter of many communities, and where every teenager’s first job is connected to it in some way. From being on the crew of a food and drink event organiser there, I found my way to Scotland 10 years ago, working for the Fringe Society, then the Scotch Whisky Experience, then across the industry to the SWA. I love that I’m still connected to the tourism sector, both through my work with Women in Tourism (who were instrumental in my networking journey when I first came to Scotland), and because collectively Scotch Whisky sites are the most-visited attraction in Scotland.
What’s been a career highlight or proudest moment so far?
I think I have two (sorry!) The first is winning the ASVA Marketing Campaign of the Year in 2018 for work I did at the Scotch Whisky Experience to mark its 30th anniversary – it was a while ago now, but it was such a confidence boost to have that professional recognition, and I learned a lot about what I’m good at. The second is personal, but rediscovering my professional identity (twice!) after having children is something I’m really proud of. Parenting is rewarding, fun and exhausting, and a total gear change to the demands of the day job. I’m managing the juggle, just about!
What advice would you give to someone starting out in the tourism industry today?
Starting from the ground up builds a much stronger – and more interesting – person than hopping on at the top. You’ll learn more skills, more life lessons, and more about what makes a business tick by being on the proverbial shop floor meeting people, serving customers, or supporting event logistics than you ever will behind a screen. Every useful people skill I have – and these really are vital if you want to climb higher – was learned working behind bars, in restaurants or in retail.
What does being part of Women in Tourism mean to you?
I’m really proud to be part of the WIT cohort – to be among such talented, driven, interesting women is incredibly inspiring, and pushes me to be better at what I do, for the industry and for myself. Every sector should have a warm and encouraging network like this.
Who has inspired you professionally?
The formidable female-led team at the Scotch Whisky Experience – I learned so much from them when I worked there, about everything from business mechanics to whisky production, successful leadership to running a tasting. I literally wouldn’t be where I am without them.
What do you think is the biggest opportunity (or challenge) for Scotland’s tourism sector right now?
It’s an uncomfortable truth, but in a cost-of-living crisis, tourism everywhere needs to stay competitive on pay and prospects if we want to retain talent and encourage new people into the sector. It’s an amazing industry to work in with the right environment to nurture your skills, but the reward needs to at least begin to match the huge amount of talent and grit that it takes especially to work in those early-career roles.
Outside of work, how do you like to spend your time?
I’m Committee Chair for my local orchestra, in which I also play the cello, which keeps me rather busy. Right now, though, with two children under 4, I mostly spend my time doing laundry or mucking about ON one of Fife’s many beautiful beaches. I love hanging out with my beach babies.
Tell us about a favourite hidden gem in Scotland – somewhere you think everyone should visit at least once.
The Pittenweem Arts Festival is a calendar highlight every August – seeing an entire fishing village transform into one big gallery, with every spare room, garage, outhouse and studio crammed to the rafters with art and crafts of all different styles, is quite something. Definitely worth taking a day to mooch, explore and chat to artists about their work, with plenty of time in between for amazing seafood and ice cream.
If you could have dinner with any woman from history or present day, who would it be and why?
Nora Ephron, essayist and screenwriter films like When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle and Julie & Julia. She had a knack for accessible, hilarious food writing, and she had so many words of wisdom about life, travel, relationships and parenting come through in her work on screen and page. I bet she made a mean cocktail, too.
Rosie’s story is a reminder that tourism careers are rarely linear, and that the skills gained along the way often matter more than titles. From frontline roles to leadership positions, her experience highlights the importance of strong networks, supportive workplaces and environments where talent can thrive at every stage of life. It’s this blend of honesty, ambition and generosity that makes voices like Rosie’s such an important part of the Women in Tourism community.
