Fife invites tourism sector and communities to help shape new Gaelic Language Plan

Fife Council is inviting people and businesses across the region to help shape the future of Gaelic, as work begins on a new five‑year Gaelic Language Plan for 2026–2031.

A public consultation, open from 18 June to 7 August 2026, marks an important stage in defining how Gaelic language and culture will be supported, promoted and developed across the Kingdom in the years ahead. While firmly rooted in heritage, the emerging plan also reflects a growing recognition of Gaelic as a living, evolving asset — one that has a meaningful role to play not only in community life, but within Fife’s wider visitor economy.

Gaelic’s connection to Fife stretches back centuries. The region is referenced in the Book of Deer, the earliest surviving written Gaelic in Scotland, and its linguistic legacy is still visible today in the place names that shape towns, landscapes and local identity. For a significant period in Fife’s history, Gaelic was a principal language of the region, leaving an imprint that continues to inform how place and heritage are understood.

That legacy is not confined to the past. Gaelic remains part of contemporary life in Fife, with an estimated 5% of Scotland’s Gaelic speakers living in the area. Interest in learning the language is also increasing, with adult learning uptake exceeding the national average. This quiet resurgence reflects a broader shift in how people engage with culture, identity and heritage — not as something static, but as something to be experienced, shared and developed.

It is within this context that the new Gaelic Language Plan is being developed. Building on the commitments set out in Fife Council’s current plan, the next phase will continue to promote equal respect for Gaelic and English, while aligning with the ambitions of Scotland’s national Gaelic strategy. At its core, the plan seeks to ensure that Gaelic is not only preserved, but made visible, accessible and relevant in everyday life.

For the tourism sector, this presents a timely opportunity. As visitor expectations continue to evolve, there is growing demand for experiences that feel authentic, distinctive and rooted in place. Language plays a powerful role in that experience, offering depth, context and a stronger sense of connection between visitors and the destinations they explore.

In Fife, Gaelic has the potential to support this shift. From guided tours that draw on local stories and place names, to interpretation in public spaces, food and drink experiences, and cultural programming, the language offers a means of enriching how the region presents itself. It enables businesses to build experiences that are not only engaging, but uniquely tied to Fife’s identity.

This is not about introducing something new, but rather about drawing more confidently on what is already here. Across the region, Gaelic development is supported by a network of partners, including the Fife Gaelic Development Group, and a wide range of opportunities are already in place. These include adult learning classes, school‑based education, early years provision, conversation groups and cultural activities that continue to grow year on year.

The consultation now underway is designed to gather views on how this work should develop over the next five years. It will explore priorities such as education, visibility in public spaces, community activity and access to services. Crucially, it also provides a space for businesses and organisations to contribute their perspective, ensuring that the plan reflects both community ambition and practical opportunity.

Councillor Linda Erskine, Fife Council’s Communities and Leisure Spokesperson, has emphasised the importance of Gaelic as part of both Fife’s heritage and its future. With a growing number of people learning and using the language, she has highlighted the opportunity to build on existing momentum and ensure Gaelic continues to thrive across communities.

For those working within tourism and hospitality, the consultation offers a direct opportunity to shape how Gaelic can support the visitor experience in the years ahead. In an increasingly competitive landscape, where destinations are defined as much by their stories as their scenery, Gaelic represents a valuable asset — one that can enhance place‑making, strengthen identity and create more meaningful connections for visitors.

As Fife looks ahead, the development of the Gaelic Language Plan reflects a broader ambition: to ensure that the region’s cultural assets are not only protected, but actively woven into its future. The outcome of the consultation will play a central role in determining how that ambition is realised.

Have your say

Consultation open: 18 June – 7 August 2026

• Take part online:
https://haveyoursay.fife.gov.uk/communities/fife-gaelic-language-plan-2026-2031

• Further information:
Gaelic.Development@fife.gov.uk