This time around, Gabaldon (who recently celebrated her 70th birthday) will be honored by the National Trust for Scotland Foundation USA with their “Great Scot” award. (Fun fact: Gabaldon actually lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, so the award is fitting in more ways than one!) The presentation of the award, celebrating her influence on Scottish travel and tourism over the past three decades, will be made in New York City on April 14 at The Metropolitan Club as part of the NTSUSA’s 15th annual fundraising gala, “A Celebration of Scotland’s Treasures,” according to the Daily Record. “We are particularly excited to celebrate Ms. Gabaldon this year as 2022 has been designated Scotland’s Year of Stories,” a statement from the organization said. “The influence of Ms. Gabaldon’s work on travel and tourism to Scotland over the past three decades has been extraordinary, and we are delighted to recognize her role in bringing Scottish history and culture to life for audiences around the world.” Gabaldon responded to the honor on Twitter, writing, “Thank you! I’m extremely honored and very grateful—not only for the award, but for the good work that you do in promoting the interests of Scotland and its culture!” As mentioned, this isn’t her first tourism honor. In 2019, tourism in Scotland went up 67 percent thanks to the Outlander books and shows. To show its appreciation, VisitScotland gave Gabaldon an award for International Contribution to Scottish Tourism at its 2019 Thistle Awards. In fact, since the inception of Starz’s Outlander series, Scotland’s tourist board created a 12-day self-guided itinerary to visit key filming sites around the country. When Season 6 of Outlander premieres on March 6, Scotland will once again double as North Carolina, but when Season 7 airs in 2023, the Frasers do actually return to Scotland, where their epic love story began, and Scotland will once again be able to represent Scotland. Next, Sam Heughan Speaks! Find Out What the Outlander Star Says About Jamie Fraser’s Journey on Season 6
