World-class conference and events venue, Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC), has revealed that it will play a significant role in the operational delivery of the Tour de France 2027 when the world’s biggest cycling race arrives in the UK next year.
Marking the first time in the event’s history that the race has started in Scotland, the Grand Départ will begin in Edinburgh on 2 July 2027 and cover 184km to Carlisle, showcasing Edinburgh and Scotland to millions of spectators worldwide.
Working closely with the Grand Départ GB team, Edinburgh City Council and partners across Edinburgh, the EICC will host the race headquarters and official international press centre for the duration of the Grand Départ in July, while the team presentation will take place at Edinburgh Castle on 30 June.
Adept at delivering complex, high-profile international events at scale, The Tour de France Grand Départ selected the EICC as its race and media hub because of its proven operational expertise, unmatched technical infrastructure and highly experienced team.
The landmark international venue, centrally located in Edinburgh’s Exchange District, has connected people, ideas and industries for over 30 years, welcoming more than 2.2 million delegates across over 5,000 events.
Chair of the EICC board, Councillor Lezley Marion Cameron, said: “The Tour de France Grand Départ in Edinburgh is a historic moment and a huge honour for the city, cementing Edinburgh’s reputation as a world-class events destination, with EICC at its heart. We are immensely proud that EICC has been trusted with a significant part of the operational delivery of this most prestigious sporting event, becoming the nerve centre for the race and international media for the duration of the Grand Départ.
“All eyes will be on Edinburgh and the EICC during this time, and the event’s legacy will benefit the city and Scotland’s wider events industry. Bringing this to fruition was a complex collaborative effort between the Grand Départ GB team, the City of Edinburgh Council and our partners across Edinburgh, highlighting the city and EICC’s collective approach to delivering events of this scale and complexity.”
Paul Bush, Managing Director of Grand Départ GB, said: “We are delighted to be working with the EICC’s expert team and to have their world-class facilities to host the race headquarters and press centre ahead of next year’s historic Grand Départ. These facilities will be the focus of much of the build-up ahead of stage one beginning in Edinburgh, and there is nowhere better to be at the heart of the city than with the EICC.”
EICC’s infrastructure, technical capability and team will support hundreds of accredited international journalists, photographers and broadcasters for the duration of the Grand Départ, with the press centre’s official launch on Tuesday 29 June 2027.
For more information on the Grand Départ and the route please visit: https://www.letourgb.com/
