About The Open Book: A Bookshop Holiday Experience
Wigtown - Scotland’s National Book Town
What started as a creative experiment in Scotland’s National Book Town has, over the last decade, become a global sensation.
The Open Book in Wigtown is a volunteer-run Airbnb bookshop that offers guests the unique chance to step away from their daily lives and run their own bookshop in rural Galloway.
The concept first launched in August 2014. For the first six months, it operated as a creative project, inviting writers, musicians, and artists to Wigtown for two weeks. Creatives lived above the shop and worked in the bookshop while developing their own practice. After six months, the now-famous "Bookshop Holiday" experience was born.
The idea went viral after a visit from journalist Daniel Dalton of BuzzFeed. His article caused such an influx of interest that the experience was fully booked three years ahead within days. Today, The Open Book continues to be booked two years in advance - as far as the Airbnb calendar allows.
The experience is tailored to you
Guests who stay at The Open Book are given the keys to their own bookshop. They can choose their own opening hours, change the window displays, and run events. Past events have included tea parties, wine tastings, karaoke, treasure hunts, quizzes, bookmark making, author talks, and music sessions. The only limit is the imagination (and the space, which comfortably seats 12-15 people theatre-style).
Guests learn from their predecessors by reading through the journals of former residents to learn about the things they must see and experience, as well as hints and tips for running the shop.
The current rate is £175 per night, with guests staying between 6 and 14 nights, with bookings taken through the AirBnB website.
Community is at the heart of The Open Book
More than 550 guests have enjoyed the experience so far (March 2026), many drawn in by the warmth of the Wigtown community. Joyce Cochrane of The Old Bank Bookshop greets guests and shares their arrival with locals on Facebook, inviting the town to "weave its magic."
The initiative was the idea of author Jessica Fox, who fell in love with Wigtown and settled here. It was designed to raise the profile of Scotland’s National Book Town and generate funds for the Wigtown Festival Company (WFC). While it initially just covered its costs, it now contributes around £10,000 a year to WFC’s charitable work, supporting initiatives like the Big Wig Children’s Festival in September and the Big DoG Education Tour which reaches thousands of the region’s school children each November.
The Open Book story has gone around the world and plays a hugely important part in raising the profile of Scotland’s National Book Town. It brings new energy and new ideas through the dozens of brilliant booksellers who come through its doors.
Booking information and availability
Due to its popularity, The Open Book is currently fully booked until the end of February 2028. New dates are released each month, booking 23 months ahead. (For example, March 2028 dates will open in April 2026, typically on the first Monday of the month).
For those wishing to secure a last-minute stay, a notifications list is available for information about cancellations. These opportunities are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
Join the notifications list here: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/ADE7A1091812FA95
Bookings for The Open Book are made through the Airbnb website - they cannot be made directly through the Festival Company.
Media Contact
For all press and media enquiries about The Open Book, please contact: Matthew Shelley
Email: [email protected]
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Original BuzzFeed article by Daniel Dalton