Ephemera are the transitory items of everyday life. Due to ephemera being either free or extremely inexpensive, they became accessible to the masses. Before the advent of mass tourism and the transport systems that facilitated it, Scotland was seen as a tourist destination for the wealthy traveller. Ephemera reflects Scottish tourism’s expansion to the middle and working classes. 

As the middle and working class gained the means to travel, cheaply produced ephemera testify to the extent of its popularity. The growing production of ephemera coincided with increased affordability in transportation, with ephemera often promoting railway and steamship travel. Ephemera also allowed advertising to become cheaper, as small paper handouts were distributed for a fraction of the price for the advertiser or to people and firms that could not afford older methods of advertising. 

Ephemera had a constant and important presence in Scottish tourism, playing a major role in every aspect of a traveller’s journey, whether in hotels, railway stations, and tourist sites, both large and small. While some ephemera were collected, others were thrown away. On a vacationer’s journey, brochures advertised a destination, while train schedules and tickets helped them travel there. When they reached their destination, a traveller was given a map and a menu, and the hotel guestbook was signed to provide them with the essentials of travel. When visitors left, they had the option to purchase a commemorative item, such as a postcard to send to a friend to promote the highlights of their trip, continuing the cycle of tourism and consumption.