Press release -
Classic Tracks!
Classic FM radio listeners have been hearing about the Royal Scottish National Orchestra’s favourite things to see and do in Scotland’s capital as part of a major month-long campaign promoting the city’s ‘hidden gems’ and the ease of travel between London and Edinburgh with East Coast trains.
The radio, press, and online campaign which runs till late October is the result of a partnership between national tourism organisation VisitScotland and East Coast. It aims to encourage Londoners and people in the South East of England to travel by train to Edinburgh and the Lothians to enjoy the wealth of attractions the region has to offer.
Classic FM’s 1.3 million listeners in the London area have been hearing, over a two-week period, well-known Scottish presenter Neil Oliver introducing trailers featuring RSNO members sharing their suggestions of ‘hidden gems’ to visit in the city and surrounding region. Trombone player Davuur - Magnussen, for example, has been urging a trip to Calton Hill to take in the fantastic views and to the Usher Hall to admire the impressive architecture; cellist Betsy Taylor has recommended the sights of Edinburgh’s Old Town as well as a visit to the superb Dovecot Studios to see its 100-year-old tapestries.
The press campaign covers a wide range of leading titles. A special supplement in the London edition of The Telegraph will feature guest writers including renowned Scottish chef Tom Kitchin, who will highlight the superb food and drink on offer in Edinburgh and the Lothians, and broadcaster Nicholas Parsons who will focus on the wonderful arts and culture in and around the capital. Inserts will also be included in the London issues of The Sunday Times and Daily Mail as well as Country Living, Prima, Good Housekeeping, and BBC Gardeners World magazines.
Kathryn Macdonald, Senior Brand Manager, UK & Ireland Marketing, VisitScotland said:
“We know from recent visitor figures that Edinburgh is the favourite UK destination of choice for Londoners. More than ever, they are aware that whether it’s your first or fifteenth visit to Scotland’s stunning, exciting capital and the surrounding region, there’s always something new to see and do, no matter what your age or your interests. This promotion - part of our Brilliant Moments UK campaign - has been designed to highlight just how rich and varied is the wealth of attractions on offer here, as well as how accessible they are thanks to the excellent train links from London offered by East Coast trains.”
George Shuttlewood, Leisure Marketing Manager, East Coast added:
“Our service between London and Edinburgh provides a superb, speedy link between the two capital cities - it’s the perfect way for Londoners to get away to enjoy a great city break in Edinburgh and the Lothians. Booking online at eastcoast.co.uk is a really easy way to organise your trip north, plus, no other site sells our fares cheaper, so you’ll always get the best deal when you book direct.
Whether you’re travelling First Class or Standard, we do all that we can to ensure our customers have a comfortable, relaxing journey, arriving ready to explore the hidden gems of Edinburgh.”
Lowest advance fares for East Coast train travel are exclusively available online at www.eastcoast.co.uk
ENDS
Monday - Thursday
Ellen Drummond Ferroni
VisitScotland Regional Corporate Press Officer
Tel: 0141 566 4019
Mob:07801 820757
Email: ellen.drummondferroni@visitscotland.com
Out of hours media enquiries: 07699 766986
Thursday & Friday
Sharon Makepeace
VisitScotland Regional Corporate Press Officer
Tel: 01387 245 564/07771 981 236
Email: sharon.makepeace@visitscotland.com
Topics
- Tourism
Categories
- corporate communications
Regions
- Scotland
Notes to Editors:
- Follow us on twitter: @visitscotnews
- VisitScotland is Scotland’s national tourism organisation. Its core purpose is to maximise the economic benefit of tourism to Scotland.
- The organisation has three key roles:
- To market Scotland to all parts of the world to attract visitors
- To provide information – and inspiration – to visitors and potential visitors so they get the best out of a visit to Scotland
- To provide quality assurance to visitors and quality advice to the industry and partners to help the industry meet and strive to exceed customer expectations
- VisitScotland works together with tourism businesses to make tourism a success for everyone and ensure the industry continues to grow.
- The organisation employs 700 people and has offices and VisitScotland Information Centres across Scotland.
- 2014 is the year Scotland welcomes the world, when it hosts the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles and more than 800 Homecoming events throughout the country.For more information on Homecoming Scotland 2014, go to www.visitscotland.com
- The VisitScotland Information Centre network is a unique face-to-face channel engaging with around five million visitors and locals each year. Everyone who uses a VisitScotland Information Centre goes on to spend an additional £5.35, generating over £24 million for Scotland’s economy.
- According to a recent Deloitte study, tourism employs 270,000 people in Scotland in 20,000 diverse businesses. The same study calculates that the industry contributes £11 billion annually (direct and indirect impact, including day visits) and supports around 10 per cent of employment in Scotland. Almost 16 million tourists take overnight trips to Scotland.
- Where possible, a Gaelic speaker will be made available for broadcast interviews on request (Far an tèid iarraidh, agus far am bheil sin nar comas, bruidhinnidh neach le Gàidhlig aig agallamh)
- For holiday information on Scotland go to www.visitscotland.com
- For information about business tourism in Scotland go to www.conventionscotland.com
- For more information on VisitScotland’s annual review please go to www.visitscotland.org/about_us/our_focus/annual_report.aspx
