Press release -
Have a break. Have a trip to Scotland.
Londoners are being encouraged to swap the Northern Line for the Northern Lights and Notting Hill for Calton Hill this summer as VisitScotland launches a new campaign to capitalise on the booming short break market in the UK.
The £2 million marketing campaign, aimed at audiences in London, Yorkshire and the North East includes TV, digital, outdoor, print and London Underground advertising, online promotions, competitions and PR events designed to remind domestic audiences that Scotland really is “Closer than you think” to travel to.
The activity is part of the national tourism organisation’s multi-million pound Brilliant Momentscampaign, which inspires people to explore and uncover the amazing experiences that are within easy travel distance of their home.
Highlights of the campaign include:
- Inspiring Geordies to ‘swap Newcastle for an old castle’ with a trip to Edinburgh
- Persuading people from York to ‘swap the races for the horses’ with a visit to the Kelpies
- Encouraging Londoners to create their own magical Harry Potter experience in the Highlands, and discover what a ‘real breath of fresh air’ feels like
There are around 1.5 million short city breaks to Scotland per year by UK residents, generating a visitor expenditure of £440 million.
Short breaks have increased in popularity over the last few years following changes in working patterns, with people more likely to take a few small trips throughout the year rather than one big holiday. Over half (55-60%) of people that visit Scotland on holiday are on a short break (1-3 nights).
The ‘Brilliant Moments are closer than you think’ activity will involve partnerships with transport operators, and local businesses across Scotland are also being encouraged to get involved in the campaign with a special suite of downloadable digital adverts showcasing each region available on www.visitscotland.org
Scottish Tourism Minister Fergus Ewing said:
“Scotland is a great holiday destination for people from across these islands, and VisitScotland’s campaign will re-emphasise the many wonderful reasons why a trip north provides the perfect holiday. Scotland offers many opportunities for an affordable short break, whether a cultural weekend in one of our cities or a relaxing stay in a country hotel. Brilliant moments in Scotland can be yours!"
Charlie Smith, Director of Marketing at VisitScotland said:
“Many south of the Border might still see Scotland as a real mission to get to in terms of distance and transport, but with exceptional new and direct rail and air connections - it is often quicker to get to the mountains of the Cairngorms or the grandeur of Edinburgh Castle than it is to commute to work in the morning!
“We want to encourage the rest of the UK to come and visit their neighbours in Scotland and discover not only how easy it is to get here, but also how deliciously brilliant it is once they’ve arrived, with world-class attractions, landscapes, heritage, food and drink and culture.”
The VisitScotland Brilliant Moment Breaks ‘Closer than you think’ campaign runs from May – June 2015 targeting audiences in London, Yorkshire and the North East. For more information, go to www.visitscotland.com
Topics
- Tourism
Categories
- corporate communications
- uk & ireland marketing
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.
- According to a recent Deloitte study, the tourism economy supports 270,000 jobs in Scotland in 20,000 diverse businesses. The same study calculates that the tourism economy 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.
- For VisitScotland’s press releases go to http://www.visitscotland.org/media_centre.aspx, tourism statistics and frequently asked questions go to http://www.visitscotland.org/
- 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
Year of Food and Drink 2015
- 2015 is the Year of Food and Drink, a celebration of Scotland’s natural larder and the role that food and drink plays in shaping our economic success.
- Scotland generates over £2.5m per day through food and drink tourism.
- A series of themed months will create an appetite for key areas of Scotland’s food and drink industries – from seafood and whisky to berries and high-quality meat
- For more information, visit www.visitscotland.com/tastescotland
