Press release -
Scotland’s Big 5 are closer than you think...
A major new domestic marketing campaign has today been launched by VisitScotland and Scottish Natural Heritage as part of the Year of Natural Scotland 2013.
The £350,000 campaign takes its creative inspiration from five iconic indigenous species of Scotland: red deer, golden eagle, harbour seal, otter and red squirrel and sees the organisations advertise on billboards in Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Glasgow and Edinburgh, with further activity on radio, written press and online over the coming months.
The joint-initiative aims to inspire potential visitors to visit a new special website which contains information about where to see the Big 5 in Scotland, give inspiration about things to see and do, and offers the chance to enter a competition to win a trip to see them in their natural habitats around the country.
The 20 foot-tall roadside billboards will depict a series of breathtaking images which include a golden eagle in the Cairngorms, red deer in Glen Affric in the Highlands, harbour seals on Skye, red squirrel at Loch Awe in Argyll and an otter on the Isle of Mull. This will be coupled with smaller adverts at bus stops.
Scottish Natural Heritage wants as many people as possible to try to spot all of the Big 5 during the Year of Natural Scotland and to share their experiences through social media. Those who take part in the Big 5 Twitter and Facebook discussions will be eligible for prizes. The Big 5 are indigenous and iconic to Scotland, and while spotting may take some planning and patience, it can be achieved by almost anyone with an enthusiasm for Scotland’s great outdoors. The country’s network of national nature reserves is a very good starting point for a Big 5 encounter, with some offering sightings of up to four of the five species, and Taynish offering all five.
Mike Cantlay, Chairman of VisitScotland, said: “This campaign represents a fantastic opportunity to appeal to the vitally important domestic market with this stunning imagery sure to grab the eye. The Year of Natural Scotland is about getting people here at home out and about, with our wildlife a key selling point for visitors.”
Environment Minister Paul Wheelhouse
said: “Scotland has some of the world’s most
outstanding wildlife, with a diverse range of animals and birds
that are an integral component of what makes our nation unique.
Scotland’s wildlife is also vital to the success of our tourism
sector and the wider economy, as was demonstrated when US TV
network CNN named Scotland as the place to visit in 2013, because
of our natural heritage.
“As 2013 is the Year of Natural Scotland, I encourage Scots and
tourists alike to take advantage of this opportunity and get out
into our countryside to see Scotland’s ‘Big 5’ in their stunning
natural habitats.”
Ian Jardine, Chief Executive of Scottish Natural Heritage, said: “Most people will be aware of the animals selected for the Scotland's Big 5 campaign, but many may not have seen them in their natural habitat. We have chosen animals that most people, if they want, can see in many parts of Scotland at almost any time of year. In setting out to discover Scotland’s Big 5, we hope more people will come to enjoy and value Scotland’s rich and diverse wildlife and scenery.
“The Year of Natural Scotland is an ideal opportunity to celebrate Scotland’s dramatic and rich natural environment. In Scotland we have a good chance to see these distinctive animals in a wild setting – something that isn’t possible for many people in Europe today. We know that’s why many come to Scotland on holiday. So let’s make the most of it.”
The Year of Natural Scotland 2013 provides visitors with the ideal opportunity to become immersed in all things Scottish, from the rugged scenery of the Highlands and the splendour of the national parks to the freshness of the natural larders and the warm welcome from people who passionately care about this wild land.
For more information go to www.visitscotland.com/snh
For further information please contact:
James Fox
Corporate Press Officer
Corporate Communications
VisitScotland
Tel: 0131 472 2052
Mob: 07818 075 519
Email: james.fox@visitscotland.com
Topics
- Tourism
Categories
- corporate communications
- year of natural scotland 2013
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.
- 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
- For more information on VisitScotland’s annual review please go to www.visitscotland.org/about_us/our_focus/annual_report.aspx
