Press release -

Good things come in threes

A SERIES of new films are being used by VisitScotland to showcase the diverse range of experiences on offer in Dumfries & Galloway.

The 60-second films each focus on one of the chosen themes – history and heritage, food and drink, and outdoor adventures – and aim to lift the lid on what makes the region a unique and memorable destination.

Produced in partnership with Dumfries & Galloway Council, the films will be used by VisitScotland to market Dumfries & Galloway across its global digital channels.

The new series follows on from the success of the ‘Little Things, BIG memories’ film produced in partnership in November 2016, which has attracted more than 335,000 in the last year.

Dumfries & Galloway has long been celebrated for its breathtaking scenery and literary links, but these films, each taking a unique look at the region, aim to inspire more visitors to come and experience everything that is on offer, from the historic visitor attractions to the walking and adventure sports, as well as the amazing local produce and culinary variety.

In the first of the films, the focus is on the region as a destination of choice for lovers of the great outdoors. The many fantastic walking routes and beautiful scenery in the region are highlighted, from the Hugh MacDiarmid Memorial in Langholm and Moffat Water Valley to the Mull of Galloway Lighthouse, Scotland’s most southerly point. For the adrenaline seeker, canoeing and the giant 3G swing at Galloway Activity Centre are some of the many thrill-seeking activities on offer at the centre, located on the picturesque banks of Loch Ken.

Food and drink is celebrated in the second of the films. The journey starts in Castle Douglas, sampling the relaxed coffee culture of the Street Lights Coffee House. It continues to Annandale Distillery, which once again produces Scotch malt whisky in Dumfries & Galloway after closing for 99 years. A meal at the award-winning Blackaddie House Hotel in Sanquhar is enjoyed, before moving on to try the sweet treats at Cream O’Galloway, Gatehouse of Fleet, and The Cocobean Café, Twynholm, as well as the locally produced Waulkmill Cider, Langholm, and the warm atmosphere at The Crown Hotel, Portpatrick.

The final film explores historic buildings and archaeological sites, including the Iron Age Roundhouse, Whithorn, and Drumlanrig Castle, near Thornhill, lifting the lid on the history and heritage of the region. The region also boasts the unique land restoration and art project at Crawick Multiverse and The Devil’s Porridge Museum, Eastriggs where the story of life at the world’s largest munitions factory during the First World War is brought to life.

Paula Ward, VisitScotland Regional Director, said: “This latest series of films demonstrates the real breadth of experiences and assets on offer in Dumfries & Galloway. We have worked closely with Dumfries & Galloway Council, local businesses and communities to celebrate what makes the region truly unique and an outstanding place to visit.

“The films invite you to ‘stand in the middle of history’, ‘awaken your senses’ and ‘feel the force of nature’ and really do bring to life the fantastic experiences, awe-inspiring scenery and outstanding natural larder in Dumfries & Galloway.

“It is fantastic news that Dumfries & Galloway has recently been included in German online travel publication GEO.de list of 10 Top Destinations to Visit in 2018. We will now continue to build on this momentum and use these additional assets to promote the region to visitors at home and further afield, encouraging visitors to discover the magic of the region for themselves.

“Tourism is the heartbeat of the Scottish economy, causing a ripple effect which touches every industry and community, creating employment and economic growth.”

Archie Dryburgh, Chair of Dumfries & Galloway Council’s Economy, Environment and Infrastructure Committee, said: “Tourism supports thousands of jobs within our region, sustaining communities and generating hundreds of millions of pounds in revenue. These new films show the potential of our beautiful and rural region and encourage more people to visit Dumfries and Galloway by showing what we have to offer. Through these videos Dumfries and Galloway will be recognised as a destination of choice for quality, value and unique and memorable experiences.”

Linny Oliphant, Annandale Distillery Visitor Experience Manager said: “Ninety nine years after Johnnie Walker closed Annandale Distillery, we’re delighted to announce that Single Malt Scotch Whisky of the finest quality and character is flowing once again in the South of Scotland. Annandale Distillery has been lovingly restored and has many unique features ranging from archaeological and historical references to the award winning Maltings Coffee shop. It offers a complete visitor experience and we are delighted to show this off in this film.”

The film can be embedded on partner websites and shared via the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kQD-heitqY&list=PLRKW1zVpm9Dg-Cht2rL42-4Pd4-HMGM1Q

Topics

  • Tourism

Categories

  • dumfries & galloway
  • 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’s core objective is to contribute to the Tourism 2020 Strategy ambition of growing tourism revenues by £1 billion by 2020.
  • This will be supported by seven overarching strategies:
    1. Marketing: we will market Scotland and its outstanding assets to visitors from all parts of the world, including the promotion of Scotland to people living in Scotland to visit different parts of the country
    2. Events: we will support the national events strategy and its delivery, and sustain, develop and promote Scotland’s international profile as one of the world’s foremost events destinations
    3. Internationalisation and International Engagement: we will utilise all our platforms to enable Scottish-based tourism businesses to better understand international opportunities and market to a global audience and we will work within One Scotland Partnerships to optimise the potential of Scotland’s Diaspora and our strategic partners at regional, European and global levels
    4. Customer Experience: we will provide information and inspiration to visitors both locally and globally via their preferred medium of choice
    5. Quality and Sustainability: we will provide support and advice to businesses, with the goal of improving the quality and sustainability of the tourism sector in Scotland. We will provide quality assurance to visitors through our Quality Schemes
    6. Inclusive Tourism: we will strive to make tourism in Scotland inclusive and available to all
    7. Working in Partnership: we will listen to and work with the industry, partners and communities to shape our offering and support
  • To ensure everyone can safely enjoy Scotland’s amazing countryside and landscapes, VisitScotland encourages all visitors to fully respect their surroundings by behaving in a responsible and appropriate way.
  • 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.
  • Spending by tourists in Scotland generates around £12 billion of economic activity in the wider Scottish supply chain and contributes around £6 billion to Scottish GDP (in basic prices). This represents about 5% of total Scottish GDP
  • The Scottish Government is the Managing Authority for the European Structural Funds 2014-20 Programme. For further information visit www.gov.scot or follow @scotgovESIF
  • 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)
    • 2017 Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology
  • 2017 is the year to delve into the past and discover Scotland’s fascinating stories through a wide-ranging variety of new and existing activity to drive the nation’s tourism and events sector, boosting tourism across Scotland.
  • The Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology begins on 1 January 2017 and will end on 31 December 2017. It will build on the momentum generated by previous themed years in Scotland including the 2015 Year of Food and Drink, Homecoming Scotland 2014, the Year of Creative and the Year of Natural.
  • The Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology is a Scottish Government initiative being led by VisitScotland, and supported by a variety of partners including Creative Scotland, Scottish Tourism Alliance, Scottish Enterprise, The National Trust for Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Built Environment Forum Scotland, Heritage Lottery Fund, Museums Galleries Scotland and Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland.
  • The Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology is supported by £570,000 of Scottish Government funding.
  • The Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology events fund is managed by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate.
  • For more information visit visitscotland.com/HHA2017 or join the conversation at #HHA2017

Contacts

Amelia Whittaker

Press contact Senior Corporate Press Officer - Regional Contact for media enquiries on: South Region; Edinburgh and Lothians; Food and Drink; Scottish Thistle Awards 01750 723806