Press release -
Time for Tourism
A new partnership between VisitScotland and broadcaster, Community News TV Ltd is set to bring a new lease of life for tourism to the town of Helensburgh in Argyll & Bute, birthplace of Scottish inventor John Logie Baird.
On Friday 31 May, Mike Cantlay, Chairman of the national tourism organisation, will officially launch the newly renovated visitor centre within the iconic C-listed Clock Tower, by switching on the clock which ceased to work at the end of 2012.
Helensburgh Visitor Centre will open seven days a week, using video, social media, print and PR to attract more visitors to Helensburgh and notable attractions in the area such as the famous Charles Rennie Mackintosh designed Hill House and the Waverley Paddle Steamer.
As well as extending the information service from seasonal to all-year-round operation, the new Information Point in Partnership operation will establish the Clock Tower site as a busy community hub with benefits for local businesses and residents.
The partnership is a landmark for VisitScotland as it is the first time the organisation has joined with a broadcaster to look after visitor information provision.
Community News TV Ltd operates Helensburgh and Lomond TV as part of a network of local, community-owned broadband TV channels in several locations across Scotland. The broadcaster is now in the process of developing a studio at the site to allow for the creation of more video content highlighting the world-class attractions in the area.
Mike Cantlay, Chairman of VisitScotland said:
“This partnership between VisitScotland and Community News TV Ltd is unprecedented and is an exceptional opportunity for Helensburgh and the surrounding area. It is an honour to start the clock, which is such an iconic part of the town and it really signifies the beginning of an exciting time for tourism.
“As Scotland prepares to welcome the world in 2014 with a plethora of events including Homecoming and the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow - which is less than an hour’s drive from Helensburgh - this is the moment to act to ensure we encourage visitors from home and abroad to explore our beautiful country.”
Brian Keating, CEO, Visit Helensburgh said:
"We are delighted to work with VisitScotland. As a community we are very proud of our town and surrounding area and completely understand the importance of tourism and its role in the development of our economy.
“Helensburgh is a gateway to the marvels of the west coast and is a great place to work, live and visit. Our aim is to showcase the area to a worldwide audience and grow our visit numbers.”
An Information Point in Partnership with VisitScotland is an official local information service for visitors delivered by a local business, providing a range of information designed to help promote local attractions, events and accommodation providers.
ENDS
For more information, interviews or images, contact:
Kate Turnbull, Corporate Press Manager
0131 472 2324 / 07854401040
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.
- 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
