Delivering for The Highlands

Delivering for The Highlands
01
Fast facts
How we’re working to grow the
visitor economy.
Tourism in The Highlands
Total Visitor Spend:
£614 million
Total Trips:
2.25 million
Employment:
13,400
Top markets for The Highlands 2011
GB
Trips %
Spend %
England
43
61
Scotland
56
38
Wales
1
2
TOTAL
1.86 million
£485 million
Overseas
Trips %
Spend %
Germany
21
21
USA
12
13
Spain
10
8
France
9
8
Australia
7
9
Netherlands
7
8
Italy
5
4
Canada
4
7
Rest of the World
TOTAL
25
22
390,000
£129 million
02
03
Sources: Great Britain Tourism Survey (GBTS) 2011, International
Passenger Survey (IPS) 2011 and Annual Business Inquiry 2008.
Regional tourism data is based on small sample sizes, therefore
reliability cannot be guaranteed. Percentage figures may not add
up to 100% due to rounding.
Pictures: 01 Explore Scotland campaign advert for The Highlands 02 Explore
Scotland Natural Trail digital brochure 03 VisitScotland and Scottish Natural
Heritage ‘Big 5’ campaign image - red deer, Glen Affric.
Front cover: Main image - The Silver Sands of Morar, Lochaber. Bottom from left
to right - The Castle of Mey, Caithness, Loch Morlich, Aviemore, Allt Dearg Burn
near Sligachan, Isle of Skye
Contact us
Visit www.visitscotland.org to:
VisitScotland
Castle Wynd
Inverness
IV2 3BJ
•
•
•
•
•
Scott Armstrong
Regional Partnerships Director
T: 01463 244170
E: scott.armstrong@visitscotland.com
Laura Howarth
Partnership Communications Executive
T: 01463 244169
E: laura.howarth@visitscotland.com
visitscotland.com
visitscotland.org
Sign up to our industry newsletter; the eUpdate
Follow the VisitScotland Chairman’s blog
Access a range of advice materials and toolkits
See the latest tourism research and statistics
Register for industry events
Follow our industry Twitter feed for the latest updates:
@visitscotnews
VisitScotland has published this report in good faith to update stakeholders on its activity.
VisitScotland has taken all reasonable steps to confirm the information contained in
the publication is correct. However, VisitScotland does not warrant or assume any legal
liability for the accuracy of any information disclosed and accepts no responsibility for
any errors or omissions.
The Highlands hosted some of the world’s top conference
facilitators in 2013, highlighting that “Scotland Means
Business”.
“Tourism is a key driver to the economy in The Highlands generating £614 million in visitor
spend and supporting 13,400 jobs, so the regions contribution to the tourism industry in
Scotland should not be underestimated.
VisitScotland’s Business Tourism Unit brought together
delegates from across the globe with Scottish businesses, for
its annual event.
Tourism is of course about more than visitors, accommodation and attractions and when
you consider the Visitor Economy and its ripple effect on other sectors; tourism contributes
much more.
Over two days, 400 appointments were held at the New
Drumossie Hotel, followed by a Highland banquet at
Achnagairn House and in collaboration with the Cairngorms
Business Partnership, Year of Natural Scotland-inspired
activities took place at Cairngorms National Park.
Scotland will welcome the world in 2014, with the Year of Homecoming Scotland providing
a year-long programme of events - alongside The Ryder Cup and the Glasgow 2014
Commonwealth Games - offering further opportunity for The Highlands to shine as we
position ourselves on the international stage as a dynamic and creative destination.”
Scott Armstrong
Regional Partnerships Director
Buyer expresses her delight upon arrival
at Scotland Means Business gala dinner.
£487, 293
invested by EventScotland in events involving The
Highlands in 2012/13.
Over £4.1 million
Economic impact of visitors to VisitScotland
Information Centres for 2012/13.
Over £68,200
The total awarded by VisitScotland’s Growth
Fund to groups in The Highlands in 2012/13.
Initial feedback has highlighted seven enquiries and three
‘request for proposals’, two of which have been confirmed
with a total delegate expenditure value of over £1.1 million.
Over 333 million
771,819
UK and Ireland consumers reached by Consumer PR from April to
October 2012 with Highland messaging.
visitors received information and inspiration from
our VisitScotland Information Centres in 2012/13.
14.7 million
Explore Scotland’s natural wonders with these collectible guides - Part 1 (of 7): The Highlands and Orkney
WIN!
www.visithighlands.com/explore
Total audience reach for BBC Winterwatch, which
was filmed and broadcast from The Highlands.
1 billion
a fantastic
family
break to the
Highlands
consumers reached across the globe by PR coverage
of Brave, which strongly featured The Highlands.
Which natural wonders of the Highlands will you explore in 2013?
If ever there’s an area to let your imagination wander into a world of fantasy and inspiration, it’s the Highlands.
Here, you’ll discover ancient landscapes and castles telling of intriguing historical tales - which may have
inspired Disney·Pixar’s Brave.
With abundant lochs, mountains and coastline, you’ll find the perfect playground for watersports, including kayaking, white-water rafting, surfing or
sailing as well as experiencing the thrill of activities such as climbing, mountain biking and snow sports, while golfers can play over 40 courses including
Castle Stuart, near Inverness, the venue for the 2013 Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open.
Over 6.5 million
The landscapes of the Highlands are full of enchantment and tales of ghosts and legends. Hear about the old sailor at Sandwood Bay in the north-west
Highlands, the Fairy Flag of Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye and ‘Nessie’ on a boat trip along the spectacular Loch Ness. While history comes to
life at famous battlefields such as Culloden near Inverness, mighty Fort George near Ardersier and romantic castles including Eilean Donan in Kintail,
Dunrobin near Golspie and the Castle of Mey near Thurso.
With wildlife in abundance, you could spot ospreys and red squirrels in the Cairngorms National Park, dolphins and porpoises in the Moray Firth or
whales and basking sharks off the coast near Gairloch and Isle of Skye. Why not get out and about to witness the amazing wealth of local wildlife during
this, the Year of Natural Scotland?
Don’t miss these fantastic natural wonders
„„
Ben Nevis, Fort William: for experienced
hillwalkers, at 1,344m, climb the highest
mountain in Britain.
„„
Loch Ness: at 23 miles long and in some parts
more than 700ft deep, admire Scotland’s
longest loch from several vantage points or
paddle some of it on the Great Glen Canoe
Trail.
opportunities to see and hear messaging on The
Highlands as part of the autumn Explore campaign.
VisitScotland worked with the Scotsman newspaper to
maximise awareness in central Scotland of short break and
holiday opportunities in The Highlands.
Images included a hot air balloon taking in the grandeur of
the Cairngorms, whilst content highlighted the Great Glen
Canoe Trail, dolphins on the Moray Firth and Dunrobin Castle.
„„
The North West Highlands Geopark: walk
amidst the fascinating 3000 million year old
Lewissian gneiss geology of the area.
„„
The Cuillin, Isle of Skye: take a boat trip from
Elgol to Loch Coruisk and immerse yourself in
the spectacular mountain scenery.
„„
Loch an Eilein, Cairngorms National Park: enjoy
a leisurely walk at the UK’s best picnic spot.
„„
Chanonry Point, Black Isle and Easter Ross: see
the world’s most northerly pod of bottlenose
„„
Beinn Eighe NNR, Wester Ross: Explore the
dolphins and other marine wildlife in the
many waymarked trails while keeping an eye
Moray Firth.
out for the resident wildlife at Britain’s first
National Nature Reserve.
„„
Garbh Eilean, Strontian: spot local wildlife from
the hide in this beautiful part of Sunart.
„„
Neist Point, Isle of Skye: the most westerly point
of the island and the best place to spot porpoises,
dolphins and minke whales from the shore.
We’ll point you in the right direction
Grab your paddle
.
Delegates from Disney•Pixar spent time in the Highlands as part of
a series of research trips during
production.
The Brave DVD/Blu Ray
Canadian can
oe by Loch Mo
rlich,
Cairngorms Na
Park
shows what the team got up
to intioanalfeature
documentary entitled
‘Brave New World’.
Scotland may boast 60% of the UK’s coastline,
but there’s also plenty of inland water voyages to
enjoy. Paddle along the Great Glen Canoe Trail or
try out a Canadian canoe along Loch Morlich.
Head for the trees
You know the roads,
so why not take to the sky?
„„
Eas a’ Chual Aluinn, Kylesku, Assynt: at 200m
tall, marvel at Britain’s highest waterfall.
Looking over to Loch Affric and Glen Affric, Strathglass
Disney•Pixar drew inspiration from sites across the Highlands,
including the ancient Caledonian Pinewoods, the Dog Falls in Glen
If you like the
sound
of that,
Affric
and
Urquhart Castle, when making the blockbuster animation
how about these great ideas?
Brave.
Themed guides were produced around Scotland’s Islands,
Gardens and Arts and Culture and were distributed with the
Scotsman Saturday editions alongside a programme of online
and promotional activity.
The campaign generated over 1.2 million opportunities for
readers to see our message.
Explore: The Highlands
VisitScotland marketing
activity
included a movie map, TV and
. Release
your inner Tarzan for a great fun day out
for all theand
family.aTake
to tree-top website
adventures - the Highlands
cinema advert, enewsletters
bespoke
such as Go-Ape at Aberfoyle and Aberdeenshire’s
was prominent throughout.
Crathes Castle or be sure to check out the UK’s
longest zip wire, opened June 2012, at Laggan
Outdoor Centre in Gatehouse of Fleet.
Hot air ballooning in the Cairngorms, Aviemore
Go Ape at Beecraigs Country Park,
Linlithgow
The Explore Scotland campaign has
been highlighting The Highlands’
outstanding attractions in the Year of
Natural Scotland.
Working with Highland Council, the
campaign aims to raise awareness
of The Highlands and grow tourism
revenues by promoting outdoor
activities, the outstanding natural
environment, history and heritage.
Activity included direct mail, press,
radio, digital and sales promotion
activity with the opportunity to
reach over 6.5 million visitors.