Activity to support tourism in Shetland
In this update:
Introduction from Steve Mathieson
Article published 02/05/2023
Introduction from Development Manager, Steve Mathieson
Welcome to our latest regional update of the year where we look back at our key activity for the first quarter of 2023 between January and March. There are many challenges still facing our industry but at the start of our traditional tourism season in Scotland, we want to remind those in tourism and events of how far we have come, and the opportunities that lie ahead.
The return of Lerwick Up Helly Aa after a two year absence was a spectacular hit with visitors and locals alike, while the rural fire festivals are carrying on where they left off and steadily growing in popularity. Unfortunately our influencer missed South Mainland Up Helly Aa due to its weather postponement, but still found Shetland in the winter snow an enchanting place to report on.
Scottish Tourism Month in March presented the opportunity to celebrate our achievements and for the industry to come together at events throughout the region to share learnings, best practice and ideas for future collaboration.
And we've had lots of media coverage whether that's through our press team or global and regional marketing activity - it's all promoting our tourism offering on a world stage.
Here’s a round-up of some of our activity in Shetland in recent months.
Steve Mathieson, Development Manager
Corporate press update
Our corporate PR team work closely with Scottish and UK media to raise awareness of our work to promote the Shetland to visitors, and how we offer support for the industry.
Some of the most recent highlights include:
- Steve Mathieson, our Development Manager for Shetland, gave interviews to BBC Radio Shetland about the popularity of aurora tourism in the islands and the benefit of the BBC’s Wild Isles programme to tourism in Shetland.
- Steve gave a comment to the Shetland Times on the ferry fares freeze and the Scottish Islands Passport.
- The press team assisted a BBC journalist with information relating to his visit to Up Helly Aa in January. And they assisted the i Newspaper and Shetland News with information around local tourism businesses involved in the BBC's Wild Isles programme.
- They encouraged tourism businesses across Scotland to take part in Connect, our global travel trade workshop which took place in Aberdeen.
Businesses at their appointments at VisitScotland Connect
Shetland content on visitscotland.com
Blogs are a way to reach potential visitors to Shetland through targeted online content. They are one way in which we can really focus on specific topics that we know, from our research, that our visitors are searching for, or interested in.
You can share our content our blogs which are available on visitscotland.com, here are some blogs which feature Shetland:
- A Guide To Shetland's Outer Islands
- 18 Hotels with Good Food & Drink in Scotland
- 6 Unmissable Things to Do in Shetland
- Why No One Does Spring Like Scotland
- 5 Stunning Cycle Routes on Scotland’s Islands
Visitors at Braewick Cafe & Campsite, overlooking the shore of Braewick Bay, Eshaness, Shetland.
Global PR update
- The team supported two press trips for the Spirit of Highlands and Islands project for the Up Helly Aa festival in Shetland. The coverage has appeared in the Financial times which has a reach of 1.1million.
- Shetland was included in media around promotion of our islands, the article appeared in the Sunday Post.
- A broadcast campaign took place for the Spirit of Highlands and Islands project with spokesperson Shetland-based Laurie Goodlad. Laurie referenced Shetland in almost every interview with 18 items of broadcast coverage, including BBC Radio Scotland with a reach of 780,000 and BBC Radio Stoke and BBC Somerset, with additional online coverage.
- This resulted in coverage on the website walesonline.co.uk and getsurrey.co.uk
- Up Helly Aa and it’s new rule allowing women to join the event was highlighted in many French Magazines (more than ten) in early February and the response was very positive. .
- Another feature on Up Helly Aa was published in the German online travel magazine trpstr.de in a feature called ‘Scotland’s wildest party’
- Shetland was included in a briefing we put together on Scotland’s Islands in Spring that the team issued to French and German media in March. Coverage for this is still pending and we will share in the next regional update.
- On the back of a group press trip promoting Scotland’s UNESCO Trail we received a piece in geo.de which is a popular online travel magazine in Germany. It featured all UNESCO designations including Geopark Shetland.
China & Emerging
- Australia: Shetland was featured by Ocean Magazine and e-global travel media as part of a promotion on Scotland’s islands in spring.
- UAE: Shetland was featured by Financial Times – Life & Arts Middle East Travel with its Up Helly Aa festival as ‘The return of the Vikings’.
Regional marketing
Find out more about how we’re working to develop Shetland’s outstanding reputation in the global market. This includes information on what we do, how we do it and who we market to.
In partnership with High Life Highland, we promoted Shetland as part of the Spirit of the Islands campaign. We've supported through a contribution of £125,000 and delivery of the consumer marketing campaign.
The Spirit of the Highlands and Islands project seeks to encourage visitors to explore and experience the more remote and rural parts of the Highlands and Islands. It aims to inspire visitors to support local events, festivals, workshops, visitor attractions and outdoor locations across the Highlands and Scotland's many islands.
Marketing included a multi-channel marketing campaign targeting both UK and international audiences, consumer marketing, visitor insights, press trips, a broadcast campaign, media events, social media activity, work with social and digital influencers and travel trade workshops and content.
As well as targeting wider UK and international visitors, the campaign seeks to encourage Scots to explore their own country and embrace their own cultural heritage; for example through exploring the Gaelic language or even the natural beauty already on their doorstep.
Highlights:
- Paid social media on Facebook, Instagram and in-stream video ads generated 35.3 million impressions and 5.1 million video clicks.
- Influencer Scotland Magic visited Shetland in March 2022 generating 262,000 views on Instagram, a tik-tok video and a blog post
- Delivered broadcast campaign in March using volun-tourism as a key theme working with Shetland-based Scottish travel writer Laurie Goodlad.
- Shetland featured in our e-news letter with 1.2 million reach.
- Through press trips we had coverage in the Financial times and the Metro (3.2 million readers) about Shetland.
Scotland is Calling
‘Scotland is Calling' is our global marketing campaign, designed to support the recovery of Scotland’s tourism industry, by keeping Scotland front of mind with high-spending international visitors.
The aim of the campaign was to make Scotland the first-choice destination when international travel was possible again. It encouraged forward bookings from late 2021 through to 2022 and beyond – to deliver sustainable long-term growth.
Highlights:
- Through paid media we promoted the Scotland is Calling which includes Sumburgh Head Lighthouse and Meal Beach.
- In the UK through social there were 1.9 million video views and 12,4000 clicks of the video.
- In the US, through social there were 8.1 million video views and 58,000 video clicks.
- We worked with our partners GoPro, Matador and Virtuoso to extend our campaign reach.
- Shetland and St Ninian’s Isle were promoted on the Expedia spotlight/ flexible booking page.
Shetland on our social media
1.82 million reached
by Shetland specific content in the last three months
118,000
reactions, likes, comments, shares and saves on Shetland posts in the last three months