We’re hoping to continue our winning streak with German visitors as we launch a series of adverts targeting locals during EURO 2024.
Germany was among Scotland’s top performing markets last year, with 343,000 visits and £247 million spend by German visitors, exceeding 2019 pre-pandemic levels.
Launching today (14 June) and running until the EURO 2024 final on 14 July, the adverts will promote Scotland as the perfect getaway for locals looking to substitute the football drama with dramatic scenery.
Activity reflects recent research
Our recent research revealed 86% of German visitors were motivated to visit Scotland due to scenery and landscapes, 68% by history and culture and 41% by the outdoor activities available.
The custom creative of the adverts reflects this, showcasing Scotland’s impressive landscapes, rich history and scenic hikes accompanied by playful copy such as "our landscapes are unbeatable" to stand out to those less enthusiastic towards the beautiful game.
Locations featured include the viewpoint from the Our Lady of the Sea statue on Heaval, the highest point on the island of Barra, the dramatic cliff-top ruins of Dunnottar Castle near Stonehaven and the clear waters of the Glen Rosa Falls and Blue Pool on the Isle of Arran.
VisitScotland EURO 2024 Germany Advert: Dunnottar Castle, Stonehaven
VisitScotland EURO 2024 Germany Advert: Glen Rosa, Isle of Arran
The adverts will appear on mobile digital screens in Dusseldorf, Dortmund and Cologne, key cities in the west of Germany which have strong visitor demand and connectivity with Scotland.
The adverts across the three cities are expected to be seen by an audience of up to two million people over the course of the tournament.
Visitors from Germany are more likely to travel throughout the year (39% of visits between July - September) and explore different parts of Scotland (76% staying in two or more places as part of a trip).
It’s hoped this interest, teamed with Scotland’s participation in the tournament, will provide a strong platform to drive seasonally and regionally dispersed inbound tourism.
With all eyes on the EURO 2024 host nation over the next few weeks what better time for us to make sure Scotland is impressing on as well as off pitch. Our overseas visitors are critical for Scotland’s visitor economy, with demand from Germany particularly strong.
We know there is still plenty of interest and opportunity for Scotland here especially for visitors to discover other areas of the country or explore at different times of the year. Driving regional and seasonal spread, ensuring the benefits of tourism are felt by all, is at the very heart of all our marketing activity.
The Germany vs Scotland game and the platform EURO 2024 provides in multiple German cities offers us a unique opportunity to showcase parts of our destination that appeal to this audience, hopefully brought to life with a wee bit of Scottish humour.
Whatever the result of the game and the rest of the tournament, we hope with this latest activity, from a tourism perspective, Scotland continues to be odds on favourite for German visitors.