Our Meet the Team series spotlights staff across VisitScotland. In this feature, hear from our Director of Marketing and Digital, Jill Walker on her first couple of months at VisitScotland, her highlights so far, and where she enjoys spending time in Scotland.
I provide strategic leadership to the organisation, the Executive Leadership Group and the VisitScotland Board on matters relating to the marketing and digital functions within my directorate.
Alongside the other Directors, I help to shape the strategic framework and corporate plan for the organisation and report on the important impact achieved through our marketing and digital development each year.
I represent VisitScotland on various leadership and sectoral groups and lead on the strategic development of an annual multi-touch point communications strategy designed to deliver sustainable and inclusive growth for Scotland’s tourism and events industry in key markets. Importantly, it’s also my role to develop, inspire and support the people in my teams and to provide a conducive environment for success, so I’m always looking at external sources of inspiration and knowledge that I can share across the board.
Our Director of Marketing and Digital, Jill Walker.
Teams across the Marketing and Digital Directorate all have an important part to play.
We're focused on building demand for Scotland’s tourism and event offering. We do this using valuable insights, up to date intelligence and the latest marketing and creative techniques. We also work with travel trade, tourism businesses and international trade bodies to ensure the tourism and event offering in Scotland is relevant, compelling and competitive.
We build strong, sustainable and strategic partnerships to support our overall aims and develop and nurture key partnerships to amplify our messaging and reach key audiences all year round, across the globe. From regional and sectoral, to travel companies and online travel agencies, to influencer and media partners, we're always looking for ways to extend the coverage and frequency of our communication. This year we're already working in partnership with Scotrail, Expedia, Trip Advisor and NBC to name a few.
With 550,000 people visiting visitscotland.com and VisitScotland.org per month and 4.3 million followers across our consumer and corporate social channels, we have a captive audience that any organisation in Scotland would be proud of.
With audiences continually changing the way they find inspiration, information and transact online, we need to keep advancing. A big part of what we do involves developing our digital platforms, continuing to improve the online user experiences through content, technical capability and promotion.
During my first 100 days I have been to many parts of Scotland, met with trade bodies, government officials, tourism and event businesses. I have spent time with counterparts from several different international markets and the rest of the UK. I have thoroughly enjoyed each and every meeting and learned a great deal, but there are some particular highlights that stand out.
I attended my first Scottish Thistle Awards in November 2024 and was asked to present an award. The awards are a testament to the great work of the sector and a resounding example of why Scotland is such a great place to visit.
More recently I attended VisitBritain’s "Showcase Britain" event at Hampton Court Palace which brings international buyers together to exhibit the very best Great Britain has to offer. Despite Storm Eowyn, our team did an exceptional job in promoting Scotland’s world class offering.
Jill at the Scottish Thistle Awards Final 2024. Credit: Connor Mollison
I’m a passionate Scot and I want to make a difference to Scotland through the work we do. That’s not just about driving the economic return, but also about how we use tourism as a force for good to support local communities and net zero ambitions.
I will always have a fondness for Findochty, a little fishing village seven miles outside Elgin.
My father grew up there alongside his five brothers and two sisters.
It’s not changed much since then, but that’s the way I like it.
The village of Findochty.