How does VisitScotland focus its marketing activities?
Our Product Portfolio:
In order to turn the Scottish Brand into reality, visitors need to be given a clear reason to come to Scotland NOW – to turn Scotland from a ‘might see one day’ to a ‘must experience as soon as possible’ destination.

To achieve this, VisitScotland has identified what type of people are specifically interested in doing whilst on their visit and, as a result, promote Scotland according to these interests, highlighting events/the best time of the year for these interests and added value offers from relevant tourism businesses, prompting people to visit immediately.  For ease, these interests have been grouped together in what is called VisitScotland’s ‘Product Portfolio’:

• Active Scotland (Golf, Hill/Long Walks, Climbing, Cycling, Water Sports, Adventure Sports, Fishing)
• Freedom of Scotland (Historical Sites, Gardens, Island Hopping, Touring, Low-level Walks, Wildlife)
• Business Tourism (Conferences, Exhibitions, Associations)
• Culture and Heritage (Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Literary, Music, Film, Museums, Events/Festivals, Crafts, History/Heritage, Science/Inventions, Architecture)
• Cities (Shopping, Nightlife, Food & Drink)

How does VisitScotland market individual areas of Scotland?
There are various Network Offices throughout the whole of Scotland, each led by an Area Director and over a hundred Tourist Information Offices.

The network teams are VisitScotland’s local champions, representing the organisation in all its activities. They ensure the achievement of local objectives linked to the national vision and strategies through developing strong partnerships with businesses, local authorities and local enterprise companies.  

Network teams are involved in local delivery of the full range of VisitScotland activities, working closely with the specialist functional teams. Tourist Information Offices range from offices which are open every day of the year to seasonal offices and these are managed by the network offices.

What is Business Tourism and what does VisitScotland do to market this?
The Business Tourism Unit of VisitScotland actively promotes Scotland as a dynamic destination for meetings, incentive travel and corporate events. It is their job to provide impartial advice on venues and services throughout Scotland.  The enquiry service is free, efficient and professional and requests can be as specific or as general as you like. Once they have defined what is required, they'll fast track these requirements to the right people to implement your plans, whether it’s a Convention Bureau that deals with your preferred area, a selection of hand-picked venues or a professional conference organiser.  The Unit can also put you in touch with all the relevant support professionals, ranging from conference organisers to transport providers.

Of the over £4 billion brought to Scotland in tourism revenue, business tourism accounts for almost £1 billion of this, hence it is a hugely important market for the Business Tourism Unit.  

What is VisitScotland's Challenge Fund?
For background on VisitScotland's Challenge Fund, click here

I had planned to apply in a future round of Challenge Fund, what should I do?
If your marketing activity does not fit within the activity period (1 August 2007 to 31 July 2008) your local VisitScotland Challenge Fund Advisor will continue to work with you to develop your idea and outline marketing plan. This will then allow you to progress with a future application when the new fund is in place in late Autumn 2007.

To find out who your local VisitScotland Challenge Fund advisor is, please click here

What results did Challenge Fund achieve?
Since the launch in November 2004, the VisitScotland Challenge Fund has approved 92 successful applications and awarded almost £1.25 million to groups across Scotland. This has involved working with over 3,000 individual tourism businesses in tourism groups.

Designed to encourage innovative and collaborative marketing activity by tourism groups, the fund has demonstrated a return of investment of £27 for every £1 invested.

Although Challenge Fund was very successful, we feel that it is time to review it and introduce a scheme which will also provide funding for tourism businesses in Scotland, but which is tied in more closely to the shared tourism industry ambition to grow revenues from tourism in Scotland by 50 per cent by 2015.

What difference does VisitScotland’s activities make?
For Scottish tourism statistics go to www.visitscotland.org/research_and_statistics.htm

VisitScotland has frequently been recognised and awarded for its various marketing campaigns as a result of their great success and impact:

• Scottish Marketing Awards – Large Organisation 2004
• Scottish Marketing Awards – Overall Best Entry
• Scottish Marketer of the Year 2004 (awarded to Malcolm Roughead)
• Marketing Magazine – best international marketing research and overall award for outstanding marketing research 2005
• Scottish Marketing Excellence Awards for Best International Brand Development and Best UK Brand Development
• Institute of Direct Marketing Business Awards 2006 – Data Customer Insight award (Hub Exploring)
• Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Adrian Awards 2007 - Platinum, Gold and Silver Excellence Awards for US lifestyle magazine placement and 'Date a Hot Scot' campaign.