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Visit Scotland | Alba
Article published 20/06/2022

Inspiring visitors to Scotland from the Netherlands and Germany

Stunning images of awe-inspiring landmarks such as the City of Edinburgh’s skyline, Dunnottar Castle and Smailholm Tower are helping to inspire visitors from the Netherlands and Germany as part of our new marketing partnership with DFDS Seaways.

The digital campaign which also features iconic images of highland cows aims to inspire potential visitors to travel to Scotland by ferry using the DFDS Seaways Amsterdam to Newcastle route.

The suite of videos will run across Pinterest, Teads and Outbrain over the next month as part of our Scotland is Calling activity that aims to ensure Scotland and DFDS Seaways are front of mind with those booking a trip in 2022. It aims to appeal to those returning to Scotland for a cultural experience, as well as a younger adventure-seeking audience.

Our first international partnership with DFDS Seaways since the COVID-19 pandemic, this activity aims to build on the success of previous joint campaigns to help support the continued and responsible recovery of the industry.

In 2019, Scotland welcomed 3.5 million overnight international visitors, which generated 43% of the total tourism spend that year.

Featured in the videos...

  • Dunnottar Castle in Aberdeenshire 
  • Loch na Gainmhich 
  • Farmland near Loch Fyne 
  • Edinburgh 
  • Mull of Galloway 
  • Guardswell Farm, Perthshire
  • Rosslyn Chapel, Midlothian
  • Arbroath Harbour ​
  • Isle of Staffa ​
  • Culzean Castle, Ayrshire ​

The campaign activity drives potential visitors to our dedicated in-language web pages on Visitscotland.com.

This partnership campaign brings to life the dramatic and varied icons and landmarks across the south and east of Scotland. It comes at a crucial time for visitors from Europe who will be considering their holiday plans for the coming months.

By continuing to strengthen our relationship with DFDS Seaways, we aim to raise awareness of what makes Scotland an accessible and fantastic holiday destination for our key markets in Germany and the Netherlands.

We're working hand in hand with partners and our tourism and events industry to rebuild this vital part of Scotland’s economy and provide the right support to lead the recovery.

Vicki Miller, Director of Marketing & Digital, VisitScotland

Celest Jansen, DFDS Seaways Head of Campaign Marketing said: “Our partnership with VisitScotland is a perfect match thanks to DFDS’ presence in the Netherlands and Germany, and VisitScotland’s expertise on beautiful holiday locations.

The Amsterdam-Newcastle route provides continental travellers the ideal way to get to their Scottish travel destinations stress-free this season. Our passengers are set to benefit greatly from our partnership campaign, as welcoming them onboard means that they can start their holiday the moment they step aboard. They can count on a best-in-class service, with a variety of restaurants, entertainment options and even Duty Free shopping onboard.

Celest Jansen, Head of Campaign Marketing, DFDS Seaways

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