NEWS RELEASE

Tuesday 20^th September

Region’s tourism website revamped as part of VisitScotland’s digital strategy

VisitScotland, Destination Dumfries & Galloway (DD&G) and Dumfries & Galloway Council (DGC) have worked together to create a refreshed destination website for the region in an effort to co-ordinate industry and public sector activity with a focus on growing tourism and the local economy.

To kick-start the project a workshop was held with a wide range of partners and DD&G representatives and from this emerged the key structure of the site.  The local project team, made up of the three key partners, then met regularly to refine the site and ensure wide input to content, with more than 40 people and organisations involved in the process.

Consultation with businesses took place across Dumfries & Galloway, including feedback from the VisitScotland tourism industry conference held last November, and collaboration with the Destination Dumfries & Galloway Board and the Strategic Advisory Group members. Industry feedback was also compiled from the DD&G roadshows, online surveys and e-newsletters with the new partnership meaning a cost effective, coordinated and sustainable approach, improving on what is available at the moment and making the best use of existing resources.

The Dumfries & Galloway regional website is the first in Scotland to be completed as part of the larger VisitScotland digital strategy and is now live giving the region’s tourism industry an improved online platform to reach visitors.  The destination site http://www.visitdumfriesandgalloway.co.uk offers a definitive guide to Dumfries & Galloway, inspiring visitors through a single information source on everything the region has to offer.

Director of Digital and Media at VisitScotland, Robbie Parish, said:

“VisitScotland’s project team worked with key partners in Dumfries & Galloway including Dumfries & Galloway Council, DGArts, Savour the Flavours, 7stanes, Forestry Commission Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and individual tourism businesses and organisations via Destination Dumfries & Galloway.  These partnerships were essential in ensuring that the first phase of the website has rich content, reflecting the regional proposition and wider product offering.”

Chair of Destination Dumfries & Galloway, Wilma Finlay, said:

“Just as it is absolutely vital that Dumfries and Galloway has an effective visitor facing website, it is also vital that tourism businesses work with VisitScotland, and other partners including Dumfries & Galloway Council, to get the best images, videos and events on to the website. On behalf of our region’s tourism industry, Destination Dumfries & Galloway has worked closely with VisitScotland and Dumfries & Galloway Council to achieve this new website, including gathering content and expert opinion from the industry.”

The refreshed website is fully integrated with VisitScotland local, national and international consumer marketing activity. A customer research study was also conducted ensuring that the content on the site is visitor driven and has local partner expert input alongside the Digital Scotland expertise of VisitScotland.

The second phase of the project in spring 2012 is part of the overall VisitScotland Digital and Media strategy and will mean the new website is designed to improve the consumer experience and give tourism businesses an enhanced opportunity to reach potential visitors - providing easier ways of inputting content and inspiring visitors, by providing recommendations on other things to see and do beyond their initial search.

As the first regional website to be refreshed this provides a fantastic opportunity to tap into its success.  If you would like information on how to feature on the new website please contact Caroline Robertson, Quality and Tourism Advisor on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 01387 245562

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For further information contact:

Notes to Editors

• VisitScotland is Scotland’s national tourism organisation. Its core purpose is to maximise the economic benefit of tourism to Scotland.
• The organisation has three key roles:
  1. To market Scotland to all parts of the world to attract visitors
  2. To provide information – and inspiration – to visitors and potential visitors so they get the best out of a visit to Scotland
  3. To provide quality assurance to visitors and quality advice to the industry and partners to help the industry meet and strive to exceed customer expectations
• VisitScotland works together with tourism businesses to make tourism a success for everyone and ensure the industry continues to grow.

• The organisation employs 700 people and has offices and VisitScotland Information Centres across Scotland.

• The VisitScotland Information Centre network is a unique face to face channel engaging with around two million visitors each year. Everyone who uses a VisitScotland Information Centre goes on to spend an additional £5.35, generating over £24million for Scotland’s economy. 

• Tourism employs 270,000 people in Scotland in 20,000 diverse businesses. Almost 16 million tourists take overnight trips to Scotland. The industry generates £11 billion revenue annually (including day visits). Tourism supports around 10 per cent of employment in Scotland
• For VisitScotland’s press releases go to http://www.visitscotland.org/media_centre.aspx, tourism statistics and frequently asked questions go to http://www.visitscotland.org/
• For holiday information on Scotland go to www.visitscotland.com
• For information about business tourism in Scotland go to www.conventionscotland.com
• For more information on VisitScotland’s annual review please go to www.visitscotlandannualreview.com

For visitor information – www.visitscotland.com
For information on VisitScotland - www.visitscotland.org
For business tourism information - www.conventionscotland.com
For information on the work of EventScotland, Scotland’s national events agency - www.EventScotland.org

2011 is the year of Active Scotland, a year-long focus of events and activity celebrating Scotland in the journey towards Homecoming Scotland 2014, The 2014 Ryder Cup and the Commonwealth Games.
Get inspired about the active things to do in Scotland at www.visitscotland.com/grabaglen

Before you print think about the ENVIRONMENT

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