Sharing our cultural city
VisitScotland and National Geographic partnership
Glasgow attractions The Riverside Museum, Glasgow Science Centre and The Clydeside Distillery featured in an itinerary-led map as part of Year of Coasts & Waters 20/21 activity with National Geographic, targeting the UK, France, Germany and the Netherlands from March to June 2021.
VisitScotland and TripAdvisor partnership
Glasgow content was featured on themed TripAdvisor pages as part of VisitScotland’s activity to inspire UK visitors to plan a Scotland trip in March 2021.
The outdoor page included bungee jumping at Titan Crane and Pinkston Watersports, and the city breaks page included reference to Glasgow as UNESCO City of Music, Hidden Lane, Glasgow Music City Tours, Glasgow Central Tours and Kimpton Blythswood Square. A cities video was also created, featuring the Hidden Lane and Riverside Museum.
Users exposed to the campaign viewed 50% more Scotland content and drove 130% more bookings.
VisitScotland and Afar partnership/media buy
VisitScotland previously worked with AFAR to produce itineraries on AFAR.com – which featured Glasgow. To keep Scotland top of mind in 2021, an integrated $50,000 media buy with AFAR allowed these itineraries to be promoted to AFAR’s database which targets travel agents/advisors. Traffic drivers directed to Glasgow content on the AFAR website.
Love Glasgow restart campaign
Consumer campaign #LoveGlasgow, led by Glasgow Life’s destination marketing team, launched on 26 April, to coincide with the official reopening of Scotland’s tourism industry, and ran until 1 August 2021.
The campaign promoted Glasgow across West Central Scotland and aimed to build on the strong, emotional connection people have with their city.
The campaign activity included radio and digital advertising, media outreach and content development further enhanced. Local industry engagement and toolkit were developed to encourage city centre businesses to support and be part of the campaign.
By campaign end, the digital marketing activity superseded target with 2.5 million video views achieved (229% on target) and delivered 8.9 million impressions. Press releases resulted in several pieces of coverage in local media resulting in 5,821,276, opportunities to see (OTS).
Scotland Reconnect 2021
VisitScotland delivered Scotland Reconnect 2021, an online event allowing 300 Scottish tourism suppliers to maintain contact with global travel intermediaries from 26 countries, including USA, Canada, Germany, Australia, China, France and the Netherlands.
Glasgow Life and 25 city businesses attended the event, which saw over 7,000 business meetings take place to create tour packages for visitors. Glasgow Life and Love Loch Lomond also provided a destination update to buyers to present travel trade products and experiences and make business introductions.
VisitScotland and Expedia activity - UK and Ireland 2021
VisitScotland has delivered ongoing activity with Expedia throughout 2021/22 to drive accommodation bookings into Scotland’s cities, including Glasgow, using Glasgow imagery throughout content pages and adverts.
A “Scotland hub” was featured on the Expedia website and a Scotland landing page was featured on Expedia and its brands – Hotels.com and VRBO.
A total of £9.2 million bookings (107,291 room nights) were made during the campaign, and an estimated 39% of these bookings were attributable to the campaign.
IMM Travmedia
Glasgow Life attended IMM Travmedia, the travel industry's leading annual media event, connecting the industry with top travel journalists and influencers from across the UK.
Over the three days, the team met with over 20 journalists and influencers including titles such as Prima magazine, Heat, Daily Telegraph and freelancers who write for many national titles such as The Guardian and The Times.
These initial meetings a have led to several opportunities with both VisitScotland and VisitBritain to bring titles including Reader’s Digest, Woman & Home and Mail on Sunday to Glasgow.
Creating media stories on the sustainability theme such as “Glasgow Green Getaway” which has been translated in French, German and Japanese by VisitBritain which were pitched to their territories in the run up to COP26.
Promoting Glasgow to China
In May 2021, highlights of Glasgow’s food and drink scene were promoted to the Chinese market via a partnership between VisitScotland and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
A city film was created, featuring food and drink offerings, with footage around Glasgow and in Cail Bruich. Weibo ads featuring the videos covering whisky, seafood and Scottish cities have generated:
- 13 million impressions
- 1.8 million views
- 3,193 new followers to VisitScotland’s Weibo channel
Now Is Your Time
VisitScotland’s summer 2021 marketing campaign, Now is Your Time, launched in July 2021 to inspire the UK market to book a Scotland break. Glasgow businesses and locations featured in the campaign films included The Tall Ship, The Hidden Lane and Kimpton Blythswood Square.
ScotSpirit holiday voucher scheme
Six Glasgow businesses are participating in the ScotSpirit Holiday Voucher Scheme – part of the Scottish Government’s £25 million Tourism Recovery Programme. Delivered by VisitScotland, the scheme aims to help low-income families, unpaid carers and disadvantaged young people enjoy a break in Scotland. It’s open to B&Bs, guest houses, hotels, hostels, camping / holiday parks, visitor attractions and self-catering accommodation.
Glasgow’s visitor website redevelopment and launch
Glasgow Life’s Destination Marketing team redeveloped and launched phase one of the official visitor website for the city at the end of September – peoplemakeglasgow.com.
The new website has a fresh and engaging new look, and updated functionality designed to showcase Glasgow, city businesses and their wide range of products and experiences to attract prospective visitors.
Further phases are currently underway with additional content being created to reflect tourism trends, new products/experiences, seasonality, changing search insights and industry partner collaborations.
The site redevelopment was funded via a £50,000 award from the Tourism Destination and Sector Support Fund, administered by VisitScotland.
Scotland is Calling
Barrowland Ballroom and the Hidden Lane feature in the hero film for VisitScotland’s £8.5 million global marketing campaign, Scotland is Calling, launched September 2021. Phase 2 launched in March 2022.
The campaign aims to keep Scotland front of mind with high-spending international visitors. For more information on the campaign, to view adverts and to find out how businesses can get involved use the Scotland is Calling industry guide.
As part of the campaign, the Ubiquitous Chip was profiled for the importance it places on sourcing local ingredients, reducing waste, and reducing its carbon footprint.
National Television Awards
Working in partnership with EventScotland, VisitScotland sponsored the National Television Awards as the destination partner. Working with Glasgow Life and local partners, a prize draw to win a trip to Glasgow appeared as part of the public vote. The online entry used Glasgow imagery and the winner visited local businesses including voco Grand Central, King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, The Clydeside Distillery and Mackintosh at the Willow.
Scotland’s UNESCO trail
The world’s first national UNESCO trail launched in October 2021. This new digital trail connects 13 place-based UNESCO designations across Scotland, including Glasgow UNESCO City of Music. Explore the new digital trail at VisitScotland.com and the page on the site dedicated to Glasgow UNESCO City of Music. Find out more about the UNESCO Trail, and how your business can get involved, in the industry toolkit.
Love Glasgow This Christmas
Launched on the 22 November, the winter marketing campaign, Love Glasgow This Christmas, was a locally focused campaign promoting the city’s winter and festive programming. The flexible, highly targeted campaign included a mix of digital, social and radio media channels targeting audiences in Greater Glasgow and West Central Scotland. Both the Glasgow Loves Christmas and People Make Glasgow websites and social media channels were used to promote festive events and festive-themed destination content.
Great Days Out campaign
The Great Days Out campaign launched in November 2021 – encouraging Scots to enjoy a day out visiting an attraction or experience in the winter months. Take a look at the dedicated Great Days out in Scotland landing page on VisitScotland.com.
Visitors could use discounted tickets to businesses participating in the Days Out Incentive Fund. Participating Glasgow attractions include The Clydeside Distillery, West End Adventure and Mackintosh at the Willow. Local tour companies participating in the scheme included Glasgow Street Art Walking Tour and Red Bus Bistro.
Glasgow Life tourism campaign with Expedia aims to attract international visitors
In January 2022, Glasgow Life launched a targeted marketing campaign in partnership with global travel leader Expedia aimed at inspiring visitors from the USA, Canada and Germany to consider a future trip to Glasgow. The initiative is being implemented across three of the city’s core international markets to help drive the recovery of Glasgow’s visitor economy following the impact of the pandemic. Running until the end of March this year, the fully digital campaign has been designed to broaden awareness of the variety of cultural experiences visitors can enjoy as part of a trip to Glasgow as well as reinforce the message that the city’s tourism and hospitality industry is open for business. Directing potential visitors to dedicated ‘Glasgow hub’ landing pages on Expedia’s website for their country, the campaign promotes airline access and tickets, hotel offers and profiles several of the city’s world-class visitor attractions and activities.
Glasgow Music Nonstop
A tourism campaign promoting Glasgow’s legendary music scene to potential visitors from across the UK launched on 15 February 2022.
Developed by Glasgow Life’s Destination Marketing team, ‘Glasgow: Music Nonstop’ showcases the energy and vibrancy of the city’s unrivalled music offer, positioning Glasgow as a first-choice short break destination for music fans.
Created with £90,000 from VisitScotland’s Destination and Sector Marketing Fund, the campaign aims to support the recovery and restart of Glasgow’s music and night-time industries in the wake of the pandemic, as well as reinforcing the wider message that the city’s tourism and hospitality sector is open for business.
Running until the end of March, it features a mix of targeted digital and social media advertising, PR activity and new music-themed content on the city’s official visitor website.