Surprise yourself

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Mailshot campaign to promote relaxing autumn and winter holidays in the Highlands
INSPIRING ideas are part of the national tourism organisation’s marketing campaign, Surprise Yourself, which aims to highlight the more surprising aspects of the Highlands to visitors in the coming months.
A new direct mail campaign, created by VisitScotland and in partnership with Highland Council, will be delivered to around 50,000 households this month, encouraging those who may already be familiar with the Highlands to discover more of what the region has to offer during the autumn and winter months. In addition, the Surprise Yourself campaign is being heavily promoted in VisitScotland’s network of information centres across the country.
The glossy, ten-page promotional insert will be part of the national Surprise Yourself campaign and highlights some of the many attractions in the Highlands, including Badcall Bay in Sutherland, the Cromarty Firth, the Isle of Ewe Smokehouse, Strathconnon, Traigh Golf Course, the Highland Wildlife Park, Torridon, Dalwhinnie and skiing in Glencoe.
The direct mail campaign for the Highlands in particular aims to showcase activities such as walking, golfing, mountain biking, kayaking and snowsports, as well as the area’s abundance of wildlife and the wealth of local food and drink produce on offer. As well as attracting new visitors to the Highlands, it is also hoped that requests for the VisitScotland visitor guide for the area will lead to repeat visitors.
Scott Armstrong, VisitScotland Regional Director for the Highlands, said: “The Highlands is a fantastic place to visit at any time of the year and we are encouraging more visitors to come this autumn and winter to experience the rich and varied landscape and the array of things to see and do here. The quirky and more unusual facts related to the region are being promoted as part of our national campaign, Surprise Yourself, which has already proved to be very popular.”
Chairman of The Highland Council’s Planning, Environment and Development Committee, Councillor Ian Ross said: “We are committed to promoting the Highlands as a top year-round destination to visitors from Britain and further afield and I am delighted the Council is supporting this campaign. Working in partnership certainly allows us to maximise the potential of these awareness raising campaigns. Showcasing the wide range of things to do and see over the autumn and winter months will increase visitor numbers at what use to be considered the tail end of the tourism season, and lead to additional spend into the local economy.