Marketing Oban together

A DEAL worth thousands of pounds has been agreed by Oban businesses to promote the town as a tourism destination.

BID4Oban, an initiative where local businesses work together and invest collectively in improvements to their business environment, is funding Oban & Lorn Tourism Alliance (OLTA) to market Oban to tourists in the central belt.

The first projects to be approved for funding include radio advertising and competitions with prize tickets to Oban Live on Clyde 1 and 2, accommodation and Love Oban Vouchers, plus there’s money for outdoor billboard advertising in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

BID4Oban chief executive Andrew Spence said: ‘By supporting OLTA to promote Oban, we achieve more together than both organisations would separately.’

OLTA’s chairman Calum Ross added: ‘This new funding will help market the town as a visitor destination to our primary domestic audience in the central belt.’

OLTA is a co-operative owned and run by its members who are all involved in the tourism and hospitality industry in Oban and Lorn. BIDS levy payers include a wide range of businesses in the town centre, the majority of which would like to see closer co-operation with OLTA and BIDS supporting marketing and promotion of the town as a visitor destination.

Last week BID4Oban launched Love Oban Vouchers at the discounted rate of 10 per cent. Mr Spence said the vouchers were a ‘drive to get people in Oban shopping locally’.

‘This is a significant investment by BID4Oban to drive footfall. We sell the vouchers at a 10 per cent discount and they are redeemed at full face value by businesses,’ he added.