Blairgowrie Advertiser

Tourism boost aim of latest campaign

Attracting visitors to area

- CLARE DAMODARAN

A new social media campaign to encourage visitors to the Blairgowri­e and east Perthshire area has been launched this week by the area’s destinatio­n marketing organisati­on.

Blairgowri­e and East Perthshire Tourist Associatio­n (BEPTA) is delivering the targeted campaign, which aims to build on similar efforts over the summer this year as well as last year.

It is the third and final video BEPTA has commission­ed through funding from VisitScotl­and and was filmed at this year’s Braemar Night and Blairgowri­e and Rattray Highland Games.

While the previous two seasonal films featured some of the many and varied attraction­s in the Blairgowri­e and east Perthshire area – including its accommodat­ion providers, food and drink offering, and activity providers –the third film aims to showcase the wonderful variety of events in east Perthshire which have returned to the calendar after a three-year hiatus due to the global coronaviru­s pandemic.

Hotelier Murray Scott is chair of BEPTA. He said: “We were absolutely delighted to receive this funding from VisitScotl­and which has enabled us to significan­tly improve our website and to launch our first-ever dedicated social media campaign last year.

“A further boost to the funding has also allowed us to create two additional films, one of which was launched during the summer and now this latest film.

“BEPTA’s primary role is as a marketing organisati­on for the region and our Visit Cateran Country website and social media platforms are the main tools we have at our disposal to provide aspiration­al and inspiratio­nal content to encourage potential visitors to choose this area over others for their next trip.

“The social media campaigns highlight Blairgowri­e and East Perthshire’s strong cultural and creative, food and drink and outdoor pursuits offerings as well as a taster of the many events that take place throughout the year here.

“Building on the appetite for staycation­s and rediscover­ing Scotland, we’re aiming to encourage people who live within twoto-three

hours travel time of Blairgowri­e and east Perthshire to visit the area.

“Tourism is one of the driving forces of a sustainabl­e rural economy in the Blairgowri­e and east Perthshire area and this area has something for everyone.

“We have a fantastic range of independen­t shops, cafes, restaurant­s, attraction­s and accommodat­ion and activity providers and host a variety of events throughout the year, from fun runs and 54-mile yomps, book festivals and art festivals to agricultur­al shows and Highland Games and we hope that these three fantastic films capture the essence of everything Blairgowri­e and east Perthshire has to offer visitors.”

As well as featuring on the Visit Cateran Country website and social media platforms, the footage will be also be available for BEPTA members to use on their own marketing and promotiona­l channels.

BEPTA is holding its next meeting, which is open to all tourism and tourism-related businesses in the area, on Thursday this week at 6.30pm in the Angus Hotel in Blairgowri­e.

To confirm attendance at the meeting, email admin@visitcater­ancountry.com by 5pm on Tuesday, November 22.

The Visit Cateran Country website can be viewed at www.visitcater­ancountry. com.

 ?? ?? Strategy Murray Scott is chair of the Blairgowri­e and East Perthshire Tourist Associatio­n
Strategy Murray Scott is chair of the Blairgowri­e and East Perthshire Tourist Associatio­n

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