Bird’s-eye view video guide inspires sailors
Sail Scotland has launched aerial video guides showcasing Scottish marinas and anchorages to inspire people to explore unique destinations by boat.
And Campbeltown is one of the top three most-viewed guides so far.
The national marketing organisation for sailing and marine tourism has produced the video guides with drone footage offering a bird’s-eye view of the approach to each destination, including Campbeltown, Tarbert, Ardfern, Craobh and Oban.
Pop-up text introduces the destination and standout features in the surrounding landscapes, before identifying key boating facilities and showing the proximity of local amenities.
The viewer is then invited to step ashore for provisions, food and drink and visits to nearby attractions.
The guides offer suggestions encouraging day trips or onward adventures and provide links to explore current offers, trip-planning information and booking links on the Sail Scotland website.
Viewers – via adverts on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube – are encouraged to share their own photographs and celebrate their own unforgettable moments and unique experiences of sailing and cruising in Scotland, by answering the key campaign phrase: ‘I sail Scotland because...’.
This sharing of favourite memories will complement the visual experience offered by the video guides.
The video library of guides is said to be the first of its kind for the marine tourism sector in Scotland, with ten guides launched online at the end of 2021. In the first three weeks of the campaign, they were seen almost 700,000 times.
A total of 33 locations around Scotland now complete the library.
The guides’ launch reflects the post-Covid desire for holidays and escapes ‘away from it all’, with sailing and cruising holidays fulfilling this desire.
This trend is mirrored in the video viewing numbers too, with the guides for Stromness, Campbeltown and the Caledonian Canal – some of the furthest-flung destinations – the top three most-viewed guides to date.
‘Collaboration with destinations along Scotland’s coasts, islands and canals is a key focus for Sail Scotland and we want to connect the sailing experience with shoreside experiences,’ said Alan Rankin, chief executive of Sail Scotland. ‘Our new bird’s-eye view video guides transport visitors into the heart of places and communities and by highlighting nearby attractions and eateries, we encourage them to step ashore to discover local culture and to enjoy local food and drink.
‘We hope the footage will inspire viewers to make plans to sail to new destinations, book cruises and spend more time on our wonderful sailing waters.’
The campaign was created with assistance from the Scottish Government’s Tourism Destination and Sector Marketing Fund, delivered by Visit Scotland as part of a national Covid recovery plan.
‘We know word of mouth recommendations are a huge factor for visitors choosing to travel,’ said Malcolm Roughead, chief executive of Visit Scotland. ‘By combining this call on visitors to share their stories, with footage of Scotland’s breath-taking shoreline, Sail Scotland’s campaign will help inspire new and repeat visitors.
‘Visit Scotland is focused on the recovery of the industry, building a destination and visitor experience which allows tourism and events to flourish, now and in the future.’
The new video guide library can be viewed on Sail Scotland’s website at https://sailscotland.co.uk/plan/aerial-guides/.