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Welcome to Scotland
13/02/2009
From next week, more visitors to Scotland will be greeted by Homecoming messages, enhancing the 'positive first impressions' identified in recent research.
The new Welcome to Scotland/Homecoming material already in place at six Scottish airports - Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Prestwick, Dundee and Aberdeen - will now be displayed at three of Scotland's busiest ferry ports - Cairnryan, Stranraer and Rosyth.
Minister for External Affairs Michael Russell said that meanwhile Scotland's welcome messages at key arrival points across the country have already paid dividends, according to the evaluation of the Points of Entry campaign undertaken by the Scottish Government.
The research surveyed visitors arriving at the six Scottish airports included in the Point of Entry campaign, and compares the campaign in 2008 with the previous campaign in place in 2007. The 2008 campaign was introduced in November 2007 and featured the 'Welcome to Scotland' message, and Scottish imagery tailored for each of the Scottish airports.
The research found that:
- 89 per cent of survey respondents agreed the materials 'help create an impression of being welcomed to Scotland'
- 87 per cent agreed the images 'give a sense of having arrived in Scotland'
- In 2008, 67 per cent of respondents recognised at least one of the images they were shown, compared to 38 per cent in the previous year
Mr Russell said:
"It is crucial that we make first impressions count. The Points of Entry campaign featured a simple 'Welcome to Scotland' message with much clearer imagery, and the evaluation demonstrates it had much greater impact than the previous campaign.
"I am delighted that analysis also shows that nine out of 10 visitors surveyed said that campaign created an impression of being welcomed to Scotland at our points of entry around the country. We welcome with enthusiasm those who come to Scotland and there is a particular resonance this year, the Year of Homecoming.
"That is why we have added Homecoming to the material at the three ferry ports as well as the points of entry in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Prestwick, Dundee and Aberdeen.
"This year is a great opportunity for Scotland, and one that this Government has embraced as we look to maximise tourism revenue and welcome visitors from around the world.
"The cost of the activity is virtually the same as the material previously in place, but its effect is much greater. That is also to be welcomed."
The total media spend (January - December 2009) on the Point of Entry campaign is £529,237. This includes the additional ferry sites and domestic arrival baggage reclaim in Edinburgh and international baggage reclaim in Glasgow. Also included in this is the production cost of refreshing all the sites co-branded Welcome to Scotland and Homecoming Scotland - £124,331.
The three ferry ports were selected on the basis of footfall. It is expected that - weather permitting - the sites will be in place from February 18 - 20 .