Discover your Hidden Highlands
Issued by VisitScotland
Film and eBook highlight hidden gems
A new eBook and film – which has already been viewed almost 83,000 times on You Tube - are bringing to life the breathtaking scenery and diverse array of activities on offer in the Highlands, as part of a VisitScotland marketing campaign promoting the region to visitors.
This vast region has long been celebrated for its rugged landscapes, unspoiled coastlines and strong outdoor and wildlife links, and the new video produced by the national tourism, organisation brings these locations to life and lifts the lid on what makes the Highlands a unique and memorable destination.
The film and eBook which is broken down into five sections ‘see’, ‘feel’, ‘meet’, ‘do’ and ‘eat’, will be used by VisitScotland to encourage people to ‘Discover Your Hidden Highlands’ and will be promoted across its global digital channels, to encourage people to visit this spring.
To ensure both seasonal and geographical spread, the online interactive eBook immerses the viewer in the hidden gems of the Highlands - off the beaten track adventures, surprising experiences in unusual places, quirky seasonal events and remote, seldom-visited wild places.
Hidden gems and Highland locations featured include:
- Inverness Botanic Garden
- Kinloch Castle, Isle of Rum, Lochaber
- Neolithic mysteries in Caithness
- Kayaking on the Isle of Skye
- Groove Cairngorms
- The Wild Lochaber Festival
- Coire Mhic Fhearchair and the Gille Brighde Restaurant, Wester Ross
- Portmahomack in Easter Ross
- Nairn Beach
- Highland treats at the Inshriach Potting Shed in the Cairngorms National Park or Cocoa Mountain in Durness
- Seafood at The Whitehouse Restaurant in Lochaline, Lochaber, or Creelers on the Isle of Skye.
- Cul Mor and Stac Pollaidh, Assynt
- Castle Sinclair Girnigoe and Latheronwheel Harbour, Caithness
- Speyside Distillery, Kingussie
- Abriachan Forest, near Inverness
- Sanna Bay, Ardnamurchan
- Old Bridge Inn, Aviemore
The eBook promotes a range of outdoor activities as well as highlighting the unique culinary offering of the Highlands, including local seafood, sweet treats and Highland home cooking.
Scott Armstrong, VisitScotland Regional Partnerships Director, said: “This latest eBook and film builds of the success of VisitScotland’s Spirit of Scotland global campaign and #ScotSpirit social movement which aims to raise the profile and reputation of the region as an outstanding place to visit, and to invest, live and work in.
“What better way to show off the best of what the Highlands has to offer than in an eBook and film like this? This is an additional asset for VisitScotland to promote the region and its hidden gems to visitors at home and further afield. It brings to life what visitors can experience on a trip to the region and we hope it will encourage people to share their own experience on our online iKnow community and entice others to discover the magic of the region for themselves.”
Colin Simpson, Highland Council’s Principal Tourism & Film Officer said: “Highland Council is delighted to again be supporting VisitScotland’s additional marketing activity for the Highlands. In particular I’m delighted to see some of the Highland’s hidden gems given a level of prominence they don’t often get.
“The use of new digital technologies is also allowing the visitor to immerse themselves in the Highlands even before they arrive giving them a much better understanding of what the area really has to offer which, in turn, should allow them to get the most out of their visit.”
The eBook and film will be promoted as part of a major regional marketing campaign through digital media channels, including Facebook, Instagram, Taboola and TrueView.