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New campaign aims to attract visitors from across Scotland to Inverness to help city’s economic recovery


By Ian Duncan

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Inverness BID manager Mike Smith and Visit Inverness Loch Ness chief executive Michael Golding.
Inverness BID manager Mike Smith and Visit Inverness Loch Ness chief executive Michael Golding.

The Best of Both Worlds marketing campaign highlights what the Highland capital has to offer – a unique combination of a vibrant city and incredible rural landscapes.

Inverness Business Improvement District (BID) and Visit Inverness Loch Ness (tourism BID) are working together on the campaign, which includes a promotional video people can share online.

It takes viewers on a tour of the area, highlighting city sights, hospitality and incredible landscapes.

The campaign is expected to reach more than 700,000 people in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and other locations.

“We wanted to remind people across Scotland that our destination has the unique combination of vibrant city and amazing natural landscapes for people to enjoy,” said Michael Golding, the chief executive of Visit Inverness Loch Ness.

“We hope this campaign will inspire people to visit and safely enjoy the historic sights, leisure activities and amazing hospitality. Businesses across the destination have made an extraordinary effort to endure the challenges brought by Covid-19 and prepare to reopen for local people and visitors.”

It comes as businesses deal with the cancellation of the annual civic Winter Festival, which includes the call off of the free Hogmanay event which attracts thousands of visitors.

Inverness BID manager Mike Smith thought its work with the tourism BID could be the start of a long-term mutually beneficial partnership for members of both organisations.

“The opportunity to join forces to promote the many facets of the beautiful Highlands has given the perfect platform to portray everything that the area has to offer – iconic beauty spots coupled with a vibrant diverse city centre providing some of the best bars, music and cuisine complemented by amazing outdoors experiences. Scottish hospitality at it’s best.”

Jo De Sylva, tourism BID director and co-owner of MacGregors Bar and Bogbain Farm in Inverness, said: “The Best of Both Worlds is a terrific campaign promoting the Highlands as the perfect destination. It emphasises and reminds us all what an incredible part of the world we live in.

“To have the vibrancy of the city with some of the best bars, restaurants and hospitality in Scotland, alongside the most stunning scenery in the world and the chance to really escape to the wilderness is something most other destinations can only dream of.

“The campaign itself has been incredibly successful which is apparent with the reach of the video. It shows that people have a huge appetite for what we have to offer.”

Inverness BID chairman Peter Strachan thought that anyone who watched the video would have been excited by the opportunity to visit and the chance to enjoy everything businesses have to offer.

Marina Huggett, vice chairwoman of the tourism BID and chairwoman of Achnagairn Estate, said: “This unique promotion benefits every tourism-related business within the destination and highlights the range and diversity of safe activities on offer for our visitors.”

Separately, Highland councillors agreed this week to call for help from the Scottish Government to tackle “uncontrolled camping” after communities across the north highlighted littering and other problems which they say are the result of wild camping by visitors.

View the campaign video here

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