Panels at Great Tapestry of Scotland
© Great Tapestry of Scotland
Callum Black is the Marketing and Events Officer for the Great Tapestry of Scotland. He's worked at the Great Tapestry of Scotland since February 2023 leading on their work with the travel trade.
His role is varied. “The visitor centre hosts a variety of visiting exhibitions and workshops ensuring there’s always something new for visitors to enjoy”.
Why did you decide to work with travel distribution partners?
The decision was an easy one for the team at the Great Tapestry of Scotland. “Many members of the team have extensive experience in tourism and recognise the importance of collaborating with the travel trade to access global markets.”
The team had discussions with VisitScotland, South of Scotland Destination Alliance, tour operators and DMCs. Callum explained: “After some initial advice we were confident that our unique and engaging visitor attraction would resonate with visitors, making it a key component of our marketing strategy.”
They knew that securing presence in tour operators’ brochures not only drives bookings but significantly raises awareness among those planning to visit Scotland.
Great Tapestry of Scotland building
© Great Tapestyr of Scotland
What steps did you take to begin your travel distribution journey?
The first thing they did was to take advice from experts. “We collaborated closely with independent tourism business development consultants, whose extensive expertise was invaluable in creating travel trade packages and connecting with interested tour operators worldwide.
“We also commissioned a travel trade industry expert to produce a report with recommendations, drawing on their knowledge of promoting the south of Scotland.”
Before the visitor centre even opened they attended key tourism events such as the VisitScotland Expo, a South of Scotland FIT networking event, Explore GB, and Reconnect.
“These events allowed us to introduce the centre to the market well in advance, recognising that most tour operators plan at least one to two years ahead.”
Attending these events allowed them to make travel trade contacts interested in their product.
“The response was overwhelmingly positive, with some operators immediately adding us to their brochures and provisionally booking tours. We have maintained proactive communication with many of these operators, working closely with them to adapt our offerings to better meet their needs. Within our first year of marketing the attraction, we successfully engaged with over 70 different travel trade companies.”
