VisitScotland Digital Scotland Project On Schedule

The latest update from VisitScotland on their digital project was published over the past couple of days and featured in the newsletter from Chief Executive Malcom Roughead. The following is taken from their update page on VisitScotland.org

"Throughout 2011, the Digital Scotland project has reached some important milestones and successfully delivered in a number of key areas. The Digital Scotland project aims to provide consumers with a single digital gateway enabling them to experience all Scotland has to offer.

It also aims to build trust with Scottish businesses through accurate reporting, simple and effective extranet systems and a digital platform that positions their products and services to the appropriate consumer at the right time.

All of this will ensure VisitScotland can implement an enduring platform that inspires visitors and residents to experience Scotland’s unique and quality offerings online.

Recap on what we want to deliver

• Mapping – improved mapping across the website, offering visitors dynamic ways to explore Scotland
• Extranet System – existing Tiscover system will be retired and a new and improved extranet made available to businesses
• Event Engine – promotion of events across Scotland and access to comprehensive event data for all areas of Scotland
• Central Relational Database – work on the new website will be greatly aided by the work done on ‘data-cleansing’ and ‘data categorisation’, categorising all Scotland’s products and services so they can be searched for on the site. This will allow a ‘what’s nearby’ facility for consumers.
• Web Listings – better quality web listings for all businesses with larger images, location maps, clear contact details
• VisitScotland Information Centre / Contact Centre Booking Applications – all internal accommodation booking systems will be upgraded giving our Information Centres a more effective system
• Project update - what’s next?

There are two important areas

• Implementing the new DMS (which covers the content on the site as well as the booking engine, the ‘extranet’ where businesses can upload their details, as well as programmes used by the Information Centres and Contact Centre)
• ‘Content migration’ - moving all the content from the current VisitScotland.com site to the new DMS

Work has begun on both of these, working towards launch in April 2012.

The new site will have the new look and feel premiered in the Dumfries & Galloway and Edinburgh & the Lothians sites - as well as the new ‘back-end’ system (the new DMS).

The remainder of 2012 will see more VisitScotland websites integrated into the main site, including all the regional websites"

The one thing we're most impressed by is that VisitScotland are communicating more fully on how the project is progressing. Regardless of what we may feel about the objectives.