Plan B, Ayrshire based leisure and tourism marketing consultants had a great morning with some of the First in Fife Golf group members at the Pitbauchlie House Hotel in Dunfermline.
The presentation coome workshop was aimed at encouraging the golf courses and accommodation providers to take more ownership of their online marketing activity and certainly rasised some solid questioning from around the room.
This is one of a series of workshops that Plan B boss has done for the golf and hospitality sectors over the past twelve months with the most recent forays being this one to Fife and in early November to members of The Kintyre Way in Tarbert.
Earlier in the year similar workshops extolling the virtues of on-line marketing took place for Golf Tourism Scotland, Scotland's West Coast Golf Links and Holiday Southern Scotland in venues as far apart as Castle Stuart in the north through Fife, East Lothian, The Borders, Loch Lomond and Ayrshire.
Ian McCaig was delighted with the Fife event, "It's great challenging the limits of golf course marketing and if we've encouraged a few more to believe that there's more they can achieve for themselves on line then it 's been a successful day"
You can read more about the First in Fife Golf Workshop here
Friday, November 26, 2010
What's the difference with VisitScotland today?
The headline is the last question in the interview with VisitScotland Chair Mike Cantlay published online at The Caterer. It is asked in the context of a series of questions about how things will change, the focus, marketing spend and activity, partnerships with DMOs and industry groups and external relationships with funding bodies and VisitBritain.
Mr Cantlay's answer is below.
Visitscotland exist as he says elsewhere in the article as a destination marketing organisation and while business can assist in marketing the national destination it can't currently bring the key elements together in effective partnership. That's not to say that shouldn't be the aspiration as the greater depth of expertise still lies within the private sector.
However in the short term VisitScotland do have an important role to play in marketing Destination Scotland. Not individual promotional campaigns, not specific areas and regions, not specific product producers and suppliers but the destination. A strategic marketing responsibility that will showcase the destination to a mix of travel trade buyers and consumers through a variety of media.
So Mike Cantlay's statement should be welcomed and become the watchword or watch-sentence for all VisitScotland destination planning.
"VisitScotland is there to do what the industry can't" - It's a new mantra...
The first three questions therefore relate specifically to the sales funtion that VisitScotland still see themselves having.
1) Should VisitScotland be running call centres and Booking facilities with public money?
A call centre remains an enigma - there are plenty of tour operators and travel agents providing these services. Are we really saying that people would not come to Scotland because they can't book with a public sector call centre?
Selling rooms and packages is not something that the industry can't do...
2) Should VisitScotland be running expensive Visitor Information Centres at all?
Visitor information centres or TICs as we all knew them cost a fortune to run and again are we seriously saying that our visitor numbers or spends would be affected by their loss? Every hotel reception has a bank of information, every visitor attractions racks of leaflets. VICs with its shelves of brochures and tartan retail
Providing accurate and up to date information is not something that the industry can't do...
3) Should VisitScotland be selling Scotland's rooms online?
Online marketing is a key el;element of any destination marketing strategy and it is the most cost effective method of distributing information to the potential hospitality markets be they discretionary tourists, non discretionary business, event based tourism or conference and convention marketing. That does not mean that VisitScotland should automatically have a role in being a sales vehicle. Taking such a role displaces private sector activity and has the (unintentioned, perhaps,) outcome of disincentivising business development and reducing the market place for tour operators, travel agents and direct sales. Tourist boards taking on the role of agents or operators or even product aggregator simply has the impact of increasing costs to the buyer and removing profits from the market place.
It is about time that this juxtaposition was recognised and the role of selling - however well intentioned - completely jettisoned.
Developing on line sales is not something that the industry can't do...
It is perhaps unfair to pick on VisitScotland only but maybe this is just part of an ongoing series...
Mr Cantlay's answer is below.
"Now we have a total industry focus. VisitScotland is here to do what industry can't, otherwise why would we be here. My hope and aspiration is to drive confidence in the industry that we can do the bits that they can't, especially taking the Scottish product to the world."I've copied and pasted this bit because to me it should be the absolute deciding factor on everything that the public sector, not only VisitScotland, should ask when planning tourism expenditure.
Visitscotland exist as he says elsewhere in the article as a destination marketing organisation and while business can assist in marketing the national destination it can't currently bring the key elements together in effective partnership. That's not to say that shouldn't be the aspiration as the greater depth of expertise still lies within the private sector.
However in the short term VisitScotland do have an important role to play in marketing Destination Scotland. Not individual promotional campaigns, not specific areas and regions, not specific product producers and suppliers but the destination. A strategic marketing responsibility that will showcase the destination to a mix of travel trade buyers and consumers through a variety of media.
So Mike Cantlay's statement should be welcomed and become the watchword or watch-sentence for all VisitScotland destination planning.
"VisitScotland is there to do what the industry can't" - It's a new mantra...
The first three questions therefore relate specifically to the sales funtion that VisitScotland still see themselves having.
1) Should VisitScotland be running call centres and Booking facilities with public money?
A call centre remains an enigma - there are plenty of tour operators and travel agents providing these services. Are we really saying that people would not come to Scotland because they can't book with a public sector call centre?
Selling rooms and packages is not something that the industry can't do...
2) Should VisitScotland be running expensive Visitor Information Centres at all?
Visitor information centres or TICs as we all knew them cost a fortune to run and again are we seriously saying that our visitor numbers or spends would be affected by their loss? Every hotel reception has a bank of information, every visitor attractions racks of leaflets. VICs with its shelves of brochures and tartan retail
Providing accurate and up to date information is not something that the industry can't do...
3) Should VisitScotland be selling Scotland's rooms online?
Online marketing is a key el;element of any destination marketing strategy and it is the most cost effective method of distributing information to the potential hospitality markets be they discretionary tourists, non discretionary business, event based tourism or conference and convention marketing. That does not mean that VisitScotland should automatically have a role in being a sales vehicle. Taking such a role displaces private sector activity and has the (unintentioned, perhaps,) outcome of disincentivising business development and reducing the market place for tour operators, travel agents and direct sales. Tourist boards taking on the role of agents or operators or even product aggregator simply has the impact of increasing costs to the buyer and removing profits from the market place.
It is about time that this juxtaposition was recognised and the role of selling - however well intentioned - completely jettisoned.
Developing on line sales is not something that the industry can't do...
It is perhaps unfair to pick on VisitScotland only but maybe this is just part of an ongoing series...
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Plans For Another Five Star Golf Resort...
It's not quite regular but there is still a trickle of announcements of new golf developments cropping up and of course the Trump one is the one that hits the headlines.
The latest is The Angus and the developer Mike Forbes was naturally keen to play it up: “This is a hugely positive decision for the community. Delivering the first five-star hotel and a championship golf facility – which will complement the famous Carnoustie links – bringing with it a massive cash injection for the local economy, was my focus when we first proposed this development.
“Tourism is vitally important to Scotland, and in Angus and Tayside we have to look at ways to ensure that we continue to attract not only overseas visitors but also people from throughout the UK.
“Golf continues to be a major draw for people worldwide and there is a real appetite to create world-class developments which will maintain Scotland’s position, not only as the home of the sport but also as the home of the finest courses.”
Now the statement has some merit for sure but some of the common statements that are rolled out should in all honesty start to be questioned.
Tourism is important to the economy of Scotland for sure and development can have positive local impacts but there is nothing to say that another five star golf resort will add new golf visitors to the country and it could probably be argued that is will have a negative effect on an increasingly crowded five star luxury sector that is failing to turn profits. Displacement is the most likely option with other resorts having to compete with increasing supply and flat demand.
There is little evidence emanating from any of our five star luxury product that making profit at the top end in tourism in Scotland is an easily profitable exercise - this can be seen in lower occupancy, massive room yield reductions, published losses, stalled refurbishments.
Okay it may not be opening for a few years but does the east coast, does Scotland, need let only can it justify two resort hotels less than an hour and a half apart competing with Gleneagles, Old Course, Fairmont and others?
I would have to say that the jury is out on whether Scotland needs or can sustain more golf and more accommodation.
When are we going to look more seriously at what over supply can do to your tourism sector?
Just look at Ireland...
The latest is The Angus and the developer Mike Forbes was naturally keen to play it up: “This is a hugely positive decision for the community. Delivering the first five-star hotel and a championship golf facility – which will complement the famous Carnoustie links – bringing with it a massive cash injection for the local economy, was my focus when we first proposed this development.
“Tourism is vitally important to Scotland, and in Angus and Tayside we have to look at ways to ensure that we continue to attract not only overseas visitors but also people from throughout the UK.
“Golf continues to be a major draw for people worldwide and there is a real appetite to create world-class developments which will maintain Scotland’s position, not only as the home of the sport but also as the home of the finest courses.”
Now the statement has some merit for sure but some of the common statements that are rolled out should in all honesty start to be questioned.
Tourism is important to the economy of Scotland for sure and development can have positive local impacts but there is nothing to say that another five star golf resort will add new golf visitors to the country and it could probably be argued that is will have a negative effect on an increasingly crowded five star luxury sector that is failing to turn profits. Displacement is the most likely option with other resorts having to compete with increasing supply and flat demand.
There is little evidence emanating from any of our five star luxury product that making profit at the top end in tourism in Scotland is an easily profitable exercise - this can be seen in lower occupancy, massive room yield reductions, published losses, stalled refurbishments.
Okay it may not be opening for a few years but does the east coast, does Scotland, need let only can it justify two resort hotels less than an hour and a half apart competing with Gleneagles, Old Course, Fairmont and others?
I would have to say that the jury is out on whether Scotland needs or can sustain more golf and more accommodation.
When are we going to look more seriously at what over supply can do to your tourism sector?
Just look at Ireland...
Monday, November 22, 2010
Gentle Masters Giant
I watched from the sidelines last week at The Golf Tourism Scotland Awards Dinner at The Marine Hotel in North Berwick and couldn't help but be impressed by the quiet dignity of guest of honour Sandy Lyle. I remember, like the rest of Scotland, watching him firstly drive into that Augusta 18th bunker and then follow it with that magnificent recovery shot in 1988.
The big man carried himself so graciously throughout the evening and it was all the more disappointing to read of his hurt by his continued absence from the World Golf Hall of Fame. He has always struck me as a most principled individual and his stance on a number of issues has maybe distanced him from some of the establishment. I suppose I was disappointed when he walked off during the open but his actions are no worse than that of many other professional golfers and are more than offset by the positive memories he has left us all
The 52-year-old confessed in an interview that he will be left with a sizeable void in his career if he is not eventually accorded the honour given that Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo and Bernhard Langer are already members.
When interviewed at the dinner he said: "When my career ends it won't be a particular disappointment if I have never been Ryder Cup captain.
"I would never close the door on it happening, of course, but it looks like Jose Maria Olazabal will be the next captain in America in two years time and I think Gleneagles in 2014 is too far away for me. The age gap between me and the youngster players will be a little too severe by then and that is a big factor. Monty was still playing with and seeing the players on the European Tour whereas I am too far away from it now. But inclusion in the World Golf Hall of Fame would mean more to me than the Ryder Cup captaincy. It's a bit of a mystery to me why it hasn't happened, given the number of times I have been nominated. But it's the one big ambition I have left and it would be a nice way to end my career."
I can't surely be alone in thinking that Sandy Lyle deserves so much more.
The big man carried himself so graciously throughout the evening and it was all the more disappointing to read of his hurt by his continued absence from the World Golf Hall of Fame. He has always struck me as a most principled individual and his stance on a number of issues has maybe distanced him from some of the establishment. I suppose I was disappointed when he walked off during the open but his actions are no worse than that of many other professional golfers and are more than offset by the positive memories he has left us all
The 52-year-old confessed in an interview that he will be left with a sizeable void in his career if he is not eventually accorded the honour given that Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo and Bernhard Langer are already members.
When interviewed at the dinner he said: "When my career ends it won't be a particular disappointment if I have never been Ryder Cup captain.
"I would never close the door on it happening, of course, but it looks like Jose Maria Olazabal will be the next captain in America in two years time and I think Gleneagles in 2014 is too far away for me. The age gap between me and the youngster players will be a little too severe by then and that is a big factor. Monty was still playing with and seeing the players on the European Tour whereas I am too far away from it now. But inclusion in the World Golf Hall of Fame would mean more to me than the Ryder Cup captaincy. It's a bit of a mystery to me why it hasn't happened, given the number of times I have been nominated. But it's the one big ambition I have left and it would be a nice way to end my career."
I can't surely be alone in thinking that Sandy Lyle deserves so much more.
Bookassist iPhone App Hits Scottish Hotels
Bookassist in Scotland are on the road from this week with the kick off of their "Account Surgeries" starting on Thursday 25th of November at The Inn at Lathones in Fife.
The series of workshops will be going around Scotland over the next eight weeks and will not only be re-enforcing how best to use the Bookassist system and maximise direct sales from their hotel website but will be introducing to the Scottish market some of the more recent additions such as the superb Bookassist Hotel iPhone application.
As mobile becomes increasingly important for all things from Ebay, YouTube videos, news, Facebook and on-line sales of all sorts, Bookassist has moved quickly to create a fully functioning web version of the booking engine for the iPhone.
The development of the iPhone version for your hotel is extremely competitively priced and can be developed in a short period of time. So if you're looking to get your hotel more ready for the mobile age give Bookassist Scotland a call on 01292 521404
The series of workshops will be going around Scotland over the next eight weeks and will not only be re-enforcing how best to use the Bookassist system and maximise direct sales from their hotel website but will be introducing to the Scottish market some of the more recent additions such as the superb Bookassist Hotel iPhone application.
As mobile becomes increasingly important for all things from Ebay, YouTube videos, news, Facebook and on-line sales of all sorts, Bookassist has moved quickly to create a fully functioning web version of the booking engine for the iPhone.
The development of the iPhone version for your hotel is extremely competitively priced and can be developed in a short period of time. So if you're looking to get your hotel more ready for the mobile age give Bookassist Scotland a call on 01292 521404
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