E-TOURISM COURSES GOING DOWN A STORM

23rd December 2007

Businesses across the Highlands and Islands are full of praise for a series of e-tourism workshops that reveal the secrets of how to run a successful online marketing campaign.

Organised by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) in partnership with the Scottish Tourism Forum and VisitScotland, the workshops show tourism businesses how to use e-marketing and e-commerce to compete more effectively in a busy marketplace.

Tips on attracting more website visits, how to keep visitors once they get there, and a look at how the best sites translate webpage views into bookings are given in these hands-on and interactive workshops.

Highland and Islands Enterprise senior tourism development manager Roger Edwards said that many tourism businesses recognised the importance of a web presence, but not all were fully aware of its powerful marketing potential. "Feedback has been excellent - these workshops have really
engaged with business."

He continued: "New technology is moving apace and there are many business opportunities and solutions that we wouldn't have dreamed of even a year ago. HIE is delighted to support this series of workshops and we are running more in the coming year to satisfy the growing demand." Boat of Garten based tour guide, James Dunbar, attended one of the workshops. He said: "I thoroughly enjoyed the course. It was full of good down to earth advice that we can use to improve our site and achieve good returns for Highlands of Scotland Tour Guide members," he said.

John Masterson owner of The Harris Tweed Shop in Tarbert, Isle of Harris said: "I thought the workshop was excellent - good attentive and empathetic presenters. We are now keen to develop the web aspects of our business to generate e-commerce sales that will help us achieve our aim to develop a year round business."

Jane Nisbet of Achnadrish House on Mull agreed: "I have nothing but praise for this excellent workshop. I'm really pleased I attended and have come away from it bursting with ideas and plans for the way forward."

The next workshops will be held in Wick, Kirkwall and Lerwick. If you are interested in booking a place or would like to request a workshop for your area, please contact Elaine at the Scottish Tourism Forum office (email events[AT]stforum.co.uk or tel. 0131 220 6321).