UK visitors targeted for Falkirk short breaks

New attractions Blackness and Rosebank distilleries were among those used to inspire Scots and residents in Northern England to take a short break in the Falkirk area this summer.

National tourism organisation, VisitScotland joined with VisitFalkirk for the marketing campaign, which also highlighted historic locations like Kinneil House and Blackness Castle.

Among the other locations featured throughout June and July were the Hippodrome, Falkirk Tunnel, Falkirk Town Centre Heritage Trail, The Croft & Creel, Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway and the Heart of Falkirk Trail.

The campaign included travel media articles, and digital adverts with the new VisitFalkirk branding and paid social activity.

The main objective of all paid social adverts was to drive traffic to the newly launched VisitFalkirk.com website.

The campaign achieved 943,064 impressions across Facebook and Instagram during the activity.

The region has recently enjoyed international exposure as the Kelpies celebrated their 10th anniversary, while the latest Scotland Visitor Survey revealed the importance of attractions for British visitors to the Falkirk area.

The domestic visitor market was chosen for the target audience, as the insights found that 74% of visitors to the region are from the UK.

Visiting a castle or fort is the top thing visitors do when coming to Forth Valley, with almost half (49%) visited an attraction during their trip.

A total of 38% went to a visitor or heritage centre while they were here, with 35% stating that they viewed architecture and buildings.

The recent promotion across social media is the latest in a series of digital campaigns to tempt visitors to Falkirk. It follows on from successful autumn activity to promote Falkirk as a short break destination to Scots, encouraging all year-round tourism.

Lynsey Eckford, VisitScotland Regional Director, said: “Falkirk is easily accessible, thanks to a well-connected transport network, making it a convenient destination for travellers. The area has a diverse and vibrant year-round offering, and this new campaign aims to inspire visitors to stay, explore and experience it for themselves.

“Tourism plays a vital role in the local economy, creating jobs and sustaining communities. By working closely with our partners at VisitFalkirk, we are showcasing world-renowned attractions, rich history and heritage, and an extensive path network, including the new Heart of Falkirk Trail, which gives our visitors the option to utilise active travel, encouraging walking and cycling.”

Councillor Cecil Meiklejohn, Council Leader from Falkirk Council, said: “Over the past decade, Falkirk’s tourism sector has experienced significant growth, supported by world class attractions including the Kelpies and the Falkirk Wheel, recently joined by the iconic Rosebank Distillery. Together with ancient historical landmarks, quirky and authentic small businesses and hundreds of kilometres of walking and cycling trails, Falkirk is now firmly established as a multi-day destination.

The aim of this campaign was to encourage visitors to stay longer and explore more in the Falkirk area. Working closely with VisitScotland and our tourism businesses, we are delivering on a five-year vision for sustainable growth in Falkirk’s tourism sector that includes the recently revamped visitfalkirk.com website and marketing campaigns such as this successful partnership with VisitScotland. “