Agritourism alongside Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb are at the heart of a new campaign to capitalise on the rising staycation market this summer and, ultimately, deepen the understanding of what buying Scotch really means.
With a recent report identifying that over half[1] (56%) of travellers will seek out more rural experiences, Scottish Agritourism, QMS and VisitScotland have joined forces to promote the Go Rural campaign to visit Scottish farms and crofts for day trips, holidays or to buy food and drink, while raising awareness of Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb with agritourism visitors.
Encouraging travellers to discover agritourism, support local businesses and enjoy high quality Scottish produce as part of that experience is core to the aim of the campaign.
Over the coming weeks the brands will be featured a series of online and print features across The Times, Sunday Times Travel Guide and The Scottish Sun. The sponsorship will run for six weeks with a reach of more than 1.3 million.
Building on the knowledge that consumers are questioning their food choices and production methods, this activity expands on QMS’ ‘Make It Field Cred’ campaign to further deepen understanding around what buying Scotch really means.
Lesley Cameron, Director of Marketing and Communications at QMS, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with VisitScotland and Scottish Agritourism on this campaign which promotes field to fork at its finest.
“The activity will allow visitors to learn where their food comes from and further their appreciation about the fantastic countryside and farms we have in Scotland.
“We are looking forward to reaching consumers with recipe inspiration, hints and tips, encouraging them to buy and enjoy red meat as part of their Scottish Agritourism experience.”
Caroline Millar, Sector Lead at Scottish Agritourism said: “Around 80% of our agritourism members produce Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb and we are seeing an increase in demand for being able to enjoy tasty meat on a BBQ as part of a farm visit, taking part in unique field to fork dining experiences or having a full stocked fridge with local produce as part of a holiday. Working with QMS and VisitScotland on this campaign will help to support many hundreds of agritourism businesses across Scotland to drive sales as well as raising the profile of the Go Rural brand as a trusted source when booking an agritourism experience.”
Vicki Miller, VisitScotland’s Director of Marketing and Digital, said: “Agritourism is a fantastic way to enjoy the best of rural Scotland and has become a growing trend in recent years. Working with QMS and Scottish Agritourism, the campaign will build on this by encouraging visitors to seek out local produce to further immerse themselves in the destination.
“VisitScotland is focused on the recovery of the industry, building a destination and visitor experience which allows tourism and events to flourish now and in the future. We’ll continue to work with, and support, businesses to ensure we rebuild this vital part of Scotland’s economy.”
For more information on the Scotch brands, head to the Quality Meat Scotland website and for more information on agritourism head to www.goruralscotland.com
[1] Booking.com Report on the Future of Travel, published in 2020; https://globalnews.booking.com/smarter-kinder-safer-bookingcom-reveals-nine-predictions-for-the-future-of-travel/
Image credit: Craig Stephen Photography