Bringing together 11 area marketing groups across the west of Scotland, the Argyll and the Isles Tourism Co-operative (AITC) was founded to extend the area’s marketing reach and entice new visitors from home and abroad

1. ArgyllandtheIslesTourismCo-operative
Bringing together 11 area marketing groups across the west of Scotland,
the Argyll and the Isles Tourism Co-operative (AITC) was founded to extend
the area’s marketing reach and entice new visitors from home and abroad.
Combining members’ resources has led to the establishment of an impactful
brand which has already persuaded international tour operators to offer new
trips to the area, potentially bringing in thousands of new visitors.
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2. Co-operative Development Scotland is the arm of Scottish
Enterprise working in partnership with Highlands and
Islands Enterprise that supports company growth through
collaborative and employee ownership business models.
For more information or advice, email info@cdscotland.co.uk
or call us on 0141 951 3055. Follow us on Twitter @cdscotland
Co-operative
Development Scotland
27 Causeyside Street
Paisley PA1 1UL
www.cdscotland.co.uk
Scottish Enterprise
Atrium Court
50 Waterloo Street
Glasgow G2 6HQ
www.scottish-enterprise.com
Gavin Dick, chairman, Argyll and the Isles Tourism Co-operative.
SE/4242/Apr15
www.exploreargyll.co.uk
MAIN BUSINESS
Tourism
NUMBER OF
MEMBERS
11 groups
representing
more than 1,000
businesses
“The umbrella brand has helped our individual marketing groups
find a new voice and boost tourism to this fantastic region from all
over the world. Importantly, this is a great platform for significant
growth in the future.”
CONSORTIUM MEMBERS
AITC comprises 11 businesses across the west
Highlands and Islands:
• Colonsay Marketing Group
• Cowal Marketing Group
• Heart of Argyll Tourism Alliance
• Holiday Mull and Iona
• Inveraray Marketing Group
• Islay and Jura Tourism and Marketing Group
• Kintyre and Gigha Marketing Group
• Kyles Marketing Group
• Oban and Lorn Tourism Association
• VisitBute
• Visit Helensburgh
BUSINESS BENEFITS
The consortium has encouraged tour operators
in America, Europe and Asia to offer new trips
to the area, delivering a significant boost to
enquiries and bookings for more than 1,000
tourism-related businesses. An enhanced
domestic presence has led to an increase in
the number of UK-based visitors to Argyll and
the Isles. A successful campaign for road, rail
and ferry links into the area to be improved has
removed bottlenecks limiting the flow of visitors
into Argyll, improving the return rate of tourists.
COLLABORATING FOR SUCCESS
Pooling members’ resources allowed AITC to
source grant funding and build a significant
marketing budget, leading to the development
of a domestic and global marketing strategy. As
a result, it has been able to purchase significant
exhibition space at three consecutive annual
VisitScotland EXPO events and build a website
targeting domestic and international tourists.
This has increased brand awareness, enquiries
and generated new business. AITC’s new tourism
roadshow has so far visited 10 different events
across the UK, attracting more ‘stay at home’
visitors. External funding of £405,000 will
help the consortium build further on its early
successes.
WHY WORK TOGETHER
As a rural and disparate region with 11 individual
area marketing groups, almost operating in
competition, attracting larger tour operators
was challenging. Limited budgets restricted
the availability of high impact advertising or
trade show presence. It was while working as a
strategic tourism partnership, linking agencies
with industry, that the individual groups identified
the need to form a single umbrella body to
increase reach. Highlighting each individual
area’s unique selling points in one package would
create a stronger voice for influencing industry
and tour operators at regional and national level.
GETTING THERE
Two members of the strategic partnership had
direct experience of working in a consortium.
Both saw real benefit in applying the consortium
model to achieve the marketing groups’ goals
and the growth ambitions of strategic partners.
Co-operative Development Scotland helped
prepare a feasibility study and guided the
members through the process of formalising
their relationship.
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