Outer Hebrides Tourism Industry Association

Goodbye OHTIA

Welcome OHTCICJohn MitchellOuter Hebrides Tourism Industry Association

Outer Hebrides Tourism Industry Association

2Outer Hebrides Tourism Conference – April 2014

8 /9 April 2014

Outline

• OHTIA recent achievements

• New organisation – OHTCIC

• Key Contacts

Outer Hebrides Tourism Industry Association

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8 /9 April 2014

Outer Hebrides Destination Branding

• Creation of a top quality, eye catching brand and identity for the Outer Hebrides

• Currently used on website, promotional material and nature interpretation material

• Available for use by accommodation businesses

• Commitment from VS to use in their marketing of the Outer Hebrides

Outer Hebrides Tourism Industry Association

4Outer Hebrides Tourism Conference – April 2014

8 /9 April 2014

Outer Hebrides Tourism Industry Association

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8 /9 April 2014

Outer Hebrides Destination Website

• A truly top quality destination website for the Outer Hebrides, created and supported by the industry leading tourism web developers

• Established as the go to source of information for the Outer Hebrides

• Top quality inspirational images• Professionally written information• Every tourism business has basic listing for free• OHTIA members have options for enhanced listings

Outer Hebrides Tourism Industry Association

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8 /9 April 2014

Outer Hebrides Tourism Industry Association

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Website facts and figures

• 700 Accommodation businesses• 1000 Activities and Attractions

• 700 Events• More and more pages every year

Outer Hebrides Tourism Industry Association

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Social Media

• Professional presence on Facebook, Twitter and Google+• Thousands of Google hits• 3500 likes on Facebook• 2000 Twitter followers

• Creates and maintains awareness in the Outer Hebrides• Helps drive traffic to the destination website

Outer Hebrides Tourism Industry Association

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Moving Forward to 2020

• A new organisation needed – completely outgrown the OHTIA as an association

Outer Hebrides Tourism Community Interest Company

• Launched at this conference• All OHTIA members will move across to OHTCIC

• OHTCIC will drive industry contribution to delivery of Tourism Outer Hebrides 2020

Outer Hebrides Tourism Industry Association

10Outer Hebrides Tourism Conference – April 2014

8 /9 April 2014

Directors

Lewis• Donald Macarthur• Linda Macleod Brown• Lorna Eller• Ian Fordham• Anne RyanHarris• John Mitchell• Sue Hill• Graham MacLennan• Jan Visser

North Uist• Andrew Ross

South Uist / Benbecula• Alan Graham

Barra• Guy Adams

Hotels Sector• Kenneth Mackenzie

More directors needed – especially in Uists and Barra!

Outer Hebrides Tourism Industry Association

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Staff

OHTIA Project Staff (until June 2014)

Anne Ryan(Tourism Development Officer)

Mairi Thomson(Tourism Development Assistant)

OHTCIC Staff (from June 2014)

Mairi Thomson(Industry Support Officer)

• Website maintenance• Business listing maintenance• First point of contact for industry• First point of contact for consumer

enquiries• General support for industry

Outer Hebrides Tourism Industry Association

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8 /9 April 2014

Final Points / Future Developments

• Moving forward to 2020.• A new organisation OHTCIC required.

• Continued development of website.• Continued awareness and pressure on Ferry Capacity - critical !!!

• Development of membership base of OHTCIC.• Continued liaison with partners.

• More local involvement.