Dunnottar Castle stars in a new Visit Scotland advert aiming to lure overseas visitors back to Scotland after the pandemic.
The Cairngorms and Orkney are also involved in the campaign – named “Scotland is Calling” – which aims to encourage potential visitors to consider Scotland when making travel plans.
At the heart of the advert is some of Scotland’s world class food and drink, events, film and culture – with breath-taking visuals and a inspirational soundtrack aiming to draw in visitors from near and far.
The tourism body say the campaign will showcase Scotland’s brand “as a welcoming, inclusive and progressive nation with content telling Scotland’s story as a responsible destination where you can slow down, recharge, escape and enjoy immersive and sustainable tourism experiences.”
The £6.5m campaign will be strategically rolled-out and will form part of the road to recovery of Scotland’s tourism and events industry after the Covid-19 pandemic.
VisitScotland say the advert is “critical” in helping to build back Scottish tourism – which was devastated by the pandemic, particularly by the loss of income from international markets.
With many international visitors unable to visit for the last 18 months, Scotland missed out as 2019 generated upwards £3m from overseas travellers, generating 43% of the total tourism spend that year.
The campaign, along with several tourism recovery proposals developed by the Scottish Tourism Emergency Response Group (STERG) funded by the Scottish Government, hopes to reignite Scotland’s booming tourism industry.
Scotland is Calling will also be rolled out across the UK to support the domestic market recovery and extend the visitor season through autumn and winter.
However the main aim is to attract those from further afield as Visit Scotland says on average US visitors spend four times more than UK visitors, with European visitors spending twice as much.
Tourism Minister Ivan McKee said: “Scotland is one of the world’s leading tourism destinations and we want it to remain one of the top destinations for visitors from across the world.
“This funding follows the recommendations from the Tourism Recovery Taskforce and will ensure our tourism businesses that would normally rely on international visitors are ready to welcome guests back to Scotland.
“We have so much to offer, from crystal-clear waters and white sands to rolling hills and bustling cities. There is something for everyone and we want visitors to start thinking about and planning their trips to Scotland when the time is right.”