VisitScotland begins process of overhauling controversial website
VisitScotland has begun the process of redeveloping its controversial tourism website following millions of pounds being spent on its original development.
As well as tendering for the ‘transformation’ of its main website, the tourism organisation, which is set to be hit with a budget cut of £400,000 this year, is also understood to be set to issue tenders for its digital marketing as well.
£900,000 will be invested into redeveloping VisitScotland.com, which has never been far from controversy having been described as "patently flawed and obsolete" by a parliamentary enquiry which recommended its redevelopment in 2008.
The European tender begins the process of creating a sophisticated platform or destination management system which will aim to inspire visitors through a single information portal.
The £7.4m website, founded by former Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander, reportedly led to consistent losses before its last overhaul in February 2008, which aimed to offer easier access to the websites of tourism businesses and improve sales of Scottish produce.
Following that redevelopment, the enquiry into the website, led by Liberal Democrat Tavish Scott, claimed that the website was ‘an obstacle for growth’ and claimed that it led to “a conflict of interest between the commercial need to sell accommodation bookings and the requirement to effectively market Scotland as a destination.”
The enquiry recommended that the site be redeveloped again to include ‘additional resources’ which would offer free provision of software for companies to create their own websites for online bookings.
At the time, VisitScotland said it acknowledged the findings of the report and this tender will see the site designed to improve consumer experience and now offer businesses the opportunity to add content and offer recommendations on sites and activities around the country. This will include accommodation providers, restaurants, golf courses and activity providers, with the organisation now hoping that the VisitScotland.com site will become ‘the most comprehensive picture of country’ that has ever been produced.
VisitScotland has described the approach for the website as ‘back-to-basics’ and has said that it hopes upon completion, it will address the issues surrounding the issues that businesses have had with the site, while also focusing on economic growth and allow cross selling opportunities for business.
Overseeing the project will be Malcolm Roughead, chief executive of VisitScotland, who explained: “We want the website to be inspirational, interactive, user friendly and easier to navigate with a focus on growing tourism and the Scottish economy. With this new DMS system we will be able to track consumer behaviour to inform future content and to create bespoke recommendations based on their search habits. VisitScotland’s marketing activity will drive visitors to the site and will be focused on connecting the visitor with the local economy and individual businesses.”
It is expected that the European tender process will take several months to complete, but VisitScotland expects the site to be completed within the next 18 months, with the current site continuing to operate during that time.
Earlier this week the tourism body also issued a tender seeking a sales company in North America to promote Scotland in one of its key markets.