
A NEW SERIES of workshops and events aimed at assisting businesses in Moray concerned with Tourism to improve their online skills is set to get under way in Elgin.
First launched last October and attended to date by over 50 businesses, the Moray Speyside Tourism DTS programme is offering tailored digital support that includes workshops, webinars, events and one-to-one surgeries.
All are aimed at building the digital skills of local tourism businesses, helping them to get to grips with everything from Facebook to Digital Photography, from Search Engine Optimisation to Internet Security.
The first event of the 2017 schedule will be a guided workshop on “Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) for Tourism Businesses” and will be held at The Laichmoray Hotel, Elgin on January 26 from 9.30am until 12.30pm.
The workshop will equip attendees with the tools they need to build their businesses online visibility through SEO in a session that will also cover related topics, such as the importance of keyword research, PPC campaigns, and managing back-links and how to measure and source incoming website traffic.
Rachel Glennie, Digital Ambassador for Moray Speyside Tourism, commented; “The tourism industry is rapidly changing, our visitors are now more equipped than ever to plan and research their visits online which means that our local tourism businesses need to be successfully engaging online.
“They do so by creating and posting inspirational content and telling authentic stories in a digitally savvy way. Digital Tourism Scotland and Moray Speyside Tourism have joined forces to make sure that our local businesses are fully equipped and take advantage of the fantastic opportunities the digital world presents to them.”
The most recent tourist numbers for Moray Speyside show that in 2015, more than 700,000 visitors came to the region, contributing £105million to the local economy.
The importance of digital skills is reinforced by recent Visit Scotland figures which suggest 68% of visitors to the area begin their journey online, further highlighting the importance of local businesses developing their digital media presence to meet expectations from potential consumers.
Attendance at the workshop is £25 – to book a place on the initial event, please sign up in advance online by following the links on www.morayspeyside.com.