Action on EmbraceScotland

All members should today have received an email from us letting them know about the launch of the new redesigned EmbraceScotland website.  Please let us know if not!

This News piece is a follow-up to the item in that email about updating Facilities icons for those who have multiple individual properties represented by a single Property Page.  If you only have one property, or you have set up a Property Page for each of your properties individually, you should not need to do anything.

The new EmbraceScotland separates out all properties into individual entities.  This is so that our new Search system only returns results that actually meet the visitor’s search criteria. (On the old site, searches were more vague because we could only say ‘one or more of this owner’s properties has this feature’.)

Where chosen in a Search or using the Filters, EmbraceScotland results now take account of

• The facilities provided in each individual property
• The availability of a specific property
• The price of the period searched for (if you use the WBE or SuperControl)
• Quality Assurance – star grading of the property or CTQ of the owner/manager
• Geographical region of Scotland

We need you to check that the specific details that apply to each of your properties are displaying accurately, and to use our system to update any that are no longer correct.  Of course, accuracy is very important, for visitors and so that you do not disappoint or mislead a potential customer.

If you use the ASSC Availability Calendar only (don’t take online bookings via EmbraceScotland)

• Go to “Your account > Properties” in the Members’ Area
• Click the red “Update your Availability and Property Details” text link in the top right of the control panel
• Click on the “Property details” button to update the facilities (you still use the “Availability” button to change availability).

If you use the ASSC WBE or are a full SuperControl client

• Login to your SuperControl account at https://secure.supercontrol.co.uk
• Follow the menus  to “Integrations > Channel Manager > Regional” and select ASSC
• You can then tick the facilities that apply to each of your properties.  Then click save at the bottom.
• For these memebrs all pricing and availability is synchronised automatically

Introducing Loved by Locals

The new name, new look and new focus for Owners’ Secrets!

Many Members have given us feedback about our Owners’ Secrets system for promoting your property through local tips for things visitors might do or see.  You especially wanted to promote great local attractions that were not exactly ‘secret’.  We’ve listened, we’d changed.

With the imminent launch of the new EmbraceScotland website, we have renamed this unique collection of visitor tips and advice Loved by Locals.

It still all works in the same way, so no new systems to learn.  And now we want more of your local tips!

If you haven’t yet submitted a local tip, some thing Loved by Locals that may attract one of our website users to book with you, please do it soon.

Go to Your Account… Submit a Local Tip to send one in now.  Or get started by reading our Introduction to Loved by Locals.

Get Real Results From Your Website

Business Gateway

14 January from 10:00 – 13:00

Venue : Dunfermline Business Centre, Izatt Avenue, Dunfermline, KY11 3BZ, Fife

This workshop will:

• explain what makes a good website
• enable constructive criticism of your current website
• help you set measurable and achievable goals for your site
• assist you in preparing a detailed plan for a new or revised website
• prepare you to work with suppliers to create an effective site

More information at – www.bgateway.com/events/event?id=d9edd1c4-f81e-48ac-95ab-a38e00ab9291

 

Improve your Search Engine Ranking

Business Gateway

27 January from 13:30 – 16:30

Venue : Ben Nevis Hotel & Leisure Club, North Road, Fort William, PH33 6TG, Highland

This workshop will look at :

• how search engines work
• the importance of good copy and meta data
• registering with major search engines
• updating the site
• how to measure the improvement to your site

More information at – www.bgateway.com/events/event?id=c0d3e999-437d-479d-8297-a3bf00bf9a66

 

Build a business website

Business Gateway

4 February from 09:30 – 12:30

Venue : Caladh Inn, 11 James St, Stornoway, HS1 2QN, Western Isles

This workshop will look at :

Event description –

This workshop is aimed at businesses with little or no website experience, but a desire to start building an online presence. You will find out some of the basics about websites and then get the chance to put the theory into action and build your own site using the free online tool Spanglefish. There will be expert help available during the workshop and you will receive detailed instructions to let you continue to develop your website after the course.

More information at – http://www.bgateway.com/events/event?id=6930dafb-cca4-4b2c-8bbd-a41700e6d5a7

 

Accessible Tourism workshop

Visit Scotland

17 February from 13:30 – 15:30

Venue : The Caledonian Hotel, 10-14 Union Terrace, Aberdeen, AB10 1WE

This workshop will look at :

Event description –

Unlock the potential for new customers

Many of our visitors have access needs whether or not related to a disability, for example, older and less mobile people and families with young children have specific needs and requirements that often make taking a holiday a stressful and time consuming task. Understanding these customers’ needs and providing the right information and customer service can unlock potential new business for you.

This workshop will help you to describe your business facilities and services to visitors with a range of access needs. Participants will be given simple, practical help to develop an access statement or guide – good quality information is a powerful tool to unlocking potential by making your business more appealing to a growing market of Accessible Tourism visitors. By tapping into this market your business can benefit from:

• Higher occupancy rates and Loyal customers who keep returning = better return on time invested

Chris McCoy, VisitScotland’s Diversity and Equality Manager will introduce the event with an introduction to Accessible Tourism and its growth potential.

Spaces are limited so reserve your place quickly to avoid missing out on this free opportunity to increase the appeal of your business to this lucrative market.

This FREE event is open to all tourism businesses and event organisers in Aberdeen.

More information at – Visit Scotland – Eventbrite