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Month: August 2016

Survey Results: The Importance of Quality Assurance

Posted on by Ali Campbell

Survey Results: The Importance of Quality Assurance

Emma recently conducted a survey on the importance of quality assurance, asking for views through social media and the EmbraceScotland newsletter.  We wanted to know how important it is to visitors when booking a self-catering holiday.   The results showed that quality assurance does matter to many when booking, and also highlighted the importance of photographs and reviews.

QUESTION 1

All the holiday cottages on EmbraceScotland either have a quality star rating by VisitScotland or are part of the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers’ Committed to Quality scheme.  Is it important to you when booking a holiday that the property is quality assured?

Yes = 41 (89.13%)

No = 5 (10.87%)

QUESTION 2

Would you still book a holiday cottage through EmbraceScotland if the properties do not belong to a quality assurance scheme?

Yes = 23 (48.94%)

No = 24 (51.06%)

Comments:

I would be more concerned with how the property looked and facilities than quality assurance. Normally go by reviews and photos to help me choose.

It’s not something I particularly look at, as long as the property looks in good order via photos, I wouldn’t necessarily need it to be rated. It’s probably more something I would look at for hotels.

Wouldn’t book any that had not been quality assured.

Checks should be tougher.

While a quality star rating gives some indication of the standard to expect, I would use TripAdvisor to check reviews before booking.

As long as clean & looks like it is on the website.

It’s a guide but not essential. Online reviews are becoming more relevant.

Along with other things like photos, good website etc.

I want to relax on holiday, clean well-appointed accommodation is essential.

I have been caught out once, never again.

Spotlessly clean is my priority.

I am conflicted about my answer because question 2 introduces an opposing answer.  It is very helpful to know that the current properties are screened and the quality will be assured.  A yes to question 2 is based on the thought that there may be newly listing properties that have not been rated, as yet, but may still be a good value.

Quality assurance is important to us.

I never expect or want luxury.  Just clean, comfortable and functional.

The two times I’ve been to Scotland I have never been disappointed.

I don’t bother as I look at the photographs of the accommodation and make up my own mind.

Very important and so far we find standards better than self-catering not in scheme.

It is a useful indication to what to expect, but in my experience the property does not always live up to what you expect for the grading.

Would hope this reduces uncertainty in booking.

Scottish holiday homes to embrace the ‘Hound Pound’

Posted on by Ali Campbell

Scottish holiday homes to embrace the ‘Hound Pound’

A digital marketing campaign targeting the “Hound Pound” – the money spent by pet-owners who take their four-legged friends on holiday – has been awarded £20,000 by VisitScotland.

With the first award from its new-look Growth Fund, the national tourism organisation has match-funded the £40,000 Paws for a Break campaign led by the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers’ (ASSC) Embrace Scotland website.

Embrace Scotland features more than 7,000 self-catering properties throughout the country, all owned or managed by the ASSC’s 600 members. More than half of these members currently accept pets but the ASSC is keen to encourage more of them to promote their animal-friendly credentials.

VisitScotland research shows almost a third (30 per cent) of holiday-makers base their holiday around how suitable a destination is for their pet, and 72 per cent of dog owners say they would take more holidays in the UK if there were a better attitude towards their canine companions.  Further research showed that holidays with pets had an average extra spend of £126 compared to holidays without pets.

The ASSC, via its Embrace Scotland consumer-facing website, aims to show that taking a self-catering property is “the easiest and most flexible way of holidaying with a pet”, while also highlighting the fact that dogs aren’t the only pets people can take on holiday – with some self-catering properties equipped with stables.

Members will be encouraged to share their ‘pet guest’ stories on Facebook and Twitter and guests will be invited to post photos of their pets on holiday. Alongside the digital activity, the ASSC will also undertake its first consumer show with a stand at the Family Pet Show in Manchester. This will be supported by radio advertising in North West England and a competition in conjunction with the show organisers and sponsors, The Co-operative Group, with a prize break in a pet-friendly self-catering property in Scotland.

Linda Battison, Executive Committee Member at the ASSC, said:

“Many members already provide a warm welcome to pet owners but we want to encourage them to go that extra mile and ensure potential customers know what they offer. Our Paws for a Break self-catering awards will be open for nominations via our Embrace Scotland website (www.embracescotland.co.uk) and our members sitewww.assc.co.uk and we’ll be encouraging members to sign up to our new Pets Welcome charter.”

Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive of VisitScotland, said:

“VisitScotland’s Growth Fund supports collaborative tourism marketing projects that focus on growth in the tourism sector and ensure that visitors experience the true Spirit of Scotland.

“Pet tourism could be worth millions of pounds to Scotland’s visitor economy so we are delighted to help the ASSC as they attempt to unlock this potentially lucrative market through the VisitScotland Growth Fund. The group’s Paws for a Break campaign is an exciting and innovative way to appeal to those looking to enjoy a holiday with their four-legged friends.”

Growth Fund applicants are required to align their marketing with VisitScotland’s strategies and campaigns, including the global Spirit of Scotland campaign. They are also encouraged to think about how they can take advantage of Scotland’s Themed Years. The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design (2016), will be followed by the Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology in 2017 and the Year of Young People in 2018.

To find out more about the VisitScotland Growth Fund and for details of how to apply, go to www.visitscotland.org

For more information about Embrace Scotland and the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers, go to www.embracescotland.co.uk and www.assc.co.uk

– ENDS –

http://mediacentre.visitscotland.org/pressreleases/scottish-holiday-homes-to-embrace-the-hound-pound-1531981

Scottish holiday homes to embrace the ‘Hound Pound’

Posted on by Ali Campbell

Scottish holiday homes to embrace the ‘Hound Pound’

A digital marketing campaign targeting the “Hound Pound” – the money spent by pet-owners who take their four-legged friends on holiday – has been awarded £20,000 by VisitScotland.

With the first award from its new-look Growth Fund, the national tourism organisation has match-funded the £40,000 Paws for a Break campaign led by the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers’ (ASSC) Embrace Scotland website.

Embrace Scotland features more than 7,000 self-catering properties throughout the country, all owned or managed by the ASSC’s 600 members. More than half of these members currently accept pets but the ASSC is keen to encourage more of them to promote their animal-friendly credentials.

VisitScotland research shows almost a third (30 per cent) of holiday-makers base their holiday around how suitable a destination is for their pet, and 72 per cent of dog owners say they would take more holidays in the UK if there were a better attitude towards their canine companions.  Further research showed that holidays with pets had an average extra spend of £126 compared to holidays without pets.

The ASSC, via its Embrace Scotland consumer-facing website, aims to show that taking a self-catering property is “the easiest and most flexible way of holidaying with a pet”, while also highlighting the fact that dogs aren’t the only pets people can take on holiday – with some self-catering properties equipped with stables.

Members will be encouraged to share their ‘pet guest’ stories on Facebook and Twitter and guests will be invited to post photos of their pets on holiday. Alongside the digital activity, the ASSC will also undertake its first consumer show with a stand at the Family Pet Show in Manchester. This will be supported by radio advertising in North West England and a competition in conjunction with the show organisers and sponsors, The Co-operative Group, with a prize break in a pet-friendly self-catering property in Scotland.

Linda Battison, Executive Committee Member at the ASSC, said:

“Many members already provide a warm welcome to pet owners but we want to encourage them to go that extra mile and ensure potential customers know what they offer. Our Paws for a Break self-catering awards will be open for nominations via our Embrace Scotland website (www.embracescotland.co.uk) and our members site www.assc.co.uk and we’ll be encouraging members to sign up to our new Pets Welcome charter.”

Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive of VisitScotland, said:

“VisitScotland’s Growth Fund supports collaborative tourism marketing projects that focus on growth in the tourism sector and ensure that visitors experience the true Spirit of Scotland.

“Pet tourism could be worth millions of pounds to Scotland’s visitor economy so we are delighted to help the ASSC as they attempt to unlock this potentially lucrative market through the VisitScotland Growth Fund. The group’s Paws for a Break campaign is an exciting and innovative way to appeal to those looking to enjoy a holiday with their four-legged friends.”

Growth Fund applicants are required to align their marketing with VisitScotland’s strategies and campaigns, including the global Spirit of Scotland campaign. They are also encouraged to think about how they can take advantage of Scotland’s Themed Years. The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design (2016), will be followed by the Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology in 2017 and the Year of Young People in 2018.

To find out more about the VisitScotland Growth Fund and for details of how to apply, go to www.visitscotland.org

For more information about Embrace Scotland and the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers, go to www.embracescotland.co.uk and www.assc.co.uk

– ENDS –

http://mediacentre.visitscotland.org/pressreleases/scottish-holiday-homes-to-embrace-the-hound-pound-1531981