With the official launch of The Cairngorms National Park taking place next week (1st September), CairnGorm Mountain, already one of the most popular visitor destinations in the Highlands, has come up with a novel promotion to add to its ever-increasing number of visitors and, in particular, to extend its catchment area.
In a tongue-in-cheek play on words, the company is targeting households up to 90 minutes drive from CairnGorm Mountain and inviting them to come and have Tea in the Park but, before anyone gets excited, it is not about a major rock festival coming to the Highlands but rather an invitation to enjoy afternoon tea, courtesy of Twinings, in the country’s highest restaurant at the Top Station.
Explained Tania Adams, CairnGorm Mountain’s Marketing Manager:
“ A recent survey of Badenoch and Strathspey showed that a phenomenal 65% of local people had travelled on the funicular since we fully opened just over 14 months ago and, by any measurement of local interest in a visitor attraction, that is a remarkably high percentage. We wanted to expand that market to coincide with the opening of the new National Park and, using the Royal Mail’s MOSAIC Postcode Targeting Service, we are sending out 36,000 invitation postcards from next week onwards targeting households within the 55+ age group. The promotion is the largest direct mailing that we have undertaken so far and covers several parts of Aberdeenshire, Banffshire, Moray and Nairn, Inverness and large areas of Perthshire, including Perth itself, all within a 90 minutes’ drive.”
“Significantly, with the opening of the new National Park, we are also targeting households in Royal Deeside and hope that many will come across to visit their new neighbours within the National Park.”
“The postcards contain the invitation to “Come and have Tea in The Park” and we were delighted when Tennents, the sponsors, and DF Concerts (Glasgow), the organisers of Scotland’s leading rock festival, raised no objections on our play on words. It would be nice to think that, some day, we could hold a major rock festival within the new National Park but perhaps not just yet …”
During the recent spell of good weather in August, visitor numbers at CairnGorm Mountain have been well ahead of forecast with more than 8,100 visitors travelling on the mountain railway during the best week that the company has recorded since the full range of visitor attractions opened in June of last year. Visitor numbers for the current month – when compared with August 2002 - are up by an astonishing 26.7%.
Ends
Further information from
BILL NOLAN
Tel: 07885 071804
|
