An ambitious marketing project to attract winter leisure breaks to the Isle of Islay has taken its first step with the launch of a promotional website for the island, www.DiscoverIslay.com 

The site will form the basis of a programme of activity to increase Islay’s international reputation as a quality Scottish holiday destination, with particular emphasis on developing the winter season, when there is greater capacity in the island’s accommodation.

Using stunning photography, the new site illustrates the overall campaign’s focus on Islay’s credentials as a unique, high-quality destination for walking, cycling, bird-watching, wildlife and fishing, as well as capitalising on the island’s outstanding whisky distilleries and hidden gems such as the Machrie championship links golf course.

There is also a section on genealogy, which will develop to allow visitors to the site to request a report on retracing the ancestors’ footsteps.

The launch was celebrated at a reception at the island’s Columba Centre earlier this week, attended by constituent tourism businesses in the Discover Islay consortium leading the project.

The VisitScotland Challenge Fund supported Discover Islay with 40 per cent of the project’s total £17,000 budget for its first year.