American airline US Airways has hailed the success of a summer marketing campaign with Scottish tourism partners that has seen a marked rise in sales for their daily flight from Philadelphia to Glasgow Airport.
The American airline saw a 10% increase in seat sales during July, and strong sales continued this month. The airline praised the contribution to their success made by a six-week marketing campaign in the US by VisitScotland with Glasgow City Marketing Bureau.
The campaign was devised by VisitScotland to attract increased leisure visitors to Glasgow and Scotland during the peak summer period. Campaign ads enticed passengers with shots of Kelvingrove, iconic Charles Rennie Mackintosh attractions and powerful images of Highland landscapes, whisky and world-famous golf courses.
Glasgow City Marketing Bureau also invested in the campaign, bringing the Glasgow: Scotland with style message to potential US visitors.
Local tourism businesses got on board by offering the various elements of a luxury prize for a ‘sweepstakes’ promotion. Visitors to a promotional web site registered to win a five-star trip to Glasgow with prize elements contributed by:
- Glasgow Hilton,
- Arisaig restaurant,
- Cameron House’s Carrick golf course,
- Northern Yacht Charter,
- Auchentoshan Distillery,
- Mackintosh attractions
- and The Hampden Experience.
The activity attracted 20,000 visitors to the campaign web site, with 12,500 of them entering the sweepstakes.
Valerie Wunder, US Airways associate manager of media relations, said:
“Our customers love the beauty and heritage of Scotland, and our partnership with VisitScotland, Glasgow City Marketing Bureau and BAA makes travel to Scotland easier than ever.
“The partnership is paying dividends as well: customer bookings on US Airways were up 10 per cent in July and continue strong through August,” she said.
VisitScotland is the organisation responsible for attracting leisure tourism to Glasgow. Tom McWilliam, VisitScotland’s area director for Glasgow, said:
“I’m delighted at the success of the Philadelphia route and the part played by our campaign which, as US Airways has recognised, was the product of a strong partnership amongst tourism bodies in Glasgow.
“I see these great results as a direct outcome of that partnership and our wider tourism industry, which is completely committed to making a success of routes into Glasgow,” he said.
Scott Taylor, chief executive of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, said:
"The Glasgow: Scotland with style brand is having increasing impact in North America. We are delighted to have played a part in achieving these excellent results."
Gordon Dewar, managing director of Glasgow Airport, added:
“The success of US Airways is really encouraging. This is their fourth summer at Glasgow Airport and we’re really delighted to see the service perform so well.
“Philadelphia is a fantastic city in its own right, very like Glasgow in many respects, and an important hub for onward travel connections. Despite the strong pound, it continues to draw American visitors to Scotland, and for US-bound travellers it’s an affordable and convenient way to travel to the States.
“BAA Scotland has supported the route as part of its £95 million route development. Given the success of the route this summer, it represents money well spent,” he said.
