Press release 14 July 2015
VISITWILTSHIRE HOLDS FIRST EVER INSTAMEET
14 July 2015
VisitWiltshire is taking the world of social media by storm as it holds its first ever Instameet on Saturday 18 July, 11am at Bowood House & Gardens, near Calne.
Since Instagram has become so popular, people now meet up to connect, take photos and inspire one another in these real-world meetups. With more than 1,000 Instameets in over 70 different countries now taking place, Wiltshire is up there with the best!
This is a joint initiative with Igerswiltshire network, and is attracting Instagrammers from all over the county and surrounding areas. People will be meeting up to take photos and videos in order to connect, explore and celebrate the beauty of Wiltshire.
The event is a great way to showcase the county with excellent photography from many different perspectives. Over 30 Instagrammers are booked to attend with additional spaces for further Instagrammers available (Bowood House & Gardens offer day tickets prices at £11 per adult). Don’t be fooled into thinking you have to be a professional photographer, as the event welcomes people using a digital camera, smart phone or even an iPad!
VisitWiltshire’s Digital and Online Executive, Emma Kirkup says, “We are extremely excited about our first ever Instameet at Bowood. It’s a picturesque location for this type of activity and we will be working on joint Instameet projects at other venues in the future. It is a great way to promote Wiltshire and encourage visitors to stop, stay and explore our beautiful county.”
VisitWiltshire was ranked number one earlier this year, in the first English Tourism Social Media Index, produced by social media agency Umpf. This is a league table which grades 126 regional tourism bodies in England according to social media performance by their official channels. VisitWiltshire topped the table, with Visit Cornwall ranking 2nd and VisitLondon 3rd.
Chris Waddell, Igerswiltshire said “We are delighted to be working in partnership with VisitWiltshire for their first ever Instameet. Wiltshire is a fantastic destination as its beautiful landscape and historic attractions provide amazing visual content which is perfect for photography.”
VisitEngland’s Head of Digital Marketing, Alison Lewis-Jones said “VisitEngland are always keen to support destinations with their social media activity, connecting and sharing information where possible and it’s great to see the work VisitWiltshire is doing to appeal and engage with an online audience”
To get involved:
• Visit Bowood House & Gardens – Sat 18 July 11am – plus Bowood are offering a prize for the best photograph www.bowood.org.uk
• Post your pictures on Instagram @visitwiltshire and @igerswiltshire – see the activity and use #timeforwiltshire
• Follow us on Twitter @VisitWiltshire
• Like us on Facebook
For further information or to arrange a press visit contact Florence Wallace, PR Manager, flowallace@visitwiltshire.co.uk or tel. 01722 341309 or 07436 588860.
Note to editors:
Established in August 2011, VisitWiltshire is the official Tourist Board for Wiltshire. It is a private sector membership organisation representing over 600 partners. VisitWiltshire's priority is to grow the county's Visitor Economy by raising awareness of the destination and generating additional tourism visits and spend. Wiltshire's Visitor Economy currently generates an estimated £1.5billion and supports over 28,000 jobs.
Images for VisitWiltshire’s Time for Wiltshire album are available via this link: https://www.flickr.com/gp/129320754@N03/p6Y491 Photos may be used in print and/or online for the promotion of tourism to Wiltshire and any photos used must be credited to www.visitwiltshire.co.uk, unless otherwise stated in the title of the photo. Full terms and conditions can be found here