Press release 9 October 2015
NEW TOURISM WEBSITE FOR SALISBURY
9 October 2015
A new tourism website for Salisbury has been launched this week - ww.visitsalisbury.co.uk
This single destination website is a channel site of www.visitwiltshire.co.uk which was refreshed with its new-look design and functionality earlier this year.
The website has been developed as part a new partnership between VisitWiltshire and Salisbury BID. This ongoing digital development programme encompasses state-of-the-art technology together with interactive elements making it user-friendly for all devices from smartphones to super desktops.
The new Salisbury consumer website features full detailed profiles for VisitWiltshire’s Salisbury and surrounding area partners and directory listings for BID levy payers, promoting them all via a single portal. This will also filter through onto the Visit Salisbury app in the future.
The website design is in keeping with the Salisbury BID and VisitWiltshire branding and functionality, including enhanced itinerary planning and what’s on sections.
Salisbury marketing activity will be integrated and aligned in partnership with VisitWiltshire and Salisbury BID in order to drive visitor traffic to www.visitsalisbury.co.uk.
Fiona Errington, VisitWiltshire’s Marketing Manager says, “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Salisbury BID. This will give us a coordinated approach of tactical campaign activity which will drive consumers to the new website ensuring a cohesive trackable, results-driven approach. The website will continue to improve Salisbury’s competitive position and regain market share in order to grow tourism to the area.
“This project is part of VisitWiltshire’s strategic objective to build digital engagement, increasing unique visitor numbers to over 1.5 million per annum. The new Salisbury channel site will contribute to us achieving this target,” she added.
The new ‘fully responsive’ website offers users an integrated platform about Salisbury - including events, activities, food and drink, bookable accommodation, shopping, arts and culture, special offers, inspirational ideas, and advice on planning a visit and a business services directory.
Kat Salmon, from Salisbury BID says “We are delighted with the new website as it offers all our levy payers a digital platform to market their businesses to their customers, ensuring those without their own websites a digital presence. We’re excited that the website will benefit both the local community as well as visitors, who will be able find out about everything going on in the city, alongside information about all the local businesses.”
VisitWiltshire’s first joint marketing campaign is ‘Christmas in Salisbury’, with three partners, Salisbury BID, VisitWiltshire and Salisbury City Council. There will be a range of online and offline activity pushing visitors to www.visitsalisbury.co.uk/christmas to find out more.
VisitWiltshire is interested to hear from any other towns in Wiltshire to develop further channel sites following this new model.
For further information or to arrange a press visit please contact Florence Wallace, Travel Trade & PR Manager, flowallace@visitwiltshire.co.uk Tel: 01722 341309 or 07436 588860
Notes to editors:
Images for Salisbury can be downloaded from our Flickr gallery via this link https://www.flickr.com/gp/129320754@N03/76H4tY. 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.
VisitWiltshire
VisitWiltshire was established in August 2011 and is the official Tourist Board for Wiltshire representing o ver 600 partners. It is a public/private sector membership organisation with our main funder being Wiltshire Council. 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.
Salisbury BID
Salisbury’s Business improvement District (BID) is an arrangement whereby businesses come together as an ideal mechanism to form and develop a dynamic business environment and decide which improvements they feel could be made in their area. Salisbury BID has a 5 year term after which it will apply for a renewal. Funded by approximately 550 businesses within Salisbury City Centre paying a 1.5% levy based on their rateable value, businesses voted in favour of becoming a bid towards the end of 2013 and the BID came into operation in April of 2014. The BID is a not for profit company with a Board of 17 directors who are levy payers. They oversee the company and BID activities with funds of over £2,000,000 over five years.