InWales campaign: This is Wales. Share Yours…
This week we embark on our first ever integrated digital campaign aimed specifically at the people of Wales and we’re calling on your help to make it a success. This is Wales. Share yours… is a bold initiative inviting the people of Wales to share ‘their Wales’ with the rest of the world and showcase you or your friends /family at those special places that make Wales such an amazing place to live, visit, work and play. There is even an opportunity to be featured in our ads, as a selection of the best images shared on social will be part of the next phase of the campaign.
Get involved - it’s easy!
It’s Year of Discovery and the perfect time to re-discover places from your childhood, or discover a new corner of Wales you haven’t visited before. We’d like as many of you as possible to get involved. We’d love you to share your images of your Wales with us – and tell us what makes it so special to you? Where do you like to spend your weekends in Wales? Where’s your favourite beach, pub or dog walk? Let us know by capturing these special moments in Wales and tag us #thisismywales on Instagram or Pinterest.
We’ll be tracking what’s shared and selecting the best images to use within our digital ads for the next phase of the campaign (subject to your permission). Keep in touch with us on social media and keep an eye out in the press for more news of our campaign.
Why are we doing this?
The in-Wales market is especially important to us. In 2017 there were 1.47m overnight stays by Welsh residents staying in Wales. That is 16% of all overnight trips taken in Wales by GB residents. The spend on these trips was £228 million.
In addition, there were 62 million tourism day visits taken in Wales by welsh residents. This is 63% of all day trips taken in Wales. The expenditure on these trips was £2.21 billion.
UK and Ireland
March will see the main marketing push across the rest of the UK of the multi-media international campaign on the theme of discovery in Wales.
The TV and video on demand advertising campaign will start from 1 March 2019 onwards and will feature Welsh actor Luke Evans in a new version of our campaign film, re-purposed and refreshed to align with our new campaign, with additional Year of Discovery films available on video on demand. We are also running digital campaigns and advertising in targeted publications - such as Lonely Planet, In the Moment, Simple Things, Walk, Country Walking, National Trust – with advertorials in the Evening Standard on 1 March and the Guardian.
Also look out for our outdoor advertising in London from end of February and during Wales Week in London at key stations including Waterloo, Liverpool Street and Victoria. We’re also at other key cities with digital displays in Birmingham and Manchester promoting the Wales brand approach.
The campaign in Ireland will launch in March targeting Dublin and Cork areas specifically with video on demand and TV taking place throughout March (11 – 31 March) and radio ads (11 – 31 March). To complement our main campaign we are working with Stena Line and Irish Ferries on two separate joint campaigns.
Wales will have a large stand presence with 14 partners at the British Tourism & Travel Show (BTTS) on the 20 & 21 March.
Europe
In Germany, the campaign includes media buying with Geo, Die Zeit, Outdooractive, Brigitte and Laviva and partnership activity that has been running since January with P&O, VisitBritain and Globetrotter. There is also campaign activity with key travel trade brands including TUI, Dertour and Wikinger Reisen. Visit Wales will exhibit at ITB Berlin in March with 4 Wales partners.
A partnership with KLM targeting Southern Germany and The Netherlands is promoting newly developed KLM/Wales bookable products. The campaign launched in November, with fortnightly campaign adverts since December promoting the packages as well as Wales exhibiting at Vakantiebeurs in January. Press trips, advertorials and a Wales destination website are part of the campaign.
A partnership with TripAdvisor targeting U.K., Ireland, Germany and the U.S. begins this month.
North America & beyond
The programme targeting travel trade intermediaries is ongoing, with key events and familiarisation visits being delivered. A Gateway Partnership with Marketing Manchester and Virgin Atlantic, mostly focused around travel trade development, continues until the end of March.
We are delivering partnership activity in conjunction with Qatar Airways targeting Asia Pacific markets, primarily Australia, China and Japan. We are working closely with Marketing Manchester targeting the Chinese market.
PR – Media Relations
The last few weeks have seen some great coverage for Wales. A 9 page spread in Delta Airlines magazine “Sky” which reaches upwards of 6 million travellers, not only on flights but in airport lounges and online; features in Discover Britain (“Little Things-St Davids”); The Times (“A Good Walk” – Table Mountain, Crickhowell); The Guardian (“Get Away with You” – Caer Rhun Hall. Conwy) and Inspiring Walking Holidays for 2019 – Wales Coast Path Walking Festival, Year of Discovery).
In addition, BBC’s The Travel Show (70 million viewers worldwide) filmed in St Davids in January as part of a feature which is due to air in early March. This was a result of the continued goal to reveal the authentic, unique stories of Wales’ communities to inspire visitors. The segment will explore the story of artist Grahame Hurd Wood and his project to paint individual portraits of every resident of St Davids.
Year of Discovery Industry Guide and Content
More information is available about our Year of Discovery here and during our industry roadshows we shared plans for our marketing themes, gave you a flavour of the campaign creative and the content calendar for the year which can be viewed here. Don’t forget to take a look at our practical guide to the Year of Discovery which explains how you can get involved.
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