Business Opportunities: Edinburgh – A World Heritage City
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Business Opportunities: Edinburgh – A World Heritage City
Contents > 1
Introduction
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What is World Heritage status?
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Who are our visitors?
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Opportunities for businesses
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Next Steps – What are you going to do?
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Links and other resources
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Edinburgh is a uniquely beautiful architectural wonder recognised as world-class in 1995 when the Old and New Towns were given UNESCO World Heritage status. On a par with Machu Picchu and the Great Wall of China the history of our city is a major draw for visitors from all over the world. This guide has been prepared to give businesses in Edinburgh a greater insight into how we can use this worldwide brand recognition as a promotional tool to attract more visitors. Enjoy reading, it’s full of practical hints and tips to help you take advantage of Edinburgh’s greatest asset – its extraordinary built heritage. Robin Worsnop, Chair, ETAG
Edinburgh’s unique and captivating history is intrinsic to the appeal of this wonderful city. So many fascinating tales of the past are told through the rich diversity of the built heritage within Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site (WHS) – a combination of the medieval Old Town and Georgian New Town. Edinburgh World Heritage, a charity funded by the City of Edinburgh Council and Historic Scotland, has been charged with the role of protecting, conserving and promoting Edinburgh’s WHS. We know that designation as a WHS plays a pivotal role in the marketing of the city as an attractive place to live, work, visit or invest, and that Edinburgh’s tourism industry can use this status as a way to attract more visitors. This guide provides relevant insights and tips that can show you how to use Edinburgh’s wonderful history as a powerful backdrop that can help you grow your business. We have a number of resources available to support businesses and look forward to working with you. David Hicks, Edinburgh World Heritage
Did you know? There are five other guides about different aspects of Edinburgh tourism, which may complement some of the information you find in this resource. Tourism in Edinburgh – Key Figures, Delivering Visitor Experiences, Edinburgh At Night, Edinburgh’s Festival Visitors and Edinburgh’s Calendar of Events 2011 are available to download from www.etag.org.uk.
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Business Opportunities: Edinburgh – A World Heritage City
>1 Introduction Machu Picchu, Stonehenge, the Old City of Jerusalem, the Pyramids of Giza, the Statue of Liberty, the Grand Canyon, the Tower of London, India’s Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef… and Edinburgh’s Old and New Towns Every popular visitor destination around the world has a unique, stand-out quality that gives it an edge over competitors. For example, Dubai has its nouveau Arab architecture; Miami its fantastic beaches; Singapore its shopping and dining; and Las Vegas its infamous nightlife. Edinburgh, too, has its own distinct appeal for visitors: its rich history. In fact, the Edinburgh Visitor Survey reported that the history of the city is the reason why nearly three quarters of our visitors come here. When the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995, there came a wealth of new opportunities for tourism businesses to raise their own business profile. The status provides a ‘quality assurance’ and point of distinction that will resonate with visitors and attract them to the city. Have you ever stopped to think about how Edinburgh’s rich history could impact your bottom line? The benefits of WHS status for tourism: > WHS designation has value as a marketing or quality brand, so businesses can use it as a ‘quality assurance’ for visitors > It can be used to enhance a destination’s visitor profile. According to the World Heritage Status report, WHS status can attract higher spending cultural visitors > It reinforces a destination image, focusing on its uniqueness, authenticity, distinct sense of place, depth of identity and culture Many of us may take our glorious built heritage in Edinburgh for granted. How many times have you walked along Princes Street without glancing up at the dramatic Castle scenes? Have you rushed through Fishmarket Close without realising it was once the home of the City Hangman? Or perhaps you have hurried to work through Charlotte Square unaware that you are in a classically designed 18th century cityscape, a Robert Adam masterpiece of world standing? It is important to remember that, though we can enjoy these sites every day, visitors are willing to travel across the globe for the opportunity to be immersed in Edinburgh’s preserved history. Tourism businesses can benefit from this compelling draw by thinking about how to use it to enhance their own offering.
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Business Opportunities: Edinburgh – A World Heritage City
>2 What is World Heritage status? Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site
From the map we can see the scale of the area that the World Heritage Site encompasses. The Royal Mile and Princes Street are currently the visitor hotspots, but look at how many more areas are not being fully explored. For example visitors rarely go to Dean Village or the Water of Leith. Tell your visitors about beautiful spots like this that may be slightly off the beaten track.
© Streetwise Orientation & Navigation Systems Ltd, 2010. All rights reserved.
Edinburgh has the WHS factor There are currently five World Heritage Sites in Scotland – St Kilda, Heart of Neolithic Orkney, The Antonine Wall, New Lanark, and Edinburgh’s Old and New Towns. Many people think that just Edinburgh Castle or the Edinburgh Old Town is a World Heritage Site, but the New Town is also a big part of our WHS designation. The fact that it is called ‘New’ is rather misleading because it was actually built in the late 18th and 19th centuries and retains numerous sites of historical significance. Edinburgh’s city centre was inscribed because of the exceptional quality and contrast in architecture and streetscape between the medieval Old Town and Georgian New Town. It is also noted for the considerable scale of the designated area – it covers some 4½ sq km and over 75% of the building stock within it is listed for its architectural or historical importance. Other historic British cities such as York, Chester or Durham don’t have the benefit of this UNESCO WHS accreditation. In fact, we have double honours – Edinburgh has also achieved designation as the first UNESCO City of Literature.
Did you know? It is possible to walk for a mile through the Georgian New Town and see only Category A listed buildings on your route. Go to www.ewht.org.uk for more information about historical walks you can suggest to your visitors. 4
Business Opportunities: Edinburgh – A World Heritage City
>2 What is World Heritage status? Five reasons why WHS status is important for Edinburgh 1 It proves that Edinburgh is in the ‘premier league’ of world attractions – a destination with a revered preserved history 2 It unites an unusually large area (the whole of Edinburgh City Centre, incorporating both the Old and New Town), creating a powerful product that can be marketed as one 3 WHS status is a quality indicator that can be used for marketing to visitors around the world
Edinburgh Ranks in TripAdvisor Members’ Top Ten www.tripadvisor.com, the world's largest online community of travellers, and UNESCO launched a partnership to raise awareness of World Heritage among TripAdvisor’s member community, and also receive feedback about how travellers engage with Heritage Sites. The historic heart of Edinburgh was rated the world's fifth ‘most recommended’ World Heritage Site (out of 800 Sites) in a poll of almost 250,000 TripAdvisor members! It placed ahead of the Old Town of Venice, the works of Gaudi in Barcelona and the palace of Westminster in London. Adam Wilkinson, director of Edinburgh World Heritage said, “This is fantastic news and proves that the Old and New Towns are a unique must-see destination. This vote provides further proof of just how important the World Heritage Site is to the economy of the city, and how efforts to preserve and promote it are key to Edinburgh's future success.”
4 As reported in the World Heritage Status report, 41% of visitors to Edinburgh are aware that Edinburgh is a World Heritage Site, so the brand can be used as a hook for visitors 5 The Edinburgh Visitor Survey shows that 17% of all visitors think that Edinburgh’s World Heritage status influenced their choice to come here. This figure is even higher for the 55+ market, at 21% or one in five. This is a substantial target market that could be grown further
Top Tips • Always keep our rich heritage in your mind when you are thinking about ideas and activities that might appeal to your visitors – it provides a distinct added value. • Do you have a view of the Edinburgh skyline, Old or New Town? Promote it in your marketing materials as a unique selling point. • Tell your visitors about lesser-visited areas, such as Bakehouse Close or Dunbar’s Close, or quieter areas of the New Town. It will make them feel like they have enjoyed something ‘secret’ and special, away from the main tourist trail.
Did you know? Edinburgh has the highest concentration of listed buildings anywhere in the UK. In total there are over 1,600 listed buildings in the World Heritage Site, of which 656 are category A. 5
Business Opportunities: Edinburgh – A World Heritage City
>2 What is World Heritage status? Come on a Tour... Edinburgh emerged largely untouched by the Industrial Revolution and escaped major war damage, holding on to its rare authentic character and strong physical identity. Most historic buildings survive in their original form and there are many whole streets and frontages of category A listed buildings, such as Moray Place, Queen Street and The Canongate.
The Old Town >
Characterised by a medieval fishbone street pattern of narrow closes, wynds and courts
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Contains picturesque 16th and 17th century merchants’ and nobles’ houses such as the early 17th century restored mansion house of Gladstone’s Land
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Edinburgh Castle, which is built atop a dormant volcano outcrop, is Scotland's most visited site
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The Royal Mile boasted the world's first skyscrapers with tenements soaring high above the Royal Mile and even higher from Cockburn Street. Much of the street is built on top of older streets and closes, some now opened up to explore
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The world-famous Mound linking the Old Town and New Town is an artificial hill begun in 1783. It contains 1,501,000 cartloads of earth from the foundations of Princes Street
The New Town >
Georgian development constructed between 1767 and 1890, representing a complete break with the urban form of the old city
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Disciplined palace fronted facades in local sandstone creating a regular pattern of stately streets, squares and crescents
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St. Giles Street was the name originally planned for Princes Street – until George III heard about it and lost his temper, saying that it reminded English people of the most disreputable parts of London
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The original plan for the New Town, drawn in 1766, resembled the Union Jack with one central square and the principal streets radiating off it. It was subsequently altered before construction work began
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The Nor Loch, which for centuries had acted as a Northern defence for the Castle and once a picturesque lake, had over the years become an open, stinking sewer. It was drained in 1759 to create Princes Street Gardens
Surrounding areas >
The city’s special character is also associated with its villages and stone built Victorian tenements and villa suburbs, which form many of its 39 conservation areas
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Both the Old and New Town are complemented by the dramatic scenery which can be enjoyed from around the city, including the iconic Arthur’s Seat
If you remember one thing… Even if your business is outside the World Heritage Site zone, you can still use the magical history of the city to promote your business. Many businesses are just a short bus ride or an easy walk away. 6
Business Opportunities: Edinburgh – A World Heritage City
>2 What is World Heritage status? Marketing our World Heritage City Edinburgh’s built heritage is a key part of the city’s marketing campaign. However, few tourism businesses use Edinburgh’s World Heritage status within their promotional materials and the businesses that do tend to focus solely on the Old Town. Could you give your business a competitive advantage by using Edinburgh’s World Heritage designation – both the Old and New Towns – as a promotional tool?
If you remember one thing… Visitors want to hear about our authentic, ‘untouched’ history. Ensure they know about how much there is to do and see here, and how many sites of historical significance are just a stone’s throw from the next.
How are others promoting Edinburgh’s WHS status? > TravelRepublic.co.uk, a UK based independent travel agent, cites ‘Discover the delights of this World Heritage Site’ as its number one activity in Edinburgh. “Choose Edinburgh because Scotland’s Capital City, known as the ‘Athens of the North’, has one of the most beautiful cityscapes in the world dominated by Scotland’s most famous castle.” > Gallia Tours, a niche European tour operator in Belgium sells the historical beauty of the city. “Even from afar, the silhouette of the city impresses with its castle perched high on a rock, overlooking Princes Street. The Georgian New Town is a fine example of 18th century architecture.”
Top Tips • Stay one step ahead of competitors by looking at what businesses in or near other World Heritage Sites around the world are doing. Is there an idea that would work for you? Look at Pitchup.com for example, a website of camping and caravan sites where you can search specifically for sites near World Heritage destinations. Go to www.pitchup.com/activities/category/world-heritage. • There is a World Heritage Day each year on 18th April. Could be this be a key opportunity to target culture visitors? • Why not suggest places for afternoon tea that have historical significance e.g. National Trust Charlotte Square or The Scotsman Hotel? • Why not take your visitors back in time and have your staff dress in historical outfits for a themed weekend?
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Business Opportunities: Edinburgh – A World Heritage City
>3 Who are our visitors?
Edinburgh’s World Heritage status will interest a broad range of people as there are so many different elements to its appeal – whether that be walking around the New Town to enjoy the architecture, staying in a hotel that is housed in an historic building on the Royal Mile, or enjoying a meal in an atmospheric setting with views of the city skyline. It is most effective, therefore, to see Edinburgh’s World Heritage status as a wonderful backdrop to the product or service you offer. It provides a unique added value that, if you market it correctly, can make your business stand out from the competition and attract more visitors.
Knowing the Market The TIS Knowing our Markets…Scotland’s Visitors guide, available to download from www.tourism-intelligence.co.uk, provides a picture of who our visitors to Scotland are, and therefore Edinburgh too. A key difference that the Edinburgh Visitor Survey highlights for us is that Edinburgh attracts an unusually high proportion of young visitors compared to Scotland’s overall visitor market – which is possibly related to Edinburgh’s status as a city break destination.
Edinburgh visitor profile snapshot > 41% of all visitors to Edinburgh are aged under 35, which is a high proportion of young visitors > An overwhelming majority (89%) visit without children under 16 years > 55% of all visitors are from overseas, 34% from England, and 8% from Scotland. However, 59% of day visitors are from Scotland > The average combined visitor group size is 4.6 > The top three activities leisure visitors enjoyed in 2009/10 were walking around the city (94%), shopping (76%) and visiting attractions (71%) The following visitor types have been identified as the key Edinburgh UK visitor groups. By recognising which types of visitors are attracted to your business, you can also use these descriptions to tailor offers and products to that particular segment: Warm 1 – Affluent Southern Explorers
Cold 1 – Southern Travel Junkies
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Live in South of UK – London, South, Midlands
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Live in South of UK (Midlands & below)
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Above average household income
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Above average household income
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Like to explore and be adventurous when holidaying
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Enjoy holidays as a means to escape busy lives
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Have strong connections with Scotland
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Have a relatively weak relationship with Scotland
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High internet usage
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Very confident users of the internet
Warm 2 – Younger Domestic Explorers
Cold 2 – Northern ‘Sometimers’
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Live throughout the UK
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Live in Scotland and the North of England
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Above average household income
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Slightly below average household income
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Segment most likely to have children
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Believe it’s easier to plan a holiday abroad
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Strong advocates of holidays in UK
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Often visit familiar destinations
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Frequent users of internet and social networking
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Like to eat/drink/lie in the sun
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Business Opportunities: Edinburgh – A World Heritage City
>3 Who are our visitors? Why do visitors come to Edinburgh? Latest figures from the Edinburgh Visitor Survey show that the history of Edinburgh influenced a significant 71% of visitors in their decision to come here. It is consistently the number one reason why people choose to visit Edinburgh, and has shown continued growth over the past few years.
What are visitors most impressed by? All visitors Architecture/buildings
82%
Beautiful/picturesque setting
73%
Castle
71%
Old Town
69%
Historic town/buildings
63%
Atmosphere/ambiance
62%
Everything is in walking distance
61%
Views
56%
Plenty to do and see
54%
Friendly/helpful people
52%
What do visitors want to do? As World Heritage visitors cannot be classed as any one type of visitor, it is best to consider the main activities that are enjoyed by Edinburgh’s visitors and then think about how you can offer that in combination with a built heritage experience. For example, nearly every visitor to Edinburgh enjoys walking around the city. Could you provide walking tours or itineraries taking visitors from your door to an attractive destination, by way of some of the beautiful streets in the World Heritage area? > If you are based in the New Town, could you suggest an interesting walk to the Royal Botanic Gardens, passing Queen Street Gardens and Robert Louis Stevenson’s House en route? > As shopping is another keen interest for visitors, what about a picturesque walk to the boutiques of William Street or St Stephen Street? > Could you suggest a walk to a restaurant or bar? Perhaps you could collaborate with a pub to offer special deals to your customers who take your walking route to that destination.
If you remember one thing… When your visitors are exploring Edinburgh, it’s about the journey, not just the attraction at the end. By providing them with an interesting route, they can enjoy the sights along the way.
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Business Opportunities: Edinburgh – A World Heritage City
>3 Who are our visitors? Edinburgh’s WHS, particularly the Old Town is home to the most visited attractions in the city including, amongst others, Edinburgh Castle and The National Museum of Scotland. However don’t forget the abundance of other attractions and activities across the WHS. It is these hidden gems that will attract your repeat visitors and make them feel like they have experienced new and secret parts of the city. For example: • The Georgian House • West End Village and William Street with its boutique shops
If you remember one thing… Don’t take Edinburgh’s enchanting history for granted. Visitors to Edinburgh can step out of your front door into a captivating World Heritage Site – are you telling them about it?
• St Andrews Square and Charlotte Square • The plethora of small pubs and restaurants tucked away in the New Town • The Dean and Modern Art Galleries, and The Water of Leith • The shops and pubs in the Grassmarket and Victoria Street
Top Tips • 94% of leisure visitors enjoy walking around Edinburgh, so why not create tailored walks from your business to some of the city’s top sites? You could also tell them about good photo vantage points along the way. • Consider what methods you should use to communicate Edinburgh’s WHS to your visitors. The Edinburgh Visitor Survey shows that two thirds of visitors used the internet to find information about Edinburgh (especially www.visitscotland.com and www.edinburgh.org), and nearly half used guidebooks. Make sure you have an attractive website that describes the beauty of the WHS and find out which websites and guidebooks your business can be promoted through. • Sell it. We have a living, breathing history on our doorsteps and if you communicate that to visitors they will be more likely to visit and come back. Talk about the ‘hidden, secret wynds’, ‘picturesque walks along cobbled streets at dusk’, ‘misty, quiet mornings in the Grassmarket’. Think about what would capture your imagination.
Did you know? Sedan chairmen were essential guides through the warren of closes and wynds in Edinburgh. The smallest listed building in the World Heritage Site is an 18th century sedan chair storehouse in Tweeddale Court off the High Street.
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Business Opportunities: Edinburgh – A World Heritage City
> 4 Opportunities for businesses Every tourism business in Edinburgh has the opportunity to benefit from the city’s World Heritage Site designation. All you have to do is to actively communicate information about the WHS to inform and enthuse your visitors – after all, it is the history and built heritage of the city that attracts most of our visitors and it is more than likely what will make them want to come back. The best results come from targeted and coordinated efforts. What are you going to do differently?
Apex Hotel, Waterloo Place – History e-brochure To mark the recent redevelopment of their Waterloo Place hotel, Apex Hotels has created an e-brochure showcasing the stories behind this historical property. Beautifully put together, it features original ads and excerpts from newspaper reports from when the hotel first opened in 1819. Historical photography gives visitors a feel of what the city looked like, details of city life give them a taste of the social atmosphere in the 1800s, and stories about famous visitors give the hotel that exciting, aspirational quality. Apex felt it was important to show how, from the original design and brand ethos, the hotel has been fully restored to its former glory, and they have received excellent feedback. http://content.yudu.com/A17rui/apex-wp-history/ resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.apexhotels.co.uk%2Fe-brochures%2F
World Heritage Day
What are others doing?
International World Heritage Day is celebrated at World Heritage Sites across the world every year on 18th April, to raise awareness of the diversity of the world’s cultural and natural heritage. Why not collaborate with other local businesses to do evening packages on World Heritage Day to include dinner and a heritage walk? Or what about holding an event on World Heritage Day that you promote to visitors in advance?
A number of tourism businesses in Orkney use the designation of Neolithic Orkney as a hook for visitors, simply by weaving the message about the World Heritage status into their marketing materials. One B&B describes the area: “Designated as a World Heritage Site, Orkney is rich in history dating from the Stone Age to the Picts and Vikings. You can visit standing stones, underground tombs and ancient brochs. There's so much to see and do that even after a week's holiday, you'll still want to come back for more!” And another: “If you're looking to get away from it all, we're surrounded by both nature and ancient history. 5-star luxury self-catering accommodation in a peaceful rural setting – right in the heart of Orkney's Neolithic heartland – a World Heritage Site.”
How will you paint the picture of the World Heritage history on your doorstep?
Did you know? Robert Fergusson, who wrote the famous poem ‘Auld Reekie’ in 1772, died at just 24 from a head injury. He was buried in the Canongate Kirkyard in an umarked grave. Robert Burns, greatly influenced by Fergusson's poetry, paid for a headstone to be made in 1787. A memorial to Fergusson was erected in 2007, and stands outside Canongate Kirkyard.
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Business Opportunities: Edinburgh – A World Heritage City
> 4 Opportunities for businesses Working with Edinburgh World Heritage What is Edinburgh World Heritage (EWH)?
Edinburgh World Heritage protects and conserves Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site. Another key part of its focus is to build awareness, both locally and among visitors to Scotland. They have a number of resources to help tourism businesses to maximise the impact of the ‘Edinburgh World Heritage’ brand in their business.
Marketing contact
David Hicks, Communications Manager Email davidhicks@ewht.org.uk Web www.ewht.org.uk
How they can help
> Resources • Find out about the history of your building Does your building, street or neighbourhood have an interesting story that would capture the imaginations of your visitors? EWH have an archive with a wealth of information about the history that lies hidden behind our facades. Contact them to see if they have any relevant information for your business. • EWH Newsletter Sign up to receive the regular Edinburgh World Heritage newsletter to keep up to date with the latest information that will be relevant for your visitors. • Information leaflets Edinburgh World Heritage prints 60,000 leaflets about Edinburgh’s World Heritage City status and these are distributed by EAE to hotels, key visitor attractions, city galleries, airport TIC, and Waverley station. Contact EWH if you would like to receive copies for your guests. • Themed initiatives Each year EWH promotes a themed campaign to provide a focused message about an element of our built heritage. In 2011 the theme will be ‘Athens of the North’ focusing on a trail from Calton Hill to Dean Galleries, interpreting the New Town and classical architecture. This may include materials that tourism businesses could provide to their visitors with maps and interesting facts. • Conservation projects EWH provides grants for a number of conservation projects in the city that might be of interest to visitors, such as the newly repaired Burns monument on Calton Hill. Would your visitors be interested in seeing new restorations like these? > Promotions support • World Heritage Logo The official UNESCO World Heritage logo can be used as a promotional tool by public buildings, e.g. attractions such as National Museums of Scotland, National Galleries of Scotland, Palace of Holyrood House, and National Libraries of Scotland. Private businesses have the option of using the words ‘World Heritage Site’ when referring to the city centre of Edinburgh on marketing materials or using Edinburgh World Heritage’s own logo. Contact them for details.
Top Tips • People love stories. Can you tell the stories of your building or street? Who lived there, what happened there? Contact EWH to see what is available in the archives. • Feature more scenic historic shots online to show off the beautiful heritage of the city. Contact EWH for access to free images. • Promote the fact that you are in or near a World Heritage Site on your website. Public organisations can use the UNESCO logo; private businesses should opt for the Edinburgh World Heritage logo or the wording ‘World Heritage Site’.
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Business Opportunities: Edinburgh – A World Heritage City
> 4 Opportunities for businesses Reaching Edinburgh’s Key Market Think about fun and engaging ways to bring our city’s history to life. People connect with stories more than with facts, so perhaps some of the ideas below would grab your visitors’ attention… > Film and TV locations Promote your proximity to these well-known film and TV locations. Look at www.edinfilm.com/filming/filmed_here for more information. • Burke and Hare Filmed in Old Fishmarket Close in the Old Town • Hallam Foe Filmed at locations including the Caledonian Hotel, City Art Centre, Cockburn Street • Rebus Various city centre locations including The Vennel, Candlemaker Row, Museum of Scotland, the Scottish Parliament Holyrood, Victoria Street and Terrace • The Adventures of Greyfriar’s Bobby (2005) Filmed at Edinburgh Castle, Greyfriar's Graveyard, St Cuthbert's Graveyard, Arthur's Seat, in the Old Town in Bakehouse Close, Niddrie Street, Candlemaker Row and The Vennel, and in McEwan Hall • The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Filmed at Donaldson's School for the Deaf (now Edinburgh Academy) on Henderson Row • Braveheart Filmed in Edinburgh Council Chamber, High Street • Trainspotting Filmed at various locations including Princes Street • Shallow Grave Filmed in the New Town in Heriot Row, Great King Street and Drummond Place, St Vincent Street and North East Circus Place > Literature Edinburgh is also a UNESCO City of Literature and there are a number of historical and modern day authors with ties to the city that will resonate with visitors e.g. • J K Rowling – wrote in The Elephant House Café on George IV Bridge • Ian Rankin – infamous character Rebus drank in The Oxford Bar • Arthur Conan Doyle – baptised in St Mary’s Cathedral, statue in Picardy Place • Robert Burns – stayed in Baxters Close, drank in a tavern in Anchor Close • Robert Louis Stevenson – lived at 17 Heriot Row • Alexander McCall Smith – attended Edinburgh University and latterly became a professor there • Irvine Welsh – born in Leith and studied in Edinburgh > Edinburgh’s historical ‘celebrities’ For a number of these personalities there are surviving venues or plaques that your visitors may be interested in tracking down during their stay. For example: • Alexander Graham Bell, telephone pioneer – born at 16 South Charlotte Street in the New Town, which has a commemorative marker at the doorstep • John Knox, theologian – honoured at the Royal Mile’s oldest mansion, and a plaque commemorates his actual home on Warriston Close. He also preached from the pulpit of St Giles • Adam Smith, philosopher – lived in Panmure House off the Canongate • David Hume, philosopher – tomb on Calton Hill overlooking his home at 21 South St David Street • Deacon Brodie, infamous thief – commemorated by pub on Royal Mile, café in Brodie’s Close was his workshop • Burke and Hare, serial murderers – scoped out victims at The White Hart pub on the Grassmarket
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Business Opportunities: Edinburgh – A World Heritage City
> 4 Opportunities for businesses
Doors Open Day Now in its 20th year, Edinburgh Doors Open Day has become one of the capital's most popular free days out. It is an event held annually in September for residents and visitors to explore some of Edinburgh’s most architecturally, culturally and socially significant buildings. From heritage landmarks to the newest of the capital's architecture, Doors Open Day offers visitors free access to properties that are either not usually open to the public, or would normally charge an entry fee. All venues feature behind the scenes tours, activities, exhibitions and/or talks that bring the history of the building and its everyday use to life. Many sites organise additional free activities for children and families. See www.doorsopendays.org.uk to get more information and consider how you could promote this opportunity to visitors.
Heritage means Big Business
Top Tips
It isn’t just the leisure visitor market that is attracted by Edinburgh’s heritage but also the events and incentives market. When a business is choosing an events venue, they are not just looking at the venue alone but at the whole destination. Their delegates need other things to do while not working at the conference so Edinburgh’s historical offering provides a distinct experience that makes the city stand out from UK competitors.
• Perhaps you could have a selection of books or films about Edinburgh available for guests to borrow? • Why not encourage your guests to use the UNESCO City of Literature maps and trails? www.cityofliterature.com/flash/ literary-map.aspx?sec=3&pid=8 • Could you create a Sherlock Holmes murder mystery weekend to coincide with Conan Doyle’s birthday?
There are a number of unique venues in the city that provide an interesting backdrop for dinners or business meetings, such as the wide choice of museums, Signet Library, the Assembly Rooms and Underground Edinburgh, which offers exclusive use of two breathtaking venues hidden beneath Edinburgh’s Old Town for a spell-binding event setting.
• Why not offer themed nights/events around key historical figures that come from your area?
Are you using the city’s heritage to sell your venue to business visitors?
• Consider putting together your own pub tour of the Old and New Towns for visitors to follow, including your own favourites. Or suggest one that already exists from www.edinburghliterarypubtour.co.uk/ pub_tour.php
Free Entry to Historic Scotland Properties on St Andrews Day
• Are any of the Scottish films on at the cinemas in Edinburgh? You could link up and offer dinner packages.
For the past four years Historic Scotland has opened its doors at a wide range of properties across Scotland in celebration of St Andrews Day on 30th November. In 2010 the promotion spanned four days and included free access to 48 attractions, including Edinburgh Castle (which was lit up in blue to mark the occasion), sites in WHS Neolithic Orkney, and several sites in close proximity to Edinburgh. It has been extremely popular with visitors from within Scotland and overseas.
If you remember one thing… No matter what your business type, remember that your location could be as big a selling point as your core offering, so put it to good use. Everyone can find a heritage connection and use it to add value and reach a wider audience.
Can you use this initiative as a marketing opportunity for your business? Go to www.historic-scotland.gov.uk to look out for details about the 2011 event.
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Business Opportunities: Edinburgh – A World Heritage City
> 5 Next Steps – what are you going to do?
Tourism businesses in Edinburgh and beyond will use the World Heritage Status of the city in different ways. The key thing to think about is how you can use this fantastic asset to complement your current offering and further enhance your business’ competitiveness.
Consider these first steps and what you think might work for you: Become more informed about Edinburgh WHS status 1 Contact Edinburgh World Heritage to see what resources are available to you 2 Look at other comparable World Heritage Sites and what businesses there are doing to drive footfall 3 Get out into the city yourself to discover some of the hidden gems on offer – there is no better way to make recommendations to your visitors than from personal experience Use the WHS to complement your current offering 1 Promote Edinburgh’s WHS status in your marketing materials and on your website 2 Consider activities that you can suggest to visitors that will immerse them in the WHS, such as walking routes 3 Provide your visitors with recommendations about photo opportunities or vantage points that capture the unique history of the city 4 Tell the story of your business or neighbourhood history as a way to engage with visitors and capture their imaginations. Contact EWH to see if they have information for you in their archives 5 Consider how you can promote heritage angles that will excite the young Edinburgh visitor market, such as famous film locations 6 Collaborate with businesses that have a strong heritage link
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Business Opportunities: Edinburgh – A World Heritage City
> 6 Links and other resources Organisations Edinburgh World Heritage
www.ewht.org.uk
VisitScotland
www.visitscotland.org
Edinburgh Tourism Action Group
www.etag.org.uk
Edinburgh Council
www.edinburgh-inspiringcapital.com
UNESCO City of Literature
www.cityofliterature.com
Tourism Intelligence Scotland
www.tourism-intelligence.co.uk
Useful information City trails/maps
www.ewht.org.uk/visit/highlights-of-the-world-heritage-site www.ewht.org.uk/visit/trails
City Centre Shopping
www.essentialedinburgh.co.uk/ee-subpage.aspx?pageID=24
Hidden shopping experiences
www.westendvillage.org
Literary Tours
www.cityofliterature.com/ecol.aspx?sec=3&pid=120 www.cityofliterature.com/ecol.aspx?sec=3&pid=400 www.cityofliterature.com/flash/literary-map.aspx?sec=3&pid=8
Old Town Tours
www.mercattours.com www.witcherytours.com
Mobile Apps
Digi-Guide Edinburgh http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ digi-guide-edinburgh/id348982168?mt=8 Walking Through Time www.walkingthroughtime.co.uk
Photo hotspots, e.g.
Salisbury Crags Johnston Terrace Holyrood Park North Bridge Calton Hill Scott Monument
Other resources for tourism businesses: Tourism Innovation Fund
Consider applying for matched funding from Scottish Enterprise to help bring your project ideas to life. The Tourism Innovation Fund (TIF) provides matched funding of up to £30,000 and professional one-to-one advice to help deliver innovative projects to market. Support is aimed at individual or collaborative project ideas that offer a new and genuinely innovative experience, which encourages people to visit Scotland. This could be a product or a business process in a sector or service category – e.g. accommodation, attractions and activity holidays, etc. To find out more, or for information about how to apply, go to: www.scottish-enterprise.com/tourism-innovation-fund Tourism Innovation Toolkit If you or any collaborative group has a good idea that you would like to develop, Scottish Enterprise runs a tailored innovation toolkit workshop. The session, which is led by an experienced facilitator, will provide you with the tools and techniques to help you to generate new ideas and think more creatively. For more information or to book a workshop, go to www.scottish-enterprise.com/tourism-innovation and select Innovation Toolkit. This guide is based on the following research plus information from industry experts: World Heritage Status: Is there opportunity for economic gain?, by Rebanks Consulting Ltd and Trends Business Research Ltd on behalf of the Lake District World Heritage Project The Costs and Benefits of World Heritage Site Status in the UK, by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Cadw and Historic Scotland Edinburgh Built Heritage Strategy from Edinburgh World Heritage Edinburgh Visitor Survey 2009/10 by Lynn Jones Research Produced with financial support from Scottish Enterprise and with the kind support and input from Edinburgh World Heritage. Copy written, designed and produced by Tall Poppies Scotland, 2011.
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