New tourism campaign….starring Rosslyn Chapel!

The Chapel is hoping to see a boost in visitors after being included in a new global screen tourism campaign, launched this week by national tourism agency VisitBritain. A major advertising campaign has begun, directing viewers to a ‘screen tourism hub’ on VisitBritain’s global consumer website, with a digital map linking to film inspired locations, attractions and experiences – including Rosslyn Chapel, where part of The Da Vinci Code was filmed.

The campaign – ‘Starring GREAT Britain’ –  includes an advertising campaign across the UK’s largest and most valuable inbound visitor markets including Australia, the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries, France, Germany and the USA. People will see the campaign on large digital billboards in locations from the famous Kurfürstendamm in Berlin, Germany, to Gare du Nord Station in Paris, France, from the City Walk hub in Dubai, UAE, to the Jeddah Corniche in Saudi Arabia, alongside branded content across social media.   ‘Starring GREAT Britain’ is being amplified across all VisitBritain’s markets using the powerful reach of its social channels and its work with international travel trade. As part of VisitBritain’s ‘Showcase Britain’ event this month, 120 top travel trade from across 17 markets have been undertaking tailored film-and-TV inspired educational visits,  exploring the latest tourism products and experiences.

Ian Gardner, Director of Rosslyn Chapel Trust, said: ‘I am delighted to see the Chapel included in this new campaign which is sure to bring  the site to the attention of new audiences around the world. It’s great to be part of the new website and this week, as part of the campaign, we welcomed a group of international tour operators and VisitBritain staff to see Rosslyn Chapel at first hand’. From our own research, we know that The Da Vinci Code is still a very strong influence for visitors with 49% of people saying that it was one of the reasons they chose to visit. Hopefully this new campaign will inspire more people to visit Midlothian and explore the Chapel for themselves.’

The ‘Starring GREAT Britain’ campaign comes as VisitBritain’s screen tourism research shows that more than 9-out-of-10 potential visitors to the UK would be keen to visit film and TV locations during a trip.

The campaign has been developed working in close collaboration with the national tourism boards including  VisitScotland.  Neil Christison, Regional Director at VisitScotland, said: ‘Film and TV productions not only boost the local economy in the short-term but are a shop window for the country’s amazing landscapes, heritage and culture. Films and TV programmes featuring Scotland have a particularly strong influence on our European and long-haul visitors, who tend to stay longer and spend more.  The Da Vinci Code had a hugely positive impact on Rosslyn Chapel, helping to raise the profile of this magnificent and unique building on the world stage. This international campaign will once again shine a spotlight on Rosslyn Chapel, and Midlothian, and encourage film fans to explore our stunning sites and the region, which are the real stars of the screen.’

After filming The Da Vinci Code, Tom Hanks wrote: ‘Few locations in film are so delightful and few destinations live up to their billing, but Rosslyn Chapel was all one could imagine or hope for.’

For more information about The Da Vinci Code at Rosslyn, please click on this link.

Posted in Tourism