More Than a Decade Promoting Strathglass
Strathglass Marketing Group was founded in 2001 to promote the local area and associated tourism businesses. This is achieved initially through our website and our links with bodies such as Destination Loch Ness where we have a presence on the Board of Directors. SMG also has a vital role in lobbying organisations such as Visit Scotland, Forestry Commission Scotland and The Highland Council. The group is also active in promoting/supporting events open to both visitors to the area and local residents.
How SMG Promotes Your Business & The Strathglass Area
- A web site full of local interest and activities to attract visitors
- A full web page promoting your business together with a link to your own web site
- Developing social media to increase number of visitors to the website
- A group membership of the DLN which is one of the more advanced Destination Management Organisation’s in Scotland - vital in promoting Strathglass at an area level
- Events promotion. These include local Duathalon, walking festivals, musical events as well as local business promotions
- Links with other local areas promoting events in Beauly & Drumnadrochit
- SMG has produced its own Glen Affric & Strathglass leaflet, free to members and packed with local information, that you can distribute to your guests/prospective guests
- Forging strong links with bodies such as The Highland Council, Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) and the National Trust for Scotland (NTS).
Event Promotion
The Glen Affric Walking Festival and The Glen Affric Duathlon were both introduced in 2004. Both events proved very popular and helped market the area. The Duathlon was held 2004-2009 then returned in 2015 after a break and is proving ever more popular. The walking festival after 9 years was wrongly placed in the hands of private enterprise and is now gone. However we hope that it too will make a return for 2017.
In the past few years SMG provided financial support to the live music events in Cannich Hall to raise funds for refurbishment of the premises following its takeover by a local community enterprise. We also contributed towards creating an improved play area for local children.
SMG has also supported a number of charity fund raising events (Macmillan Nurses, MND Scotland & Cash For Kids) and sponsored the local Strathglass Gala.
It is hoped to be able to continue supporting worthwhile local events which will bring benefit not only those specific to our members but also to the wider community.
Major Projects
Over the years SMG has been keen to work with other organisations - local and national. This has seen the development of The Affric Kintail Way, a project in the making for over 5 years finally completed in 2014 following extensive collaboration with FCS and NTS together with other organisations. We are currently working with our friends at Strathglass Heritage Association and FCS to develop the site of the Comar Wood Dun dating from the first millenium BC. These projects are discussed in more detail elsewhere on this website.