Tourism organisation sets up new website to entice visitors to sample the Outer Hebrides

Luskentyre Beach is just one of many spots tourists want to visit.

Developed by Outer Hebrides Tourism, the official destination management organisation from Barra to the Butt of Lewis, with over 400 members drawn from all sectors of tourism, Visit Outer Hebrides is the leading site in the islands for visitors seeking information and accommodation throughout the islands, with more than two million page views per year.

The new website gives the Outer Hebrides the most up-to-date online presence of any destination in the country.

The site acts as a cornerstone of the tourism industry’s recovery plan to bounce back from a 2020 season savaged by the coronavirus pandemic and the wounding effects of four months of total lockdown.

The website, the culmination of a nine-month project, uses dramatic contemporary imagery, provided by islanders and visitors as well as professional photographers, to inspire potential tourists, as well as making it easier for them to plan their trip by providing the facility to book online - functionality which will be switched on in the coming weeks.

Tourism businesses have a much broader range of options to promote their business, including videos and social media.

The new website includes a higher profile for the Gaelic language, including presenting the home-page in both English and Gaelic.

It also reflects the success of the Hebridean Way, the islands’ own long-distance walking and cycling routes, in attracting visitors with a dedicated site.

Over the next few months the site will be extended to include a section for those thinking of making the Outer Hebrides their permanent home.

The site was developed in partnership with Simpleview, the global leader in tourism website design, working with almost a thousand destinations around the globe. Richard Veal Simpleview’s European Managing Director said:

“Simpleview is proud of our long partnership with Outer Hebrides Tourism and have always been impressed by their ability to punch above their weight. This new website is up there with the very best destination websites in the UK in terms of functionality, responsive design and image quality”

Rob McKinnon, Chief Executive of Outer Hebrides Tourism said:

“After a year that left many parts of the tourism industry on their knees, this new website acts as a vote of confidence in our industry.

“We hope it will inspire both the businesses enduring hard times and visitors who are planning to visit in years to come.”