‘Shakespeare Country’ launches new destination website
Shakespeare Country, the private tourism promotions body responsible for promoting South Warwickshire & the Cotswolds, is delighted to announce the launch of its new website plus a number of new initiatives aimed at helping local tourism businesses more effectively promote themselves. The new website, which went live on Friday 11 October, has been re-designed and re-structured to give it a more modern and contemporary look. It also has plenty of new content, improved functionality with advanced search and mapping, all of which will contribute to better visibility on search engines.
The Shakespeare Country website, which is a vital marketing tool, is continually updated with news, information and events to appeal to the visitor. Visitors can search for late room availability, book accommodation, search for attractions, view an extensive events diary, purchase tickets, gifts and guidebooks prior to visiting the area. Over 1.6 million unique visitors have visited the website in the last 12 months with each spending an average of over 13 minutes on the site.
Other improvements mean that all VisitEngland graded accommodation providers will be offered a basic entry free of charge. Commission on bookings has been reduced from 10% to 5%. Members will also benefit from a simplified membership and rate structure, a greater integrated P.R proposition, more regular newsletters to the consumer database plus local industry events which they can attend.
The ‘What’s On Events Diary’, considered the largest events information service in the area, enables members to submit and upload their events onto the site. The Diary will now be available as a feed for members to embed in their own websites. Charitable and community events will also be able to promote their events free of charge.
NVG Ltd: Leaders in Tourism Technology, who provides the e-tourism system and website for Shakespeare Country, will also have far greater involvement in the business. This means that members will benefit from ongoing developments in the sector as many of their innovative new solutions will be utilised for Shakespeare Country. These already include: free syndication of the website content to other channels (eg Facebook, Open Britain further affiliate websites and leading destinations around the UK). Plus a number of new website and online widgets, free use of Guestlink (and a discount on additional Guestlink products) as well as upcoming mobile and app. services.
In addition, members can enjoy discounts and publicity through the sister company ‘Hudson’s Media’ and benefit from editorial coverage and discounted advertising in the 2014 official tourist board guides, the 2014 Hudson’s Heritage Guide which is the leading UK guide for Historic Homes and Gardens plus coverage in Signpost 2014, the leading UK guide for Country House and Boutique hotels as well as great deals on guide booklets, leaflets and postcards. In addition all the information from the Hudson’s tourism guides will be published on the website for visitors to access.
Shakespeare Country continues to share data with the Visit Coventry and Warwickshire website run by Coventry City Council. Accommodation providers and attractions across Warwickshire, Coventry and Rugby benefit from increased exposure by being promoted on both websites.
Tony Merrygold, Managing Director of Shakespeare Country stated “We are delighted to launch our new website and a range of new initiatives. Details of the new website have been communicated to the extensive consumer database of over 50,000 interested visitors to the area and our Twitter followers. Initial feedback has been extremely positive. I am confident that with its new look and improved functionality; the website will remain one of the most popular destination websites in the UK”.
For accommodation, special offers and more information visit the official website: Shakespeare-Country.co.uk.
