The specific benefits for businesses opting to join SSDA directly are:

General

• Use of the SSH logo with brand guidelines (for the group and your business members) – To show your members’ and their visitors that you engage with the common goals of the wider tourism network and destination.
• Your business members will get an individual listing on Scotland Starts Here website and App – to boost the value of membership to your group and put the South of Scotland on the map.
• An agreed point of contact for your tourism group / project / initiative will be added to our contact database to receive updates on Covid-19 recovery planning, guidance, and opportunities to engage in training, networking, marketing, and product development. Providing you with clear regular comms regarding relevant opportunities for your members to build resilience and growth.
• Destination/Sectoral feature on SSH – Exposure to signpost to your own platforms under specific agreements and arrangements.
• Reach audiences outside your regular marketing activity – To gain wider exposure for your members business through SSDA’s resources.
• Access to destination specific data, trends, and insights – Equip your members to make more informed business decisions.
• Discounted tickets for the annual Summit for you and your members – A cost effective way to access benefits.
• Opportunity to access the paid for opportunities as noted below at a discounted rate – To support your members business to make increasingly informed business decisions by tapping into the range of activities being created by us from having listened to you and considered your members needs.
• Discount for batch orders of SSH Merchandise in 2021 – Enabling your members to cost effectively support the visible profile of the south of Scotland through a common message.
• Access to discounts from professional industry service providers – Adding great value for your members by providing them with this resource – to spend their money elsewhere.
• Networking with other tourism businesses and suppliers – Offer your members broader access to mutually beneficial collaborative opportunities.

NOTES:

• Business members of tourism groups / projects / initiatives will receive a 20% discount to events / training / webinars providing added value to your own membership.
• The paid for opportunities noted below will be sent to your nominated tourism group / project / initiative contact to cascade to your members. The business can then decide what to take part in based on what is suitable / relevant to their business. At that time, they will be provided with the details and costs.
• This does not preclude members of a tourism group / project / initiative from joining the SSDA as an individual member to take advantage of the additional benefits of an individual membership.

Discounted Paid For Opportunities will include i.e.:

(You will be notified by email as and when these opportunities become available)

• Be involved in regional PR, press trips and editorial referrals, media and travel trade FAM trips and blogger campaigns.
• Be featured in consumer and trade itineraries.
• Feature in Scotland Starts Here landing pages, blogs, social media, and campaigns.
• To feature in Scotland Starts Here curated content marketing and social media activity.
• To attend Travel Trade workshops, trade education, trade sales and 1:1 surgeries with our travel trade specialist.
• To have visibility at regional and national trade events such as VS EXPO.
• To utilise partner consumer databases (subject to GDPR).
• To take part in or get digital improvement assessments for your business.
• To get discounted accredited online destination and customer service training for your staff.
• Attend training / workshops / events – for example: business engagement education on ‘being online bookable’, digital training, product development and innovation workshops (1-2-1 / group sessions) etc
• Get discounted tickets for conferences.