Jump to content

Promote Shetland


ll
 Share

Recommended Posts

I remember suggesting having one of those life size killer whale moulds erected at Sumburgh head(in the vacinity of the car park). I don't want the area to become tacky but can you imagine what peoples' reactions would be, especially the bairns?.

Now that the existing Hjaltland moulding has been retired, it would indeed be nice to install it somewhere in the Hay's Dock cultural quarter. It is a masterpiece.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Every time that I try to promote the place to people down south I always end up back-tracking and telling them to go and take a holiday on one of the costas. There are a number of reasons and weather is at the top of the list along with the cost of getting up here from the south of England.

 

I learnt not to have SIBC on the radio when I picked visitors up from the airport. Without fail everyone thought that I had done some sort of wind-up tape. I had to assure them that it really is that bad all of the time. Almost everyone mentioned the vandalism to the road signs. I just put it down to some of the local freedom fighters; a bit like the IRA but with soup and bannocks.

 

When the weather is good then the tourist trail around Quendale mill, Quendale beach, the crofthouse, Sumburgh Head for the puffins and the historical sites, north to Unst for the bird sanctuary etc. etc. etc. can't be beaten. I have left many others as I know that I am preaching to the converted already. The weather is the killer though. A fortnight in sunny Spain for the same price as a week in Shetland with its dubious weather is no competition really. And before anyone says that Spain is only good for sunning yourself on a beach, there is much more to it than that, but if that is what you want then you can have it by the spadeful.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Visit Scotland seem to have got a hit with the ponies in cardigans. Twitter has been full of them for days. I don't know what kind of impression it gives of our islands but it seems to be what other people want to see.

 

 

And a report from CNN

 

http://edition.cnn.com/video/?/video/offbeat/2013/01/25/tsr-dnt-moos-ponies-in-sweaters.cnn

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I think it's great. All publicity is good. We need all the help we can get. It is cheaper and easier to travel to Spain or Greece but we have lots to offer for those who make the effort so we need to encourage them and if this makes a difference then well done Promote Shetland, Frances, Jo, Daisy, Robert, Fivla and Vitamin.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Crap. Total crap.

 

Where's the number for the SSPCA? :wink:

 

Edit: I've nothing against Shetland ponies. I've certainly nothing against Shetland knitwear (Loved Doreen telling the reporter they are fat) but the two together? Is this how Shetland is meant to be portrayed to the rest of the world? I've already had to explain to two Americans that no, the ponies don't wear "cardigans" and "jumpers". Mind you, I suppose Visit Scotland wouldn't really want to say "Come to Windmill HQ" ... if VE goes ahead.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When the weather is good then the tourist trail around Quendale mill, Quendale beach, the crofthouse, Sumburgh Head for the puffins and the historical sites, north to Unst for the bird sanctuary etc. etc. etc. can't be beaten.

 

That is ignoring the fact that a certain farmer in the Quendale area, if he spots you walking the coastline but on his land, comes out to tell you to p1ss off his land and that he hates any tourists.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When the weather is good then the tourist trail around Quendale mill, Quendale beach, the crofthouse, Sumburgh Head for the puffins and the historical sites, north to Unst for the bird sanctuary etc. etc. etc. can't be beaten.

 

That is ignoring the fact that a certain farmer in the Quendale area, if he spots you walking the coastline but on his land, comes out to tell you to p1ss off his land and that he hates any tourists.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When the weather is good then the tourist trail around Quendale mill, Quendale beach, the crofthouse, Sumburgh Head for the puffins and the historical sites, north to Unst for the bird sanctuary etc. etc. etc. can't be beaten.

 

That is ignoring the fact that a certain farmer in the Quendale area, if he spots you walking the coastline but on his land, comes out to tell you to p1ss off his land and that he hates any tourists.

 

I have a "special" finger for those moments

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That is ignoring the fact that a certain farmer in the Quendale area, if he spots you walking the coastline but on his land, comes out to tell you to p1ss off his land and that he hates any tourists.

 

Suppose over time having to go and retrieve your animals from the road, and parks they're not meant to be in because folk leave your gates open would get on anyones nerves.

 

Now I'm not saying you do that dave but plenty have over the years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^^

 

My wife and I are keen walkers and have never left any gates open, if they were shut when we arrived, nor have we harrassed any sheep in the fields. Yet, on this occasion, when we got to a gate where the farmer was unloading some cattle, he and his partner told us in no uncertain terms to clear off. We were told that we were not welcome in Shetland and that, if we wanted to walk anywhere, we should p1ss off back to England and walk there instead. At the time, we had lived in Shetland for 4 years and my wife, in particular, was very upset at this approach. I responded to him, as I saw fit, and would certainly not be deterred from going back there if I wished to do so. We had parked near the Quendale museum, had walked a part of the coastline and were simply heading back to our car.

Of course, there are those walkers who might cause bother but to tar everyone with the same brush, adding that he hates tourists, is thankfully, not typical of others up here (that we have met, anyway).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Promote Shetland organise the Up Helly Aa online which got 8,666. viewers last year. Their Youtube videos have been viewed by a few hundred people.

 

Visit Shetland did the ponies in cardigans video. When I looked just now views for their video and the upload by the Daily Mail of the same video had nearly 200,000 views. It may not be how we want Shetland to be seen by the world but it is how the world expects to see us.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unlinkedstudent - where's your sense of humour? If it lifts our profile, then that's good. Keep on explaining to American tourists- they love it here.

 

My sense of humour is alive and well.

 

MuckleJoannie, you say "It may not be how we want Shetland to be seen by the world but it is how the world expects to see us". I disagree. I'd say it is how Visit Scotland sees Shetland. :ponders:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Promote Shetland organise the Up Helly Aa online which got 8,666. viewers last year.

 

Story about this years webcast http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2013/01/28/global-audience-for-up-helly-a

 

The website this year is www.shetland.org/uha or http://uphellyaa.com/ Watched it last year and it was great and there seems to be even more stuff planned for this year. Particularly looking forward to the Fiery Sessions concert at 2pm (sorry mods if this is a double post with the UHA thread. Only noticed this thread after I'd already posted)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...