A million people from around the world have logged on to one of the UK’s most innovative tourism websites to learn more about NewcastleGateshead in 2012.
NewcastleGateshead Initiative are celebrating reaching an astounding 1 million unique visitors to the destination website, NewcastleGateshead.com, since January 2012 – a staggering average monthly increase of 60% compared to 2011.
The platform was re-launched in 2010 and at the time broke the mould as a tourism website presenting inspirational information about the place in an engaging and interactive way.
Since then it has undergone significant work to profile the best of what NewcastleGateshead has to offer. Jason Yip, digital marketing manager, said: “I’m delighted that NewcastleGateshead.com has reached such a significant milestone of 1 million unique visitors within the first 11 months of 2012.
“It shows that whether people are searching for information for a future visit, live in the North East and are looking for inspiration for the weekend, or are researching bringing a conference or meeting to the place – NewcastleGateshead is on the rise.”
The website was designed by award-winning technology providers New Mind, and frequently features in their top ten most visited UK destination websites. It features a blog section and image galleries as well as event details, offers and area information which are constantly refreshed to ensure that audiences are kept up-to-date with the depth and breadth of activities, events and attractions on offer in the city.
Richard Veal, managing director of New Mind comments “The site’s strong performance can be attributed to the commitment of NewcastleGateshead Initiative’s digital team.
“A combination of continuously updated engaging content, innovative methods for presenting it, such as the ever popular ‘My Kind of Toon’ section and a vibrant look and feel in line with the changing seasons, means that visitors always have a reason to return. We feel that this dedication, together with the abundance of special offers and discounts, is key to the site’s outstanding performance.”
NewcastleGateshead Initiative are celebrating the significant milestone with the launch of a new online shop stocked with Geordie themed gifts and souvenirs from t-shirts, ornaments and greeting cards to books, maps and homeware, visit www.ShopNewcastleGateshead.com
In addition, NewcastleGateshead were also one of the first UK destinations to fully embrace the possibilities offered by mobile technology with their NewcastleGateshead City Guide iPhone and Android apps, also created by New Mind.
Jason added: “In recent months we have rolled out a detailed digital strategy to ensure all of our online platforms are interesting, relevant for our audiences and, as far as possible, at the forefront of technology. From our website to our smart phone apps and pocket guides, clearly, we’re profiling the place both online and offline in a positive and engaging way.”
NewcastleGateshead Initiative also run a range of other online platforms, including social networking sites Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest, which have transformed the way visitors and residents access information about the place.
The Facebook page provides an invaluable and interactive resource for visitors and makes groundbreaking use of iframe technology, a feature that is powered by NewcastleGateshead’s main visitor website enabling searches for hotels, restaurants and events, without leaving the Facebook page. It is just one of the many digital-led information streams that NewcastleGateshead Initiative has developed in recent months.
Ends.
For media enquiries contact:
Shelley Armstrong
Media & PR Manager
T. +44 (0)191 440 5739
M. +44 (0)7717 631 109
E. shelley.armstrong@ngi.org.uk
Notes to editors:
– NewcastleGateshead Initiative is a destination management and marketing agency; a public-private partnership supported by Gateshead and Newcastle City Councils, working with around 165 private sector member organisations across NewcastleGateshead and the wider region.
All of our activity aims to promote and position NewcastleGateshead as a world-class vibrant tourism destination, through targeted marketing and PR campaigns nationally and internationally and through the work of our cultural programming team and convention bureau.
NewcastleGateshead Initiative is supported by a board offering expertise from a range of sectors and professions. We also work with a wide range of partners, stakeholders and businesses, who share our ambition to promote NewcastleGateshead as a world-class place in which to live, learn, work, and visit.
– United by seven bridges across a spectacular riverscape, Newcastle (a city on the north bank of the River Tyne) and Gateshead (a town on the south bank) form a single, diverse and extremely vibrant visitor destination. World-class culture, vibrant nightlife, award-winning dining, inspiring heritage, fantastic shopping and acclaimed architecture are combined here like nowhere else, by the famous Geordie spirit which is symbolised by Antony Gormley’s iconic Angel of the North as it welcomes travellers to the area.
– New Mind is an award winning technology provider with expertise ranging from the implementation of sophisticated eTourism solutions to the development of high performance destination websites.
The company’s eTourism solution is a suite of software applications designed to enable and support every area of a tourism organisation’s management promotion and fulfilment, with a central product, business and visitor database at its core. New Mind’s integrated offering includes website design and development, destination management systems, content management systems and online marketing.
Over the last 11 years New Mind has worked with some of the top performing destinations in the UK in terms of visitor numbers and income generation. In a typical month their destination web sites attract more than 2 million unique users and transact thousands of online bookings for accommodation, events and attractions.
The company has recently achieved success overseas with the appointment of resellers in Italy, Spain and South America and the acquisition of a prestigious contract with the Costa del Sol Tourist Board.
Imagery / Photography opportunities:
• www.NewcastleGateshead.com/Images – NewcastleGateshead’s Initiative’s extensive royalty free image library
Useful links:
• www.NewcastleGateshead.com/Media – NewcastleGateshead Initiative’s media website
• www.NewcastleGateshead.com – destination website for NewcastleGateshead