The General Manager of Oban Bay Hotel, Marc Gardner, is on a mission to grow winter tourism to Oban – recently crowned as ‘Town of the Year’ by Scotland Loves Local – to encourage visitors to the town.
Oban, like many popular tourist towns, sees a fall in occupancy once autumn and winter arrives which means that Oban Bay Hotel, part of he Crerar Hotels Collection, and other accommodation providers experience a significant seasonal drop. This is where Marc intends to focus as the hotel launches a series of winter events and offerings including winter wellness breaks, murder mystery weekends and limited-edition packages such as the Sea Safari package.
Marc who has been General Manager of Oban Bay Hotel for nearly five years, said, “Oban is a vibrant, busy tourist hub in the summer with guests visiting the Inner and Outer Hebrides from around the globe, as well as being an ideal base for those exploring the west coast.
“The town benefits from both Scottish and domestic tourism during the nicer months however as the colder, darker nights begin to draw in, the town gets quieter, and we see a dip in visitors.
“However, despite the change in seasons, Oban still has so much to offer to those looking for an authentic Scottish getaway. In fact, we do get guests staying looking for a true Scottish experience – including the weather.
“Very often Scottish tourism is regarded to be seasonal centric to the summer months, but it is vital that hoteliers such as ourselves play our part in ensuring tourism in some of Scotland’s most iconic locations can sustain all year round and visitors can continue to enjoy the very best experience available.”
Marc continued, “Unfortunately some accommodation providers close due to the fact that the demand is small in Oban at this time of year however we’re aiming to boost visitor numbers by creating exclusive experiences. Its also important to work hand in hand with other local businesses so our guests can take full advantage of everything Oban has to offer.
“We work closely with Oban Distillery which now remains open all year long too, it’s one of the many attractions we recommend to our guests who are visiting for the first time.
“This year we’re launching our winter experience breaks and an exciting calendar of Christmas and New Year offers to entice people to visit our small corner of the world. After all, Oban is such a special place. It feels like a world away from everyday life, no matter what month it is.
“At Crerar Hotels, we take pride in embracing the season by offering our ‘Coorie In’ package which you can book at Oban Bay Hotel or one of our sister properties, it’s all about making the most of Scotland’s great outdoors during the colder months before returning to the hotel to ‘coorie in’ by a roaring fire.
“This is an especially exciting time for Oban following its award win from Scotland Loves Local. It’s thanks to the close-knit community which has banded together to really spotlight Oban and the investment its seen as well as playing host to big events such as Scotland’s Royal National Mod festival.”
Picture: Marc Gardner, General Manager of Oban Bay Hotel