Digital Expert Zudu working with Discovery Point

A Scottish-based specialist in Chinese marketing is teaming up with one of Scotland's top tourist attractions to make it more appealing and accessible to the ever-increasing numbers of tourists from the world's second biggest economy.

Zudu, the first Scottish company to focus on digital strategies for breaking into the lucrative Chinese sector, is working closely with Dundee Heritage Trust who manage Discovery Point, the award-winning visitor experience which tells the story of Captain Scott's RRS Discovery. DHT also runs Verdant Works, a jute mill turned social history and textile museum also in Dundee.

Situated on the shoreline next to the stunning new Kengo Kuma-designed V&A Dundee, Discovery Point is aiming to pique the interest not only of Chinese visitors to the UK but also the UK-based Chinese population.

Zudu has created a unique digital marketing initiative for Discovery Point which can also help other Scottish and UK visitor attractions, hotels and restaurants to harness the power of Chinese digital platforms in the UK.

Zudu Managing Director James Buchan explained: "The Chinese digital landscape is completely different to that of the UK. More than half the population - up to 900 million people - use WeChat, the most popular social app in the country.

"They don't use Google, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, and they don't switch to these platforms when they visit countries in the West where their use is widespread.

"They regard WeChat as the ‘app for everything'. It contains functionality such as chat, news, games, video calling, ecommerce, shopping and an electronic payment service. If business people in the UK want to interact with Chinese customers, they will have to do it through WeChat."

Mark Munsie, Operations Director for Dundee Heritage Trust, said: "Dundee Heritage Trust and Discovery Point attracts major numbers of overseas tourists each year, as well as locals, so we are always looking at ways to enhance the visitor experience. WeChat is more than just social media, it is a way of life for the Chinese. They expect a simplicity of transaction and the team at Zudu has extensive experience in how to make the Chinese visitor experience smooth and user friendly.  We hope that, after this work has been carried out, Chinese visitors will find Discovery Point even more appealing."

Following an onsite and digital audit of Discovery Point, Zudu is conducting a comprehensive marketing strategy aimed at increasing digital presence, promoting the venue, and improving the customer experience of Chinese visitors to the important Scottish attraction. One of the primary outputs is a Discovery Point WeChat public platform which can be used as a marketing tool and an interactive digital tour guide for Chinese visitors.

The digital tour guide can be easily accessed through the simple scanning of a QR code, something that has revolutionised shopping and many other transactions in China. The guide allows visitors to access translated information throughout the exhibition. It will also be used in the hospitality facilities where, with a quick scan of a QR code, the Chinese visitor will be taken directly to a translated menu.

Mr Buchan said: "The digital tour guide is just the first phase. We will use Key Opinion Leaders based in the UK to tap into the UK-based Chinese population to market the attraction through articles and event promotion."

Zudu is working with attractions, hotels, restaurants and tour operators across Scotland to help them tap into the Chinese visitor market.