Basic Membership

We want our collective destination brand, ‘Scotland Starts Here’, to benefit every visitor economy organisation in the South of Scotland, which is why in 2024 we introduced a new, completely free, Basic level of SSDA membership. 

As a Basic member you will have a summary listing on the ‘Scotland Starts Here’ website and app, in one category, including: name of business, 160 characters of text and a link to your website.  Your listing will appear below all other membership levels. 

 As a Basic member you are welcome to attend SSDA events (at full cost), receive the Members’ bulletin and have access to the ‘Scotland Starts Here’ digital brand toolkit, logo and marketing collateral. 

Your company name (but not logo) will appear on the SSDA website. 

Take your business to the next level with our Partner Membership. £400 + VAT 

 This package offers enhanced support and engagement, as a formal Partner of the SSDA.  

 Beyond all the benefits of our Core Membership, this level also offers a quarterly opportunity to be promoted across our social media channels.

 As a Partner Member you will have an enhanced listing, which will be amongst the most visible on the ‘Scotland Starts Here’ website (appearing above all Basic and Core members) and your listing can be featured in up to four categories.  Your listing can include: up to 15 images, a short video, unlimited text, and links to your website and social media.   

 If you are business group, as a Partner member, you can have up to two separate business locations listed on ‘Scotland Starts Here’. 

 If Travel Trade ready, you will have a listing on our Travel Trade Directory and will be considered for tailored FAM trip planning, travel trade newsletter inclusion and representation at national and international trade events and shows. 

 Your company name and logo will appear prominently on the SSDA website. 

 We have a close relationship with Partner Members and you will be able to schedule annual check-in meetings with the CEO of the SSDA, David Hope-Jones OBE, to share your priorities and discuss how the SSDA can support your business.  You can also have six-monthly check-ins with a named Development Agent. 

 All this for little more than £1 a day!   And we can offer a 50% discount for charities joining at Partner level. 

Bespoke Membership makes the very most of what the SSDA can offer you and your business. £1,000 + VAT 

Bespoke is our most enhanced membership level, it is for businesses that want to be at the centre of the SSDA and enjoy maximum benefits from ‘Scotland Starts Here’.  

Beyond all the benefits of our Core Membership, Bespoke Membership also offers promotion every two months across our social media channels, which have a total reach of 2.4 million.  You will also have priority opportunities to be included in our newsletters, ongoing marketing campaigns and PR activity. 

Your super-enhanced listing on the ‘Scotland Starts Here’ website and app will be above all other categories, ensuring you have maximum visibility. You can be featured in up to six categories.  This can include: up to 15 images, a short video, unlimited text, and links to your website and social media.   

You will have an annual feature in our consumer newsletter which goes to 2,400+ consumers actively interested in visiting the region. 

If you are business group, as a Partner member, you can have up to five separate business locations listed on ‘Scotland Starts Here’. 

Bespoke Membership is just that – bespoke.  We will listen to your needs and where possible look to tailor benefits which have maximum impact. 

You will have direct access to the diary of our CEO, David Hope-Jones OBE, and be able to schedule up to four meetings a year when you need them, to ensure the SSDA is doing all it can to support your business. 

If Travel Trade ready, you will have an enhanced listing on our Travel Trade Directory, tailored FAM trip planning, a feature in the travel trade newsletter, and representation at national and international trade events and shows. 

Your company name and logo will appear on the (B2B) SSDA website, the logo on the SSDA homepage, and on a ‘hero banner’ of the consumer facing B2C ‘Scotland Starts Here’ website. 

This is our premium offering, for businesses that want maximum impact and success.   

To ensure we can offer a premium product we reserve the right to limit the number of Bespoke Members. 

All this for less than the cost of a coffee a day! 

Suppliers and affiliates can join at Core, Partner or Bespoke level.  However, we recognise that their target audience is B2B rather than B2C, so we have made the below alterations to the standard offering at each level: 

 Core Supplier/Affiliate (£85): JOIN NOW 

• Same as Core benefits but without a B2C ‘Scotland Starts Here’ listing 
• Instead, logo, 25 words, and weblink on (B2C) SSDA Suppliers webpage

 Partner Supplier/Affiliate (£400): JOIN NOW 

• Same as Partner benefits but without a B2C ‘Scotland Starts Here’ listing 
• Instead, logo, 75 words and weblink on (B2C) SSDA Suppliers webpage, listed above Core Suppliers  
• Bi-annual B2B newsletter feature with option of having a discount for SSDA members. 
• Option of bi-annual SSDA (B2B) social media post if you have a discount/offer for SSDA members.
• Access to details of all SSDA members 
• Consideration for a B2B webinar with members  

 Bespoke Supplier/Affiliate (£1000): JOIN NOW 

• Same as Bespoke benefits  but without a B2C ‘Scotland Starts Here’ listing 
• Instead, logo, 150 words and weblink on (B2C) SSDA Suppliers webpage, listed above Core and Partner Suppliers 
• Quarterly B2B newsletter feature with option of having a discount for SSDA members. 
• Option of quarterly SSDA (B2B) social media post if you have a discount/offer for SSDA members 
• Access to details of all SSDA members 
• Access to details of all businesses attending major SSDA events 
• Consideration for a B2B webinar with members