The Association of Scotland's Self-Caterers (ASSC) is a leading voice in Scottish tourism place marketing. We built ASSC a digital platform that simplified member onboarding, supported active members and streamlined membership management, helping self-catering operators promote Scotland's diverse destinations.
Services provided
Digitising a community through a new place marketing platform
Place marketing plays a vital role in Scottish tourism. The Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers is a leading voice in this space. Prior to their recent move to a new platform, we developed a digital place marketing platform that simplified member onboarding. The platform also supported active members and streamlined membership management. As a result, self-catering operators were better equipped to promote Scotland’s diverse destinations.
A place marketing platform empowering members
ASSC supports a highly engaged membership of holiday cottage operators. However, their digital platform needed a modern upgrade to enhance place marketing and attract new members. It also needed to simplify access to resources. As part of the redesign, the new platform revitalised member services and significantly reduced manual steps in onboarding and invoicing. Moreover, an improved member area offered easier navigation, clearly presenting options for new members and showcasing the value of joining ASSC.
Data migration and advocacy for tourism
Migrating years of data and member-only resources was key to ensuring continuity. This platform went on to house ASSC’s efforts to advocate for and support self-catering tourism throughout Scotland’s diverse destinations.
Building the foundation for seamless onboarding
Growing membership numbers had highlighted the need for improved invoicing and sign-up processes. Both of these were slowing internal workflows and place marketing efficiency. Through Discovery Workshops and collaborative research, we defined the requirements needed to streamline these processes. Then, we guided the design and development teams towards effective solutions. Designers created vibrant onboarding workflows. Developers built tech solutions to accommodate ASSC’s diverse subscription plans. Clear, engaging copy guided prospective members through every step. As a result, the new invoicing system and onboarding experience brought transparency and ease. Ultimately, this encouraged more businesses to join ASSC’s community.
Bringing the ASSC brand to life
A core challenge was refreshing the platform’s interface while respecting ASSC’s established identity. The design reflected the welcoming, vibrant community and showcased Scotland’s stunning natural environment, where self-catering properties thrive. A nature-inspired colour palette encouraged action and conveyed warmth and passion. This was complemented by carefully chosen imagery capturing authentic moments in Scotland’s self-catering sector. The site’s copy highlighted member benefits clearly. In addition, the reimagined member’s area made resources and policies easier to find for businesses managing their place marketing strategies.
A place marketing platform built for members
The platform empowered self-catering businesses to navigate the tourism industry and connect with peers. Existing features such as the discussion forum were migrated and enhanced. This forum included thousands of conversations and an extensive archive of resources. Gated content ensured only members could access exclusive guidance on regulations and industry concerns. Consequently, this contained digital space supported ASSC’s membership and advocacy work for several years. The association moved on to a new website recently.
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The place marketing platform we built underpinned ASSC's membership growth for several years, migrating years of data and resources without disruption along the way.
Frequently asked questions
ASSC is a leading voice in Scottish tourism place marketing, supporting a membership of holiday cottage and self-catering operators across Scotland.
A place marketing platform that simplified member onboarding, invoicing and membership management, migrated years of existing data and resources, and refreshed the brand's interface with a nature-inspired design.
A streamlined onboarding and invoicing system, an improved member area, and gated member-only content including a discussion forum with thousands of conversations and an extensive resource archive.
This platform supported ASSC's membership for several years before the association moved on to a new website. This case study reflects the work delivered during that period.
