Scottish Government mocked for mistaking Chinese mountains for Highlands
A Highlands bus campaign image was withdrawn after social media users identified the landscape as the Changbai Mountains in China
An image used to promote a pilot bus travel scheme in the Highlands has been withdrawn after it appeared to show the Changbai Mountains in China.
Listen to this article
The advert featured a vehicle travelling on a winding road through striking scenery akin to the craggy landscape of the Highlands, and bore the logos of both the Scottish government and Transport Scotland.
The Scottish government withdrew the image after sharp-eyed social media users pointed out that bright green crash barriers and green buses were not a common sight in northern Scotland.
They suggested that instead, it was the Changbai Mountains in China’s Jilin province, near the border of North Korea.
Read More: Holidaymakers hit with £2 million a day airport parking bill at five major UK hubs
Read More: Starmer tells social media companies ‘things will change’ on addictive features
The marketing campaign for a £2 bus fare cap for single bus journeys in the Highlands and Islands was first launched in Shetland from January 30, followed by the Western Isles on February 23, and Orkney from March 9. The rollout was completed on March 23.
Transport Scotland confirmed that the image was provided by an external marketing agency and has now been removed.
Tourism leaders said it was “shameless” to blame a marketing agency for the error, adding that the image should never have been approved.
Willie Cameron, director of Highland Tourism, told BBC Scotland that the mistake raised serious questions about how the campaign had been signed off and called for greater accountability.
Transport Scotland said the brief “clearly” required images to reflect the local area, but an incorrect picture had been provided by an external agency and has now been withdrawn.