A ROVING miniature robot named TA-M hopes to encourage more people to visit the South of Scotland by documenting his travels throughout the region.
TA-M launched on June 9 and has been visiting various landmarks, eateries, locals and shops to highlight all that the south of the country has to offer.
Inspired by Nasa's robot geologists and their missions to Mars, TA-M was created by the South of Scotland Destination Alliance and is the face of the Curiosity Starts Here campaign which hopes to attract more visitors to the Borders, and Dumfries and Galloway.
Ross McAuley, chief executive of the South of Scotland Destination Alliance, said: “The South of Scotland is arguably one of the most unspoilt and stunningly beautiful parts of the UK.
“The area offers stunning beaches and coastline, delicious local food and drink, fascinating history and heritage, adventurous activities and a wealth of nature and wildlife.
“As part of our new ‘Curiosity Starts Here’ Campaign, TA-M is designed to inspire countless future visitors to experience all our region has to offer. You might say, ‘One small step for TA-M, many giant adventures for mankind!’”
The campaign will see TA-M star in adverts across TV, radio and social media and the footage he captures will feature on billboards in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newcastle.
A special video commemorating TA-M’s launch shows the 3D printed robot – kitted out with LED eyes, solar panels that help him charge, and eyebrows that look like something from Disney’s WALL-E – visiting beaches, locals, landmarks and gazing at stars in the night sky.
Mairi Gougeon MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, said: “Tourism is vital to the Scottish economy, especially in our more rural areas, such as the South of Scotland. As we emerge from the pandemic, we have to do all we can to support our rural businesses, and attracting visitors is more important than ever.
“I welcome the ‘Curiosity Starts Here’ Campaign, including the innovative robot T-AM, and I’m sure it will help put the Scottish Borders and Dumfries & Galloway firmly on the map.”
You can follow TA-M’s journey by checking out the hashtag #CuriousityStartsHere on social media.
