Press release -
One in mill-ion opportunity for Dundee & Angus
A recently renovated mill in Dundee is set to host the Dundee & Angus Tourism Conference this spring.
The Verdant Work’s High Mill in Dundee will host the event on 15 March, which aims to highlight the ways in which businesses in the area can make the most of what the region has to offer.
Delegates will be invited to take part in workshops which will focus on the opportunities that the Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design will bring to the area including Dundee’s major waterfront development and the future V&A Museum of Design.
Workshops on how to maximise transport, attractions, food and drink and digital will be offered which aim to help businesses capitalise on the future international centre of design, part of Dundee’s extensive £1 billion waterfront development.
Dundee, at the heart of the Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design 2016 as the UK’s first UNECSCO City of Design, also has a number of major events planned to showcase the regions strengths in the coming months.
The conference, run in partnership between VisitScotland, Dundee & Angus Chamber of Commerce and Dundee and Angus Councils, forms part of Scottish Tourism Week and will be attended by Fergus Ewing MSP, Minister for Business, Energy and Tourism.
Tourism Minster Fergus Ewing said:
“Already home to one of Scotland’s sunniest cities, visitors are going to have even more reason to visit Dundee and Angus over the coming years.
“Construction work on the V&A Museum of Design, Dundee and the accompanying waterfront redevelopment project continues apace with the museum scheduled to open to the public in 2018.
“The Dundee and Angus Tourism Conference will help businesses in the area plan so they can fully capitalise on this world-class opportunity and help the tourism industry nationally continue to go from strength to strength.”
Jim Clarkson, Regional Partnerships Director, VisitScotland said:
“With the Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design 2016 well underway, I can’t think of a more suitable choice of venue than High Mill for the Dundee & Angus Tourism Conference 2016.
“Tourism is leading economic transformation in Dundee & Angus, with projects like the V&A Museum of Design, Dundee bringing new opportunities to the region.
“The conference willensure everyone can make the most of what the area has to offer now and in the future, with the V&A now very much on the horizon.”
Will Dawson convener of Dundee City Council's city development committee said:
"This conference is a fantastic way to showcase what Dundee and Angus has to offer.
"Tourism is an important part of the local economy in Dundee, and as the Waterfront Development progresses and the V&A becomes a reality, we want to increase visitor numbers and enhance their experience of the city.”
Councillor Mairi Evans, spokesperson for tourism at Angus Council, said:
“Tourism is hugely important to this part of Scotland and the opening of the V&A Dundee in 2018 will attract thousands of new visitors to the region.
“The Dundee & Angus Tourism Conference will highlight the importance of working together and aims to encourage businesses to think about what they can do to capitalise on this unique opportunity.
“The programme of speakers, business support agencies and workshops will help existing businesses and potential entrepreneurs to come up with new business ideas and collaborations to ensure visitors to the region have a fantastic experience and come back again and again.”
The UK’s first design museum outside London, V&A Museum of Design Dundee, is scheduled to open in 2018.
Verdant Work’s High Mill is an almost 200 year old A-listed building and was recently restored thanks to a £2.9 million restoration project by Dundee Heritage Trust.
The Dundee and Angus Tourism Conference 2016 is sponsored by Business Gateway.
For more information about Scottish Tourism week, visit www.scottishtourismweek.scot
- ENDS -
Topics
- Tourism
Categories
- year of innovation architecture and design
- dundee
- corporate communications
- business events
Notes to Editors
- Follow us on twitter: @visitscotnews
- VisitScotland is Scotland’s national tourism organisation. Its core purpose is to maximise the economic benefit of tourism to Scotland.
- The organisation’s core objective is to contribute to the Tourism 2020 Strategy ambition of growing tourism revenues by £1 billion by 2020.
- This will be supported by seven overarching strategies:
- Marketing: we will market Scotland and its outstanding assets to visitors from all parts of the world, including the promotion of Scotland to people living in Scotland to visit different parts of the country
- Events: we will support the national events strategy and its delivery, and sustain, develop and promote Scotland’s international profile as one of the world’s foremost events destinations
- Internationalisation and International Engagement: we will utilise all our platforms to enable Scottish-based tourism businesses to better understand international opportunities and market to a global audience and we will work within One Scotland Partnerships to optimise the potential of Scotland’s Diaspora and our strategic partners at regional, European and global levels
- Customer Experience: we will provide information and inspiration to visitors both locally and globally via their preferred medium of choice
- Quality and Sustainability: we will provide support and advice to businesses, with the goal of improving the quality and sustainability of the tourism sector in Scotland. We will provide quality assurance to visitors through our Quality Schemes
- Inclusive Tourism: we will strive to make tourism in Scotland inclusive and available to all
- Working in Partnership: we will listen to and work with the industry, partners and communities to shape our offering and support
- VisitScotland works together with tourism businesses to make tourism a success for everyone and ensure the industry continues to grow.
- The organisation employs 700 people and has offices and VisitScotland Information Centres across Scotland.
- Spending by tourists in Scotland generates around £12 billion of economic activity in the wider Scottish supply chain and contributes around £6 billion to Scottish GDP (in basic prices). This represents about 5% of total Scottish GDP.
- For VisitScotland’s press releases go to http://www.visitscotland.org/media_centre.aspx, tourism statistics and frequently asked questions go to http://www.visitscotland.org/
- Where possible, a Gaelic speaker will be made available for broadcast interviews on request (Far an tèid iarraidh, agus far am bheil sin nar comas, bruidhinnidh neach le Gàidhlig aig agallamh)
- For holiday information on Scotland go to www.visitscotland.com
- For information about business events in Scotland go to www.conventionscotland.com
Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design 2016 - 2016 will shine a spotlight on Scotland’s achievements in innovation, architecture and design through a wide-ranging, variety of new and existing activity.
- The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design begins on 1 January 2016 and ends on 31 December 2016 and will build on the momentum generated by the current 2015 Year of Food and Drink as well as previous years including Homecoming Scotland 2014, the Year of Creative and the Year of Natural.
- Through a series of exciting events and activity, the year will showcase Scotland’s position as an “innovation nation”, its outstanding built heritage, and its thriving, internationally acclaimed creative industries sector.
- The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design is a Scottish Government initiative being led by VisitScotland, and supported by a variety of partners including Scottish Government, Creative Scotland, Architecture + Design Scotland, Scottish Tourism Alliance, Scottish Enterprise, The National Trust for Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS).
- The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design events fund is managed by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate.
- Join the conversation at #IAD2016
- Events can join the 2016 Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design Partner Programme throughout the year by visiting http://www.eventscotland.org/YIAD_partner_programme
