Maximising expo-sure of Aberdeen City & Shire

Aberdeen City and Shire is set to be promoted to the world next week, as VisitScotland expo – Scotland’s flagship travel trade event – rolls into the Granite City.

Holding expo in Aberdeen could mean a £1.7m boost to the local economy, according to the national tourism organisation’s Regional Director, Philip Smith. Some delegates attending the event, on April 22nd and 23rd, will also participate in ‘familiarisation’ trips to Aberdeen City and Shire, to give them a real-life, first-hand experience of the types of holidays they will be able to provide to customers.

And in 2015 – Scotland’s Year of Food & Drink - expo’s two major evening networking events will showcase the region’s culinary offering and natural larder. Tuesday night’s delegate event will be held at Woodend Barn, near Banchory, showcasing Royal Deeside, and Wednesday evening’s event at the AECC will showcase the Banffshire Coast.

Philip Smith said: 

“VisitScotland’s expo is the most important date in Scotland’s tourism calendar. It allows us to showcase this must-visit region to UK and international buyers. It also reinforces to the tourism industry in the rest of Scotland that the North-east is a serious player in both business and leisure tourism.

“We have city culture, with iconic granite buildings, including St Machar’s Cathedral in Old Aberdeen and Marischal College and attractions including the Maritime Museum and Tolbooth Museum; a rich fishing heritage, dramatic coastal scenery and unique wildlife watching opportunities - where else can you be in a city and watch a pod of urban dolphins? 

“2015, Scotland’s Year of Food and Drink, is an exciting year for everyone involved in tourism, and business generated during the two days of expo will help ensure Scotland welcomes the world for many years to come.”

More than £24 million worth of business is expected to be conducted over the two days of VisitScotland expo – the 36th such event. Scotland will be promoted by over 230 businesses from across the country with a Scottish tourism product to highlight. Compared to 2014’s expo at Glasgow’s SECC, there will be at least a 33% increase in new exhibitors. 

With awesome scenery, vibrant culture, spectacular heritage and delicious food and drink, Scotland is the perfect destination for a business or leisure trip, and as the country welcomed people from all over the world in 2014 – we now need to take Scotland to the world and sell it like never before. For this reason, this year’s expo is the most important date in Scotland’s tourism calendar.

Last year’s event in Glasgow saw over 6,700 appointments and a recent study found that hosting expo could be worth around £1.7m to the local economy. Exhibitors from Aberdeen City and Shire this year include Trump International Golf Links, Ardoe House Hotel & Spa, Banffshire Coast Tourism Partnership, Deeside Activity Park, Golf Aberdeen City & Shire, Raemoir House Hotel, Meldrum House Country Hotel & Golf Course, amongst others. 

Tourism is more than a holiday experience – it creates jobs, sustains communities and provides an international shop window for Scotland. Last year we proved that Scotland was the perfect stage for sporting, cultural and business events and at expo 2015, VisitScotland will continue to deliver economic success by showcasing Scotland to the world. 

For more information about VisitScotland expo visit:http://visitscotlandexpo.com/

For a full list of companies exhibiting at VisitScotland expo visit: http://visitscotlandexpo.com/exhibiting/exhibiting_companies/