VisitAberdeenshire News - August 2024

As the summer moves swiftly, we published our annual review last week reflecting on the last twelve months of activity, celebrating our work across the entire business. There is plenty to be proud of, as we gear up for an exciting period ahead.

You can now reserve your seat at the North-east Tourism Conference 2024. We’re developing an engaging programme of speakers and sessions, and it looks set to be a day full of rich discussion and debate.

Provenance Festival is back for 2024, and with events gathering momentum, the festival is a real opportunity to explore the region’s food and drink producers and hospitality businesses a little deeper.

Enjoy the issue.

Tourism Development team

Tickets are on sale for North-east Tourism Conference 2024

Hosted by BBC Scotland journalist Fiona Stalker, this long-awaited event - supported by P&J Live - will bring you together with organisations, businesses and individuals from across the region to focus on how tourism can help the North-east to thrive in 2025, and beyond. You will hear from a range of industry experts and thought leaders throughout the day who will contribute to an engaging programme that will focus on our visitors, our people and our environment.

In addition, there will be ample networking opportunities to make new contacts, meet with peers, and exchange ideas.

Date: Tuesday 19 November 2024

Time: 9.30am – 3.30pm

Venue: P&J Live, Aberdeen

Cost: £60 + VAT

Details of the schedule, contributors, and exhibitors will be coming soon.

Click here to book your space

VisitAberdeenshire’s Annual Review – 2023-24 now available

Each year, VisitAberdeenshire publishes its annual review, demonstrating the work carried out during the previous year to support tourism growth in the North-east.

In the latest review, we highlighted our achievements over the last year including:

-          The impact of our promotional campaigns

-          The work of our Aberdeen Convention Bureau arm

-          The trailblazing Tourism Development Programme, designed to support tourism and hospitality businesses develop and grow their offering to meet consumer demand.

Click here to read the Annual Review.

Provenance Festival 2024

Provenance Festival is a 9-day festival celebrating local food and drink. Now in its fourth year, the festival will take place from Saturday 21 September – Sunday 29 September.  

The festival is an opportunity for visitors and locals to go behind the scenes, meet with producers and learn about local produce. It is a great opportunity for tourism and hospitality businesses of all types, to work together and collaborate, whilst telling the story of our fantastic food and drink sector.

More than 40 businesses have already registered to take part, with confirmed events including Royal Lochnagar Distillery tasting sessions in collaboration with Twisted Ankle Brewery and Wark Farm Pies, Mackie’s of Scotland ice cream tasting flight at Mackie’s 19.2 parlour and City of Aberdeen Distillery & Gin School offering tours and tastings, created for the Provenance Festival.

There is still time to register, so if you are interested in taking part, you can click here to find out more or contact Leah Hodder, Provenance Festival Project Manager, on festival@visitabdn.com.

We are particularly keen to hear from venues who would be interested in working with a producer to host an event. If you have space and would like to find out more, please contact Leah on the email address above.

VisitAberdeenshire ‘Dark Skies’ workshop – Limited spaces remaining

This winter, VisitAberdeenshire will be promoting the region’s illuminating experiences and dark skies. From the city’s vibrant festivals to Aberdeenshire’s stargazing credentials – we want visitors to immerse themselves in the sights and sounds of winter and extend the region’s tourist season.

The campaign will run from October through to the end of January and will feature stunning imagery of starry skies and the city buzz in the darker months. Carefully pitched PR to travel media around the region’s experiences and sensory outdoor adventures will encourage potential visitors to explore the region’s dark beauty.

In order to present the best possible products to market, we are hosting a workshop with Richard Darn, Dark Skies UK, to help you shape your winter offering – this could be from stargazing in your property’s grounds to guided 360-degree panoramic experiences, the session will help you make the most of this growing market.

Date: Thursday, 15 August 2024

Time: 11.00am – 1.30pm, followed by a networking lunch

Venue: Ardoe House Hotel, Aberdeen, AB12 5YP

Only a limited number of spaces remain so register now to find out how our dark skies could be a star attraction for your tourism business.

Click here to register.

Sustainable businesses in Aberdeenshire recognised in Wanderlust magazine

VisitAberdeenshire works with travel media to highlight the region’s diverse visitor offering.

Last week, Wanderlust released a feature on the North-east, looking at Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire’s journey towards Net Zero. The feature mentions numerous tourism and hospitality businesses in the region who are successfully demonstrating sustainable practices and experiences. You can read the article here.

If you are interested in how you can work with the media, see details on our upcoming ‘VisitAberdeenshire Presents…’ webinar below.

Working with the Golf Travel Trade

Join us on 3 September at a workshop designed to help you understand how to develop and sell your products through the golf travel trade and connect with likeminded businesses in the golf sector. 

The workshop will focus on working with the golf travel trade as a route to market. You will hear about the golf travel trade and what buyers need from you. It's also an opportunity to hear about the region as a golf destination and prepare for Scottish Golf Tourism Week, as Aberdeen hosts the annual event in 2025. 

The workshop is relevant for tourism businesses based in, or operating in, Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, who are active in the golf market, including golf courses and resorts, hotels, transport providers, restaurants, and visitor experiences.

Date: Tuesday 3 September 2024 

Time: Registration 10.00am 

Meeting 10.30am – 12.45pm, followed by a light lunch and the opportunity to network 

Location: Newmachar Golf Club

Click here to register.

More upcoming Industry Events:

NEWS FROM OTHER ORGANISATIONS

Aberdeen City Council launch business start-up grant scheme

Aberdeen City Council has announced a new grant scheme to support business start-ups in the city. This scheme will allow new businesses registered in Aberdeen City since 1 January 2024 to apply for a one-off grant award of either £1,000 to new businesses or £3,000 to business start-ups taking on a premise or commercial space.

To access funding, applicants should have an allocated business advisor from Business Gateway Aberdeen City & Shire.

You can find more information on the grant scheme here: https://www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/services/services-business/business-start-grant-scheme

Purple 365 webinar series

As part of VisitScotland’s Purple 365 membership, tourism businesses throughout Scotland can access monthly webinars free of charge.

Purple 365 is a programme designed to deliver disability training and development by the organisation behind Purple Tuesday. The goal of the programme is to improve disability awareness and confidence in your staff’s customer service.

Click here to find out more.