VisitAberdeenshire News - July 2025

Image credit: Port of Aberdeen

The masts of 49 Tall Ships will soon be seen on the horizon as they set course for Aberdeen harbour. The spectacle will put a spotlight on our region’s maritime heritage, our hospitality, and capacity to host major events. Spectacular weekends like this don’t just happen. Before the gates even open, it is the long hours put in by the organisers, the outpouring of creativity, and the sheer logistics involved that are a credit to the whole Aberdeen crew. It’s not too late to get ship shape, and we’ve highlighted advice and guidance for businesses in this issue. We'll “sea you there”.

Two weeks until the Tall Ships races arrive

With only two weeks to go until the Tall Ships arrive in Aberdeen, now is the time to make sure your business is ready.

The race starts on Friday 4 July when the ships depart Le Havre, France and set sail for Dunkirk. Arriving in Aberdeen on 19 July, 27 years after they last visited, marking the start of the free four-day family festival.

To help businesses in and around the city prepare for the festival, Tall Ships Races Aberdeen have created a business guide detailing timings, locations and road closures, along with hashtags and tips to use in your marketing. You can view the business guide here.

If you have not yet ordered your branded activation pack, containing posters, bunting and window stickers, contact kate.timperley@aberdeeninspired.com.

VisitAberdeenshire’s new Sustainable Tourism Report

Last month, VisitAberdeenshire published its first, annual Sustainable Tourism Report that highlights initiatives that have been led by, and supported by the organisation over the past year to help secure a sustainable future for North-east tourism.

The report highlights a year of impactful initiatives, collaborative community work, and tangible action towards a sustainable and more inclusive visitor economy.

To view the report, click here.

Seasonal spread of visitors to the North-east: focusing in on the city and shire

Last month we shared the 2024 volume and value headlines for tourism in the North-east, spotlighting staying visitors, day visitors and the economic impact of the industry to our region. Since then, we have uploaded a slide deck to the VisitAberdeenshire industry website, which walks through results in more detail. More recently we have produced two further decks, giving a focus on seasonal spread of visitors to the city, and also to the shire. These comprehensive decks each take a look at quarterly and monthly spread of both staying and day visitors across the years 2019, 2022-2024. The data identifies peaks and troughs of visitor footfall, where the strongest growth is taking place (in terms of volume of visitors), and where the opportunities may lie, particularly in the shoulder months.

If you have any insights related queries do get in touch with Deirdre O’Donnell, Insights & Evaluation Manager, at deirdre.odonnell@visitabdn.com

Spring 2025 campaign achieves over £600,000 visitor spend.

At VisitAberdeenshire, we evaluate every inbound-focused leisure campaign. Our most recent, Above & Beyond Spring 2025, ran in March and April and generated an estimated £628,118 in attributable regional spend. Visitor satisfaction was strong, with 87% rating their experience in the region 8, 9, or 10 out of 10.

The campaign proved memorable and impactful - 84% of respondents recalled seeing it. Facebook was the most frequently cited platform, followed by VisitAberdeenshire’s email. The campaign drove action, with the top three responses being: entering the prize draw, talking to friends or family about visiting, and exploring the VisitAberdeenshire website.

It also provided reassurance about the destination, with 86% agreeing there’s plenty to see and do, and 65% saying the campaign made them realise Spring is a great time to visit.

When asked which words best described the region, respondents chose rich in culture and heritage, beautiful and friendly. The least-descriptive terms selected were easy to get to, upmarket, and for all seasons.

Insights are based on 276 survey responses collected from 7–17 May. A full slide deck will soon be available on our Industry website. For queries, contact Deirdre O’Donnell at deirdre.odonnell@visitabdn.com.

Advertising opportunities

Did you know that VisitAberdeenshire offer a variety of advertising opportunities available to tourism and hospitality businesses in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire?

From adverts on visitabdn.com, to sponsored or exclusive consumer newsletters, to social media spotlights, to bespoke tailored package, we have something for everyone.

If you are looking to grow your audience or boost your brand awareness, contact Gemma Laing or click here to find out what we can do for you.

Dark sky tourism – creating winter experiences to extend your visitor season

Last week, we held a webinar on ‘Dark sky tourism – creating winter experiences to extend your visitor season’. During the session, we heard insights into dark sky tourism, and results from the evaluation of VisitAberdeenshire’s 2024/25 winter marketing campaign, Northern Nights. We also heard from local businesses Whitesky Photographics and Hillgoers, who shared their top tips on stargazing and their experience of running outdoor events. Finally, VisitAberdeenshire’s Tourism Development team discussed how you can create winter experiences. This webinar was recorded and is available on our Industry website, here.

To help you create a winter experience, you can access our toolkit, here. If you would be interested in finding out more or arranging a 1to1 to get some personalised advice, please click here.

Marketing materials

News from other organisations

New Aberdeen Adventurer live tracking app

It has been a few months now since the Aberdeen Adventurer graced our streets. The open top bus provider, McGills, has shared that businesses and individuals can now track the bus on their app to allow potential passengers to plan their trip. Branding on the app remains as ‘Xplore Dundee’, however once you select the ‘explore’ option and select the Aberdeen Adventurer, you can follow the bus along its route.

To find out more and to download the app, click here.

Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks returns

Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks is set to return from Sunday 1 – Sunday 14 September. Aberdeen Restaurant Weeks is a city-wide celebration of local food and drink, showcasing some of the best restaurants, cafés, and bars across Aberdeen city. Held twice a year, the event offers specially curated menus and exclusive deals, making it the perfect opportunity to try something new or revisit old favourites. Whether you’re craving fine dining, international flavours, or casual bites, there's something for every taste and budget.

Cafés, bars, and restaurants can register now to take part. Boost visibility, attract new customers, and showcase your best dishes. Sign up by 21 July 2025 at ARW@aberdeeninspired.com. For more information, click here.