VisitAberdeenshire update 21 June 2023

21 June 2023

One of the great pleasures of working in tourism is to hear and read positive comments from our visitors. A glance at last Saturday’s Press & Journal revealed the thoughts of German visitors who spent the day ashore after their cruise ship had berthed in Aberdeen. “Friendly people”, “a fantastic place to visit” stood out - indications that these visitors will be leaving happier and inspired to return.

In this edition we also report on the views of a foodie magazine editor who we brought to the region last autumn. His reflections on “cute villages, a handsome distillery and artisan food producers” certainly resonate with those of us who know this wonderful part of the world and will now introduce hundreds of thousands of monthly readers to the food and drink experiences in the North-east.

Chris Foy

Give your feedback to help shape our 2023-24 Industry Development Programme!

We are currently in the process of planning our 2023-24 programme of workshops, webinars and one-to-one advice sessions. Whether you have taken part previously, or if you are new to the programme, we would really appreciate your feedback and thoughts to help us develop and refine our offering for 2023/24 to ensure we are delivering activity that meets the needs of our local tourism industry. The survey will take around 5-10 minutes of your time and it closes on Friday 30 June.

Click here to complete the survey

Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire featured in Delicious magazine

As part of VisitAberdeenshire's efforts to amplify the region's food and drink offering, we secured a travel feature in Delicious magazine, that has an overall reach of nearly 2 million monthly global users and readers. The press trip took place at the end of last year, with editor Les Dunn experiencing a wide range of food and drink businesses across the region.

Read 48 Hours in Aberdeenshire

Travel Trade Masterclass | Wednesday 28 June

Our upcoming Travel Trade Masterclass is relevant for any tourism or hospitality business who wishes to develop and sell products through travel trade intermediaries, cruise trade and/or online travel agents (OTAs), regardless of whether you are new to working with the travel trade or could benefit from a refresher or deeper understanding of the market.

Date: Wednesday 28 June 2023, 9.30am – 3pm (registration opens at 9.30am for a 10am start)

Location: Aloft Aberdeen TECA

Click here to register for the Travel Trade Masterclass

Provenance Festival returns for 2023

The Provenance Festival, the North-east’s celebration of regional food and drink at source will return from 29 September to 8 October 2023. Developed by Opportunity North East (ONE) in 2021, this year’s festival will be delivered by VisitAberdeenshire in partnership with ONE.

We are seeking expressions of interest from businesses to take part in this year’s festival to deliver engaging, hands-on and memorable visitor experiences connecting consumers with producers of authentic food and drink at its source. Click here for more information

If you would like to register an interest in taking part this year, please contact festival@visitabdn.com.

NEWS FROM OTHER ORGANISATIONS

Scotland’s Greatest Escape – Nominations now open!

Nominations are now open for Series 2 of ‘Scotland’s Greatest Escape’, a BBC Scotland series that highlights outstanding Scottish holiday getaways. They are looking for nominations for the best escape in Scotland, whether it be a coastal caravan park, a cottage with breath-taking views or a sensational city hotel.

Members of the public can nominate their favourite retreat and owners can also self-submit their own accommodation. Nominations close at midnight on Sunday 2 July.

Click here for more information and how to enter

City restaurants encouraged to sign up for Aberdeen Restaurant Week

Aberdeen’s foodie fortnight is set to return from Monday 7 – Sunday 20 August 2023, with restaurants, bars and cafés being urged to sign up to take part in the ever-popular Aberdeen Restaurant Week initiative. The deadline to register is Friday 23 June.

Make the most of the cycling market

As Scotland gears up to host the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships from 3 – 13 August, VisitScotland has produced an industry guide that gives advice on the scale of the opportunity posed by the cycling tourism market, how best to reach new cycling visitors and useful resources to get started.

Read the Cycling Tourism Industry Guide

Events Strategy Consultation Webinar

EventScotland is hosting a webinar on 22 June focusing on Scotland’s National Events Strategy review and update consultation. The webinar follows a series of in-person regional Event Industry Consultation Workshops and provides the opportunity to have your say in the development of the future strategy.

Have your say on the 2023 Visitor Attraction Website Report Survey

Rubber Cheese, in partnership with Convious, has launched the 2023 Annual Visitor Attraction Website Report Survey to gather insights into user experience, booking journeys, mobile experience, and other areas that can affect the online presence of a visitor attraction. The survey will close at the end of July, with the report set to be released in September.

Complete the survey

Register for Exploring Opportunities: Churches and Tourism

Heritage Trust Network and Historic Churches Scotland have partnered with SCOTO to host a free webinar focusing on the opportunities a church building can offer within local tourism. The webinar will take place Thursday 6 July, 7 – 8.30pm.