A host of successful events - including VisitScotland expo and the Routes Europe Conference in Aberdeen and the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival and Turriff Show in Aberdeenshire - have all contributed to a busy year for tourism in the region.
VisitScotland Regional Director, Philip Smith, said despite the economic slowdown, 2015 brought continued investment and confidence in the city by hotel developers, with a number of new hotels opening and in the pipeline. The Marcliffe Hotel & Spa is to remain open and will benefit from an extensive refurbishment programme. A £200 million expansion of Union Square shopping centre is also planned, creating a potential 1,000 construction jobs and another 1,000 in retail.
There were over 8.43 million opportunities to see and hear messaging on Aberdeenshire as part of VisitScotland’s autumn/winter 2014 and spring/summer 2015 regional marketing campaign and over £1million invested by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s events directorate, in events involving Aberdeen City and Shire in 2014/15.
Philip Smith said: “This year has been very busy in Aberdeen City & Shire, and despite the absence of great weather, feedback is that visitors have still enjoyed a fantastic line-up of events, festivals, shows and Highland games.
“Scotland’s Year of Food & Drink has really played to our region’s strengths, with its great array of fresh, local produce, and for the first time we’ve had all the key tourism groups and the Chamber of Commerce working together on a major food and drink campaign, Food Fest 15, partly funded by VisitScotland
“EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s events directorate, also awarded a total of £19,900 to events in Aberdeen City & Shire for the Year of Food & Drink 2015, including The University of Aberdeen May Festival, Taste of Grampian and the Turriff Show.
“We have also had major events to shout about in the region this summer. We played host to the Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Matchplay at Murcar Links Golf Club, as part of the PGA European Tour, which was supported by VisitScotland. And in September, the first ever Etape Royale took place in Aberdeenshire and Moray, with over 1,000 cyclists taking part in a 102-mile closed-road ride.
“Earlier in the season, we unveiled our wonderful refurbished VisitScotland Information Centre in Aberdeen’s Union Street, which offers a more fully-accessible, customer-friendly service, access to digital information and more internal space to browse and sit whilst making bookings.
“We have also rewarded hard-working businesses, with a number of well-earned Quality Assurance and Taste Our Best awards being distributed across the region during the season, including the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre, Trump International Golf Links, and NorthLink Ferries.
“Aberdeen City and Shire is bursting with things to see and do and places to stay. The region boasts spectacular coastlines, excellent wildlife watching opportunities, popular outdoor pursuits, fantastic walking choices and great visitor attractions.
“We all need to be strong ambassadors for our region and to get behind exciting events and the opportunities they can bring to the region. I hope this enthusiasm to keep Aberdeen City & Shire firmly on the tourism map continues as we head into 2016 - the Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design.
Looking ahead, major projects underway or in the pipeline in Aberdeenshire include the multi-million pound refurbishment of the Fife Arms Hotel in Braemar, a major extension at Meldrum House Hotel, extensive renovations at Douneside House in Tarland, Royal Deeside; the proposed luxury golf resort development near Stonehaven, further plans for the development of Trump International Golf Links at Balmedie and major investment in Glenshee and The Lecht ski centres.
VisitScotland is also working closely with Aberdeenshire Council as it moves forward with its plans to rebuild Ballater Royal Station, which will include a new VisitScotland Information Centre, following the major fire earlier this year.
Philip added: “Tourism is more than a holiday experience – it creates jobs, sustains communities and provides a shop window for business activity. The visitor economy causes a ripple effect that touches every industry, business and community in the region.
“Without tourism, many remote communities would not be sustainable and business sectors like drink, retail or construction would be severely impacted. A strong visitor economy helps to position us on the world stage, with every tourism experience having the potential to become a business transaction.”