All initiatives to bring more people into Aberdeen city centre are widely supported by local businesses.
Big sporting events attract the public – and spending from these visitors gives a welcome lift to traders in the area.
The city’s profile can also get a major boost throughout Scotland and even further afield.
Last year, two major crowd-pullers were staged in the Granite City for the first time.
The Tour Series cycling event saw dozens of Britain’s top professionals in action, while the Simplyhealth Great Aberdeen Run featured almost 8,000 participants.
The good news is the Tour Series now returns to Aberdeen on Thursday, May 17, while the Great Aberdeen Run is back on Sunday, August 26.
Aberdeen City Council is among local bodies to have supported these events.
Russell Borthwick, chief executive of Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce, said: “The Encyclopaedia of International Sports Studies tells us that sport contributes to building a community’s sense of place and, even where some people don’t have a direct interest in the event or result, success brings together the citizens of the area – boosting collective morale.
“Our strategy to bring world-class events to the north-east saw two new dates on the calendar in 2017 – the Tour Series cycling and the first Great Aberdeen Run.
“Thousands of spectators lined the routes at both to cheer on the participants, and feedback from the organisers was that our city provided a perfect backdrop.”
But Mr Borthwick said the return in 2018 of both the Great Aberdeen Run and the Tour Series are just the tip of the events iceberg.
He added: “We have strong credentials in other areas too. This spring sees the world’s best curlers of all age groups competing here in a series of events, including the World Junior Championships. There are strong rumours that next year the Scottish Open will return to a north-east links course and, in 2020, Aberdeen Sports Village is the venue for the European Junior Swimming Championships.”
However, Mr Borthwick said it is not only large-scale sporting events that are influential.
He explained: “Sports impact goes beyond the day-to-day social environment of the workplace.
“If woven into the fabric of working life, it can play a huge part in creating bonds between colleagues and customers, boost business performance and bring financial benefits to those companies whose culture embraces sport.
“It is a well-established fact that a happy and healthy workforce is a more productive one which is why, in addition to our continued support of the Great Aberdeen Run and other events, the chamber is supporting Sport Aberdeen’s #activatethecity initiative, which has the goal of making this the most active place in Scotland.”
Meanwhile, Aberdeen City Council has announced it is moving forward with ambitious plans for the 2018-19 events programme.
The council said the Nuart Aberdeen street art festival, Great Aberdeen Run and Tour Series cycling provided a boost to the regional economy last year and attracted tens of thousands of visitors.
Members of the finance, policy and resources committee have now agreed to support Nuart Aberdeen for three years at a cost of £100,000 per annum, and the Great Aberdeen Run for two years at £150,000 annually.
Committee convener Douglas Lumsden said: “Our role as a council is to drive the growth of the city’s economy, and events represent a major part of our ambitions. It is vital we attract footfall to Aberdeen, both from local residents and from visitors from further afield.
“Diversification and internationalisation are key strands of the regional economic strategy. Tourism can support both of those aims and, in order to appeal to a wider audience, it is vital Aberdeen establishes itself as a truly world-class destination.
“Great strides have been made and we will continue to push forward by investing in an events programme which is already attracting interest throughout Britain and the world.”
Chris Foy, chief executive of Visit-Aberdeenshire,said the inaugural Great Aberdeen Run had captured the imagination of people locally and internationally alike, and created an exciting weekend to be in Aberdeen.
He added: “We’re now looking forward to this August and to welcoming thousands of runners and their friends and family to Aberdeenshire.”