Tourism bosses say Teca hosting Scotland’s largest travel trade show should be a chance to change the world’s perceptions of the north-east.
The city’s new exhibition centre has been revealed as the venue for the VisitScotland Expo next year – a first for the city since 2015.
This year’s expo – described as “one of the biggest ever” by organisers – brought 550 companies from 28 countries to Glasgow’s SEC at the weekend.
Now tourism bosses hope that global industry will see firsthand that the region is “a high-quality destination”.
Chirs Foy, chief executive of VisitAberdeenshire, said there has been “big change” in the north-east since many of the delegates would last have been.
“I took my first trip to Aberdeen in 2011 for the expo, to talk about the 2012 Olympics.
“Hotel occupancy rates were very different then than they are today.
“The area is open for leisure and group business now in a way it was not before.”
VisitScotland’s regional director Jo Robinson added: “This is a chance to change perceptions – tourism is much more of a focus for the north-east now.
“Aberdeen maybe had a reputation as an expensive city in the past, and was not known as a leisure destination.
“The VisitScotland Expo at Teca will be a powerful opportunity to change the overall relationship with the travel trade.
“The city has changed immensely – by next year the refurbished art gallery and Music Hall should both be open, as should the new harbour.”