Tourism body VisitAberdeenshire is setting its sights on attracting large-scale business events to the north-east at a trade show in Europe.
Business development director Peter Medley and business development manager Jenni Fraser will attend the Meetings & Incentives (M&I) Forum in Madrid in July.
The move comes after the newly-formed VisitAberdeenshire body said it made a “successful trip” to the Meetings Show in London earlier this month.
The duo will highlight attractions such as the £333million new Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC) as well as the renovations of Aberdeen Art Gallery and the Music Hall to over 370 buyers.
Mr Medley said: “There was an overwhelming positivity towards the north east of Scotland when we attended The Meetings Show, with many buyers impressed with just what the area has to offer. We are looking forward to continuing to build upon that enthusiasm in Madrid.
“Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire has a lot to offer the meetings, conference and incentives market and at events like these we can really show off the region’s best assets. With Aberdeen International Airport’s £20million expansion well underway, and new flight routes – including those to the USA via Icelandair – opening up the area to a global audience, it’s becoming easier and easier for international businesspeople to visit Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire for business events.
“Room rates in Aberdeen are now lower than they have been for a number of years, and coupled with the newly expanded range of hotels on offer that makes the area a very attractive proposition. The sheer range of high-quality venues available to organisers at a reasonable price will encourage events of all kinds to take place in the north east.”
The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) estimated that 2015 was a record year for the number of rotating international association meetings, with Berlin, Paris and Barcelona the top three destinations. The meetings, incentives, conference and exhibitions (MICE) industry has been estimated to be worth £25billion to the UK economy.
Mr Medley said: “Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire have a fantastic reputation amongst MICE buyers, and our time in Spain will be spent meeting with people to strengthen that
reputation for superior hospitality and world-class facilities.”
Three organisations – VisitAberdeen, Visit Royal Deeside and Banffshire Coast – merged to form VisitAberdeenshire in April.