Aberdeen is achieving higher levels of tourism spending than anywhere else in the UK bar London.
So says VisitScotland chairman Mike Cantlay, who also told the Press and Journal that visitors to Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire injected a total of £492million into the local economy during the 2012-13 fiscal year.
It is a big jump from previous figures. Estimates from the national tourism body show that around £336million was spent throughout the area by UK and international visitors in 2012.
But it is the average amount spent which puts the Granite City ahead of most of the rest of the UK, according to Mr Cantlay.
UK-wide hotel surveys have consistently shown higher revenues in Aberdeen than other cities, with the exception of London, and VisitScotland’s chairman said this applied to tourism businesses generally.
Aberdeen is achieving the highest average tourism yields in the UK outside of London, he added.
He said the north-east would play a key role in another good year for the industry in Scotland this year after a “spectacular” performance nationally in 2013.
Spending figures for last year are not available yet, but Mr Cantlay said the total for Scotland during the first nine months was up by 8%.
He said most tourism business around the country had a “significantly better” year, with Aberdeen reaping the rewards of a buoyant local energy industry.
The key Highlands and islands region also did well last year following a slump in 2012, he added.
VisitScotland hopes the tourism industry nationally is on course for an even better year due to major events like the Commonwealth Games, Ryder Cup golf tournament, Homecoming 2014 celebrations and the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn.
Big north-east occasions, including the Turriff Show and Scottish Open golf tournament in Aberdeen, are also expected to boost the sector during 2014.
“Scotland has never hosted such a comprehensive range of events,” said Mr Cantlay, who was among the speakers at the first Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Conference.
The event, held in Aberdeen yesterday, was attended by people from tourism businesses throughout the north-east.
Speeches and interactive workshops covered topics as diverse as finance for growth, small business marketing, Google analytics and digital marketing with social media.
Other speakers included European Golf Tour ticketing boss Robert Gordon, and Susan Craw, director of the Institute of Innovation, Design and Sustainability at Aberdeen’s Robert Gordon University.