Tourism bosses are confident the thousands of visitors hopping off cruise ships this summer will not be fazed by the dug-up Aberdeen city centre.
Union Street has been a construction site for almost a year as council chiefs push forward with what has been dubbed “the biggest redevelopment” in 200 years.
Once the works are completed, the high street is planned to be all spruced up with new pavements and cycle lanes, and equipped with a brand new food and drink market.
However, this won’t be until at least 2026 – with thousands of cruise ship passengers coming to explore the Granite City in the midst of the ongoing works.
But this summer it won’t just be cruise ships bringing tourists into Aberdeen…
The city is also to host this year’s Tall Ship Races, which is expected to bring an excess of 400,000 to the city shores for a four-day extravaganza with music, dance ad theatre.
‘Visitors don’t come with those preconceptions’
Business owners have previously hit out at the current state of Union Street, saying the upheaval is deterring people from the high street.
Just days after the central stretch was dug up, Attic boss, Adam McLaughlin, said he was already losing cash as his clothes shop had become a “ghost town”.
But tourism head honchos doubt that the scores of visitors bound to explore the north-east this summer will pay much attention to huge muddy patch at the heart of the city.
VisitAberdeenshire chief executive, Chris Foy, says tourists would usually look beyond the construction works and appreciate Aberdeen for its “wonderful” assets.
And with the range of events planned for the Tall Ships spectacle – including an outdoor market with 60 stalls at the quayside – he believes they will be in a good mood when they venture further inland.
“Visitors don’t come with those preconceptions,” Mr Foy told Original 106.
“They are very much seeing the city at face value, they are seeing the fruits of the wonderful investment in things like Union Terrace Gardens.
“All cities are works in progress, all cities evolve and like London is always changing, Aberdeen is always changing.”
He adds: “The city centre has so much capacity and Aberdeen is the place where Scottish tourism will grow – whether it’s people coming for a day off a cruise ship, or for longer.
“We want more people coming here, enjoying what we have to offer, and then going home and gloating about it to their friends.”
‘Tall Ships event in Aberdeen gives us loads to be optimistic about’
Meanwhile, Aberdeen Inspired chief executive, Adrian Watson, hopes this summer’s events will give businesses in the city a much needed boost.
Mr Watson still recalls how the streets burst into life the last time the Tall Ships docked at the harbour back in 1997.
And he thinks this year’s celebrations – as well as the 70 cruise ships planned to sail in over the summer months – will present a sea of opportunities to traders.
Business owners are already rolling up their sleeves for a profit boom, with St Machar Bar looking to open a whisky tasting room to capitalise on the influx of tourists.
As for the ongoing roadworks in the city centre, the BID chief echoes Mr Foy’s words and says visitors tend to be “oblivious” to the issues locals may be dealing with.
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He adds: “Of course, there is a challenge or two but we need to remain optimistic, get behind initiatives like this and bring as many people into the city as we possibly can.
“And with more cruise ships coming in and obviously the Tall Ships in July, there’s so much to be positive about and it’s great for the local economy.
“It [Tall Ships] will be the largest free event in in Europe and certainly our largest event in Scotland this year and it’s coming to our shores so we’re all very excited.”
Read more:
- What will Aberdeen look like when city’s Tall Ships bonanza sails in?
- Old Aberdeen pub planning to cash in on cruise ship boom with whisky tasting room
- What difference has Our Union Street made in bid to save Aberdeen city centre?
- Fresh drive to slash empty shops by half as Union Street units are now ‘cheaper than ever’
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