Hundreds of buyers of holidays will be hosted in Aberdeen next week as a leading travel trade event comes to the north-east for the first time.
VisitAberdeenshire boss Chris Foy hailed the decision to hold the annual UKinbound convention in Aberdeen as “quite a coup” for the region as more than 250 buyers and suppliers take part in the four-day event.
It is expected the event will stimulate interest among buyers in what the region can offer tourists in the UK and further abroad in an industry worth more than £2.5 billion to the Scottish economy pre-pandemic.
The UKinbound annual convention 2022 will offer delegates a chance to take part in formal events held at P&J Live, as well as “familiarisation” trips taking in local attractions such as Fyvie Castle, Barra Berries and Aberdeen Art Gallery.
There will also be an Awards for Excellence gala dinner and networking evening at Brewdog DogTap in Ellon, including an optional fancy dress competition.
“This is part of our ongoing mission to raise the profile of the region and provide growth opportunities for local businesses,” Mr Foy said.
He added the event offered local businesses such as hotel operators the opportunity to “turn around” perceptions of Aberdeen and shire as being an expensive destination, forged in prior years when high prices paid by the oil and gas industry for accommodation often made the region inaccessible to tourists.
Event to discuss critical issues facing industry
“There are long memories about Aberdeen hotels and their lack of availability and price. This is an opportunity to turn that around,” he said.
Trade body UKinbound, which supports members by providing opportunities to grow and develop their businesses, said the event in Aberdeen will offer “business appointments, networking, workshops, fam trips and engaging discussions on critical issues facing the industry today”.
“This year, we will also be bringing back the UKinbound Awards for Excellence to celebrate the resilience and innovation of our fantastic industry,” it added.
UKinbound chief executive Joss Croft said “We are very excited to be bringing over 260 delegates to Aberdeenshire for our annual convention later this month.
“The destination presented an inspiring bid, and a real desire to work with the travel trade and inbound tourism industry, which was worth £2.54bn to the Scottish economy in 2019.
“Together I am confident we will host an outstanding event, which will provide businesses attending with a range of commercial and networking opportunities.”
Watch the promotional video:
The UKinbound annual convention in partnership with VisitAberdeenshire will take place on Wednesday and Thursday next week, followed by two days when delegates can enjoy trips to various attractions around the region.
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