Review of Tourism in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire

Elaine Booth, Area Tourism Partnership Manager

History of our Tourism Groups

Area Tourist Boards

Dissolved in 2005

The Area Tourism Partnership

Created in 2006

No real influence

Visit Royal Deeside

Key Scottish Enterprise destination

Focus on Business and Product development

Banffshire Coast Tourism Partnership

Created from Banff and Buchan Tourism Forum

Focus Business Product Development and some marketing initiatives

VisitAberdeen

Created 2012

Key Focus Marketing

The Tourism Landscape

Banffshire CoastTourism Partnership

DMO

Visit AberdeenDMO

Transport

Visitor Attractions

Retail

Restaurants, cafes

Education

Huntly and District Tourism

Action Group Stonehaven Tourism Group

Aberdeen City and Shire Hotel Association

Fraserburgh Tourism Group

ACSEFSE, LAs, VS

STA/Scottish

Government

Visit Royal DeesideDMO

Turriff Tourism Action Group

Braemar Tourism Group

Ancestral Tourism

Activity Providers

ATPLA & VS

Why Review?

Cluttered landscape

Not all areas being covered

Unsustainable DMO’s

Changing priorities of funders

What we asked them to do ….

Review the regional tourism structures Recommend

Clear strategic direction Sustainable funding model(s)

Review the tourism opportunities for the city and Aberdeenshire

The future …….

A single tourism organisation – Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire Tourism Co. - AATC (working title)

Aligned objectives, consolidated resources

Concerns:

Loss of local identity

Business won’t engage with a ‘distant’ body

The proposition(s)

Funding & sustainability

What will AATC do?

Destination marketing

Develop & market leisure experiences

Business tourism marketing

Skills & people development

Business innovation & leadership

Forum & network for tourism sector

Lobbying

Research

Backing AATC to.…….

Transform image and perceptions of the area

Up the game in a competitive world

Consolidate marketing spend to cut through

Realise the strength of Aberdeenshire

Where we are now

Completion of

Business Plan

Leisure Marketing

Business Tourism Marketing

Action Plan

Market Fact File

Approval in progress with LA’s and SE

Formation of Shadow Board

Questions?