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VisitAberdeenshire looks back on year of recovery


By Kyle Ritchie

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VisitAberdeenshire has published a look back at 2020/21 in its latest annual review.

Throughout the most challenging of years for the tourism sector, VisitAberdeenshire concentrated on adapting its marketing and development activities to meet rapidly changing circumstances.

Spearheading VisitAberdeenshire’s work during the last year was its Business Recovery Programme, a pioneering multi-strand programme that helped local hospitality and tourism businesses build resilience in an increasingly uncertain market.

The programme was geared towards business needs, with themes including digital marketing, interpreting customer and market insights and advice to develop new products and experiences.

Chris Foy, CEO of VisitAberdeenshire said: “The recovery programme has been the talismanic project of the last 12 months, giving industry some much needed guidance and steer, delivered by our Tourism Development team alongside industry experts from across the UK.

"Our work in this space continues, as we look to implement another wave of activity in the coming months.

“In addition, our marketing plans were re-shaped, retargeted, paused, then reactivated, and our endeavours to secure long-term business from tour operators and conference organisers adapted as normal routes to market were closed.

"This continues to be a team effort across the region, with tangible outcomes demonstrating the value of the continued support for tourism from Opportunity North East and our two local authorities.”

VisitAberdeenshire is funded by Opportunity North East, Aberdeenshire Council and Aberdeen City Council.

Pre-pandemic, direct tourism expenditure in the north-east contributed more than £730 million to the local economy every year, supporting almost 18,500 jobs across nearly 1400 diverse businesses.

Jennifer Craw, chief executive of Opportunity North East said: “In what has continued to be a challenging time for the tourism sector the role of VisitAberdeenshire, together with Opportunity North East’s continued investment has been essential to support recovery and drive longer-term growth.

“The combined focus of a comprehensive and highly relevant recovery programme, together with ambitious transformational projects, will ensure the region emerges as a thriving, sustainable tourist destination that offers an exceptional visitor experience, delivers business growth and creates new jobs.”

Councillor Peter Argyle, deputy leader of Aberdeenshire Council said: “The past 18 months have been exceptionally challenging for the whole of the tourism industry and the north-east has not been immune from the effects.

"As we emerge from the pandemic rebuilding this important sector is a key priority for Aberdeenshire Council and for VisitAberdeenshire.

“There are opportunities as well as challenges and we all need to work together to develop the former while facing up to the latter.

“Tourism forms a significant part of the Aberdeenshire economy and VisitAberdeenshire’s role in developing the sector and bringing its expertise to bear in supporting local businesses is and will be, hugely important.”

Grampian Transport Museum benefitted from the Business Recovery Programme.

Mike Ward MBE, Curator, at the museum said: "Covid-19 brought the Grampian Transport Museum (GTM) to a shuddering full stop for the first time in four decades.

"Always looking for positives, we used the time to take stock, look to the future, and press reset.

"From the start of lockdown, it became obvious that our experience was not unique and that we were not alone in facing difficulties.

"More importantly we were clearly not alone in wanting to make good use of the down time. A number of key organisations were there for us from day one.

"Prominent among them was VisitAberdeenshire and we immediately signed up for its Business Recovery Programme.

"As the title suggests, this has been designed to help place our business in the recovery position, but it did so much more than just that.

"It helped us to achieve positive outcomes, making full use of the time to upskill staff in several key areas; marketing being a central theme.

"Five key personnel have benefitted from great workshops and one-to-one discussions with some inspirational specialists.

"VisitAberdeenshire has helped GTM by boosting morale, upskilling staff, understanding the bigger picture and in a very tangible way, to 'Build Back Better'.”

For more information on VisitAberdeenshire, visit www.visitabdn.com


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