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North east tourist businesses set to capitalise on new route between Aberdeen and Frankfurt

North east tourism businesses are gearing up to seize potential new market opportunities that are expected to open up with the introduction on 30th October of a new direct Lufthansa flight between Aberdeen and Frankfurt in Germany.

Four Aberdeen City and Shire organisations are part of a Scottish delegation that will travel to Frankfurt tomorrow to showcase their businesses at a workshop and networking event, organised by VisitScotland’s Business Tourism Unit in conjunction with the Aberdeen Convention Bureau (ACB), in the city’s Senckenberg Naturmuseum (Natural History Museum).

Alesia du Plessis, Conference Support Manager at ACB, said: “Germany is the world’s third largest market for meetings, incentives, conferences and events and represents Scotland’s largest European source market for business tourism.

“In order to ensure that Aberdeen City and Shire has a strong profile within the Scottish group, ACB secured a number of spaces at the event that were available to our industry partners.”

Representatives from Meldrum House Country Hotel and Golf Club, Mercure Aberdeen Ardoe House Hotel and Spa, Skene House Hotel and Conference Suites and Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils will meet with a range of German corporate event planners, incentive agents, business association buyers and trade journalists.

Shona Anderson, VisitScotland Regional Director, said: “The new Aberdeen to Frankfurt route represents a hugely important opportunity for the region’s tourist industry and that’s why VisitScotland and the Aberdeen Convention Bureau have been working so hard to provide this platform for local businesses to show the quality of facilities and venues they have to offer.

“Business tourism events from Germany have been on the increase over the past couple of years with many buyers looking for short haul destinations. Scotland is well placed to capitalise on this and I have been extremely impressed by the professional manner in which our Scottish partners have come together to prepare themselves for the networking event and workshop.”

Head of Operations and Development at Meldrum House Country Hotel and Golf Club, Andy Burgess, said: “Germany represents a lucrative market for Meldrum House and the new flight will help to bring new business right into the heart of the region. With the help of VisitScotland in facilitating this event, we intend to showcase all that we have to offer, from the excellent conference and event facilities to the world class golf course set in spectacular countryside. We will certainly make the most of this opportunity to build contacts and develop new business leads in Germany.”

IVSA Officer at Aberdeen City Council, Paula Fullerton, said: “Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils are excited about the opportunities available thanks to the new route to Frankfurt. We hope, with the help of VisitScotland and our other regional partners, to showcase the region and its venues to the German market.”

Belinda Miller, Head of Economic Development at Aberdeenshire Council,

said: “This is a great opportunity to promote our unique venues and events to one of the largest and most lucrative markets in the world. We are delighted to be involved and will be actively working with the tourism industry to ensure we maximise the benefits of the direct route between Aberdeen and Frankfurt.”

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