Tourism businesses in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire are being invited to sign up to an event at which they can do business with global tour operators, travel advisors and destination management companies representing Scotland’s most important visitor markets.
VisitScotland Connect 2026, supported by Visit Glasgow, will be held for the first time in the city next year at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) and registration is now open. The event is a key part of the national tourism and event organisation’s activity to drive the visitor economy by increasing Scotland’s share of global tourism.
Almost 30 trade-ready tourism businesses from the region attended this year’s event at P&J Live in Aberdeen, where Scottish tourism businesses met with travel intermediaries. These included tour operators and travel agents who plan trips to Scotland for their clients across the globe, including in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and the UK domestic market.
These operators help promote a spread of destinations and can ensure Scotland – and Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire – is included in travel itineraries for the coming years and that the holiday offering continues to evolve and fit the demands of the modern traveller.
VisitScotland’s flagship travel trade event is designed to provide a targeted platform for trade-ready Scottish businesses – including accommodation, experiences and attractions - to connect with domestic and international travel trade buyers.
Graham Sutherland, Owner & Head Pastry/Chocolate instructor at The Pastry Academy in Banchory, attended this year’s VisitScotland Connect for the first time: “The Pastry Academy initially heard of VisitScotland Connect on the back of creating a listing on VisitAberdeenshire.
“During our chats, we were introduced to VisitScotland Connect and took the opportunity of learning about the travel trade industry and all that it had to offer us as a small business.
“When the event came to be in April this year, it was bigger and more amazing than I’d ever hoped. We were able to be right in front of key industry people - we would never have had the opportunity for this outside of VisitScotland Connect. It has been amazing for us and something that is definitely helping us grow our business. Thank you so much to everyone on the team!”
New figures* show that this year’s event, which was attended by almost 250 tourism businesses and over 270 travel intermediaries, resulted in bookings worth an estimated £8.6 million to Scotland.
A survey conducted after the event found that every Scottish tourism business who responded anticipated generating sales for their business as a result of attending. Additionally, 91% of travel trade buyers said they anticipate introducing, expanding, updating or changing their programme or products as a result.
A total of 8,200 meetings were held - up by 1,200 on 2024 - and 50 of the Scottish tourism businesses who attended the event were new to VisitScotland Connect this year.
Figures show Scotland welcomed a record number of international visitors in 2024. With half of all overseas visitors booking their trips through tour operators or travel advisors, the event has been credited with helping Scottish suppliers get their experiences and services in front of global audiences.
In addition to the event in Glasgow, a specially-curated programme of familiarisation (fam) trips will be organised to showcase the best of Scotland’s tourism offering. Highlighting products with a strong emphasis on sustainability, these fam trips allow travel trade representatives to experience first-hand everything from local culture and food and drink to rail and public transport, luxury and outdoor adventures and wildlife at a variety of different destinations.
This year, VisitScotland staff hosted attendees on trips right across Scotland, including seven in the region. One of these trips saw buyers staying at Ardoe House Hotel, undertaking an Aberdeen food and drink tour, and visiting Aberdeen Maritime Museum, the City of Aberdeen Distillery, the Gordon Highlanders Museum, Drum Castle, Aberdeenshire Highland Beef and the Braemar Highland Games Centre.
David Jackson, VisitScotland Regional Director, said: “VisitScotland Connect is an integral part of our work to help more Scottish tourism and events businesses to internationalise and capitalise on growing international interest.
“Tourism is vital to the region’s prosperity and I would encourage trade-ready tourism businesses in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire to sign up for 2026.
“According to statistics from the International Passenger Survey, the total overnight spend by international and domestic visitors to Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray Speyside in 2024, totalled £395 million. This stimulates investment, creates jobs in communities across the region, enhances Scotland’s global reputation, and boosts visitors’ and our own health and wellbeing.
“This is so important as the industry continues to face challenges as a result of the cost of living and the cost of doing business.
“I was thrilled to see so many tourism businesses from this region in attendance this year and once again, they came together to showcase this unique and captivating region to a global audience.
“Encouraging visitors to explore the region all year round and to spend more money in our local communities is vital for the sustainable growth of the visitor economy.”
VisitScotland Connect will be held on 15 and 16 April 2026, at the SEC in Glasgow and is for businesses who are ready to work with travel trade. Trade-ready Scottish businesses can register to participate via the registration link on the Connect event website.