Aug 262016
 

With thanks to Eoin Smith, Senior Account Executive, Tricker PR.

Visit Aberdeen, the new destination organisation that will market the city to both leisure and business visitors, has appointed a chief executive officer. Steve Harris will take up the job on 14 August, after moving from his current position as Head of UK Media Relations at Shell. Pictured Steve Harris (Photo Ross Johnston/Newsline Scotland)

Tourism body VisitAberdeenshire will cross the North Sea later this month in order to strengthen the north east’s connections with Scandinavia.
Representatives from the organisation will attend Offshore Northern Seas (ONS), a key energy industry event in Stavanger, Norway, from 29 August to 1 September.

Norway is Scotland’s seventh largest international market in terms of visits, spending around 430,000 nights in the country and contributing £68 million to the economy.

In addition to meeting with key Norwegian travel industry operators and media, VisitAberdeenshire has sponsored the Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire Pavilion which forms part of the conference’s evening festival entertainment in Vagen Harbour.

Open nightly from 5pm to 1am, the festival’s official after-party programme also includes concerts and fireworks displays, and allows delegates the chance to meet in an informal environment after attending the event’s conference, exhibition and technical sessions through the day.

Steve Harris, chief executive of VisitAberdeenshire, says,

“Norway has traditionally been a key market for both leisure and business visitors to the north east of Scotland, and VisitAberdeenshire is keen to strengthen these links.

“Despite the depressed nature of the oil and gas industry, it is still a key driver of business tourism in the north east of Scotland. Aberdeen and the surrounding area is still recognised as a global centre of excellence for the energy industry, and so it makes sense for international events related to the field to be held in the region. Throughout ONS we will be liaising with decision makers in the industry to attract new events to the north east of Scotland.”

Regular flights from Oslo, Stavanger and Bergen allow travellers to touch down in the north east after just over an hour’s flight time. This close proximity allows for great collaboration in both business and leisure tourism.

Steve continues,

“Attending events like ONS allows us to meet with key business and leisure contacts to increase awareness of everything Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire have to offer. Aberdeen is consistently one of the most popular destinations for Norwegian visitors, and in fact is the fourth most popular destination for Norwegian travellers in the whole of the UK.”

“New developments like the relocation of the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre will undoubtedly be a big talking point for those interested in bringing large conferences and events to the north east of Scotland. Many business visitors will also be interested in extending their stay in order to enjoy the area’s renowned golf offering.

“And the region also has a lot to offer leisure visitors. Lower shopping prices are incredibly attractive, as are the area’s amazing castles and whisky distilleries.

“With the area’s hotels more competitively priced than ever before, we firmly believe that there has never been a better time for Norwegian travellers to visit Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire and we look forward to spreading that message in Stavanger later this month.”

VisitAberdeenshire was launched in April 2016, and is supported by Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils, Scottish Enterprise and Opportunity North East. For more information, please visit www.visitabdn.com

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Jul 082016
 

With thanks to Esther Green, Senior Account Executive, Tricker PR

Cargo small

Checking the cargo before making tracks for Spirit of Speyside: Distilled are Steve and Ros Rhodes of the Keith and Dufftown Railway.

Tickets are about to go on sale for a brand new drinks festival that unites, for the very first time, Speyside’s famous whiskies with the region’s award-winning brewers, gin makers and food producers.
Spirit of Speyside: Distilled, from the world-renowned Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, will bring together an array of great flavours through drinks, food and masterclasses contained within one weekend and at one venue.

The ticketed event takes place for the first time at Elgin Town Hall from September 9-11.

Entry to each session will be limited and demand for tickets, which will go on sale at 9am on Friday, July 15, is expected to be strong.

While whisky is the region’s most famous export, Spirit of Speyside: Distilled brings together new partners to champion the area’s food and drink, and masterclasses will offer some very special experiences to sign up for.

There will be the chance to try some very special whiskies, gins and beers; learn about pairing whisky with food; join a mini-mixology session using botanical gins and liqueurs or enjoy cocktail making demonstrations.

As visitors browse round, they’ll meet Speyside’s drinks industry stars, people passionate about their products, including experienced distillery staff and brewers who will talk through their ranges and offer samples.

Having sampled, visitors will be able to purchase their favorite bottles to take home through a retail shop organised by specialist outlet The Whisky Shop Dufftown. And there’s plenty more to explore in the home of malt whisky with over 50 distilleries nearby.

The experience will be different to that delivered by the five-day Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival which offers over 500 different events at venues across Speyside in the first weekend of May. Organisers believe the smaller, centrally located event will appeal to those who want to enjoy and learn more about Speyside’s whiskies, gins and beers but don’t want to plan an itinerary to attend a larger event at many different venues.

Pery Zakeri, festival manager, says,

“If you could serve up Speyside in a glass then Distilled has to be as close as it comes.

“We hope to attract a new, younger audience because Distilled will have a broader appeal and will offer a unique chance to see whisky companies side by side in their home region.

“Speyside is regarded as the malt whisky capital of the world but whatever your drink of choice, come and have your eyes opened to just how many different producers there are here. Grab your friends, book your tickets and head to Elgin for a great weekend.”

Spirit of Speyside: Distilled’s main sponsor is Bruce Stevenson Insurance Brokers. Highlands & Islands Enterprise has helped to get the event off the ground.

Warehouse cases smallRepresenting Speyside whisky will be The Glenlivet, Aberlour, Benromach, Cardhu, Cragganmore, Glen Moray, Gordon & Macphail, Glen Grant, Glenfiddich, The Macallan, Strathisla, Murray McDavid, The Balvenie, Speyburn and Tomintoul.

Gin makers Caorunn, Gordon Castle and El:Gin and fruit infused gin company Berry Good will be there along with local craft beer companies Windswept Brewing, Spey Valley Brewery and Speyside Craft Brewery.

Tempting bites will be showcased by Speyside’s top companies, including Walkers Shortbread Ltd, Baxters, Associated Seafoods, Ashers Bakers, Macleans Highland Bakery, Cairngorm Leaf and Bean, Berry Good, Iain Burnett Highland Chocolatier, Balvenie St Ice Cream and Aunt Marie’s Kitchen.

Tickets will go on sale at 9am on Friday 15th July priced £20.

The ticket price includes entry, a lanyard, vouchers for five 10ml tasting samples of gin or whisky, a voucher for a tasting measure of a beer, a Glencairn crystal nosing and tasting glass and a light snack, featuring the best of local produce, prepared by event caterers, Good Highland Food.

There are four different sessions over the course of the weekend and these take place on September 9 from 7-11pm; September 10 from 1-5pm and 7-11pm and on September 11 from 12-4pm.

There are limited places for masterclasses, full details of which are available on the Spirit of Speyside: Distilled website – www.distilled.scot – where tickets can also be bought. Distilled is active on social media at www.facebook.com/distilledscot on Twitter and Instagram @distilledscot and Google+.

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