Hospitality Archives - Page 5 of 6

Airport Hotel Among UK’s Best Meeting Venues

Aberdeen City, Information No Responses »

Apr 142015

With thanks to Eoin Smith, Tricker PR.

An Aberdeen hotel has been recognised in a national accreditation scheme which aims to identify the country’s best meeting venues. Thistle Aberdeen Airport has been awarded a commended rating by BDRC Continental – a meetings sector research specialist – based on feedback from customers.

VenueVerdict Accreditation, which is based entirely on genuine and verified customer reviews, means that Thistle Aberdeen Airport is delivering a level of customer service to meetings and events customers which is considered to be above the national average.

The four-star venue has a main ballroom capable of seating 250 guests, along with a number of smaller meeting rooms. The hotel provides meeting space for several global oil majors located in the Granite City, and is one of only a handful of hotels in Aberdeen to hold full emergency response plans for customers in the energy sector.

Although it has a large corporate customer base, it is also a very popular venue for weddings, dinner dances and charity events. It staged a variety of different events in 2014, with a high proportion of year on year repeat business.

The accreditation from VenueVerdict applies to the period from January to December, 2014. Thistle Aberdeen Airport general manager Alison Christie says that the venue receives consistently high feedback from customers.

She adds,

“To have that positive feedback formally recognised through the VenueVerdict Accreditation underlines that we are able to deliver consistently high standards. We always strive to go above and beyond for our customers in terms of their expectations, so we are very pleased to have this acknowledged.

“We believe that each and every event is individual, so therefore we should be delivering a level of service that reflects our willingness to put the customer at the centre of the whole process. It is that approach that has consistently earned us high praise from our customers, and keeps them returning to the hotel.”

During the period from January to December 2014, VenueVerdict featured 375 participating meeting venues and hotels in the UK and Ireland. The results were derived from around 21,250 individual pieces of feedback.

Thistle has three hotels in Aberdeen – The Caledonian, Aberdeen Airport and Aberdeen Altens. There are 446 bedrooms across the three venues, and each has conferencing and banqueting facilities. Aberdeen Altens also has an on-site leisure club and spa. Further information is available at www.thistle.com

NE Foodie Businesses Encouraged To Join FoodFest15

Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Information No Responses »

Apr 032015

Peter Medley of VisitAberdeen which is leading the FoodFest15 campaign on behalf of a partnership

With thanks to Stevie Brown, Tricker PR.

FoodFest15, a new food and drink initiative, designed to capitalise on Scotland’s Year of Food and Drink and attract more visitors to Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, has been launched.

To ensure that FoodFest15 is a success, organisers are appealing to more local food producers, restaurants, hoteliers and retailers to join the project.

FoodFest15 is a partnership between Aberdeenshire Council, Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce. Banffshire Coast Tourism Partnership, Visit Royal Deeside and VisitAberdeen.

Marketing Director of VisitAberdeen Peter Medley (pictured), who is leading the project on behalf of the partnership says:

“Scotland’s Year of Food and Drink is an excellent opportunity for local businesses to spotlight, promote and celebrate the quality and quantity of our natural larder and enhance our reputation as a foodie destination of first choice.

“Food is a vital element in any break – whether for leisure or business – and FoodFest15 will help visitors find even more places to eat and buy quality food, as well as seeing the manufacture process in breweries and distilleries. As a proportion of the national average ‘foodies’ – those who show an interest in cuisine and dining-out – make up 28% of the population.

“This group is twice as likely to eat out on average as other groups. Two thirds of Scotland’s visitors think that quality food is an important factor when deciding where to go on holiday and UK tourists to Scotland spend £610million on food and drink, representing 20% of all their visit expenditure.

“We’re calling for everyone in the food and drink trade in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire to be a part of FoodFest15, and use our great local produce to attract even more visitors to the north east.

“We are encouraging as many businesses as possible to join us in celebrating our seasonal produce in line with the Year of Food and Drink’s themed months throughout the year, such as Whisky Month in May and soft fruits and berries in July. We will also be highlighting the story behind our food and the people who produce it, as consumers prefer to buy food with an explicit local provenance.

“We have an exceptionally strong food product from farm to fork and we have the personalities behind the food we create.

“We hope more businesses will join the FoodFest15 project to place the northeast on the gastro tourism map. We’re particularly targeting visitors from Germany, Norway, Orkney, Shetland, those within a two hour driving distance from the area and key English cities with direct flight routes such as Bristol and Southampton.”

A new website has been created for the project – www.foodfest15.com – which pulls together all food and drink events taking place in 2015 including Taste of Grampian in June, World Whisky Day in May, the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival in July and Deeside Food and Fiddle Fortnight in October.

It also features places to eat where the menus are guaranteed to have at least 40% of the menu ingredients sourced locally.

The promotional campaign for FoodFest15 includes online advertising, traditional advertising, direct mail, social media, press trips and brochures. Businesses involved in all aspects of the food and drink industry can find out more about the project and become a part of FoodFest15 by completing the ‘contact us’ page on www.foodfest15.com

For more information, visit www.visitscotland.com/foodanddrink

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[Aberdeen Voice accepts and welcomes contributions from all sides/angles pertaining to any issue. Views and opinions expressed in any article are entirely those of the writer/contributor, and inclusion in our publication does not constitute support or endorsement of these by Aberdeen Voice as an organisation or any of its team members.]

ACSHA Optimistic About Hotel Occupancy Figures

Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Information No Responses »

Mar 272015

With thanks to Eoin Smith, Tricker PR.

Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels’ Association (ACSHA) is remaining upbeat about the performance of the sector, despite a decline in occupancy rates last
month.
Figures released by hospitality research company STR Global shows that occupancy fell by 8% to 70% between January and February, and by 2.6% overall in the 12 months from February 2014.

In comparison, however, the average daily room rate dropped by 2.9% to £94.85, while the number of bedrooms available over 12 months increased by 4.6% due to new building projects.

Over 1,000 additional hotel rooms have been created in Aberdeen since 2013, with two further major hotel openings planned for sites at Aberdeen International Airport later this year.

ACSHA chairman Chris McGuinness believes that, in addition to the increased number of bedrooms, falling oil prices will also have influenced the February figures. He says that members of the trade organisation are taking a measured approach to the slump in the energy sector.

He said,

“There are a lot of very experienced operators in the city who have witnessed the cyclical nature of the energy sector over many years. We know only too well that the oil industry has peaks and troughs: the sector has enjoyed a phenomenal performance over the past couple of years, so the current downturn has not been unexpected.

“We expect to see a reduction in the amount of discretionary business travel as a result of the downturn, with less people traveling into the city for meetings and training courses. However, we are not panicking by entering into a rates war as previous experience tells us that this will not be a long-term issue.

“The current decline will not last forever, and as global demand for oil starts to increase so too will the price of Brent crude oil. When that happens, Aberdeen’s hotel industry will be in a stronger position than before with more bedroom availability for those visiting the city on business.

“For many years we have found ourselves in a situation where we did not have enough supply to meet demand. That should now start to balance out and the gap in performance between Aberdeen and rest of the UK – which has previously been far too big – will get closer.”

ACSHA has worked closely with destination management group VisitAberdeen to market the city for weekend breaks, and will continue to in efforts to help position Aberdeen as a leisure destination.

Mr McGuinness adds,

“The high demand for bedrooms midweek means that Aberdeen has some of the best value weekend rates anywhere in the world. Supporting VisitAberdeen continues to be a priority for ACSHA.

“We must not forget that there is more to the hospitality industry than bedrooms, and anecdotally members are telling us that revenue from food and beverage sales is rising year on year and meetings and events, which includes weddings, is also performing at the level it has in previous years.”

Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels’ Association represents 43 independently operated hotels and conference venues. These hotels provide around 4,100 bedrooms in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. ACSHA is committed to improving the quality and standard of hotel services and to furthering the overall standards of excellence and hospitality within the region.

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The French Connection – Serving Up A Taste Of Speyside

Aberdeenshire, Featured 1 Response »

Mar 272015

Martine Nouet is leading three malt whisky themed cookery demonstrations at the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.

With thanks to Esther Green, Tricker PR.

From cheese to champagne, France is famous the world over for its food and drink – but now a French food writer is ensuring Scotland’s finest food and drink receives the recognition it deserves during the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.

French-born journalist Martine Nouet has been writing about food and drink for more than 25 years.

And while the nation of her birth is famed for its fine wine and champagne, Martine has developed a passion for whisky, so much so that she has become known as the Queen of the Still.

On her first visit to Scotland two decades ago, she visited Tamdhu Distillery on Speyside and became so fascinated by the distillation process, the aromas and the culture and heritage behind making malt that she fell in love with the ‘water of life’.

She now lives in Scotland, on the island of Islay, and her love of drams and her talent for cookery has seen her become widely regarded as a specialist in matching food and whisky.

Martine has an international reputation in the world of food and drink and is looking forward to sharing her skills with audiences during the upcoming Festival.

She is leading three demonstrations showing just how well whisky can be used as both an accompaniment and an ingredient to both sweet and savoury recipes.

Her from glass to plate Cooking with Malt Whisky Demonstrations take place at the Oakwood Cookery School, Elgin, on Friday, May 1. Each lasts for an hour and a half, starting at 10am, 1pm and 3pm. Each session costs £20 and tickets are available now on the Festival website.

Martine believes that whisky goes so well with food because of its very special flavours and characteristics.

She says:

“Whisky has such a wide and complex array of aromas and tastes, as much, if not more, than wine and when paired with food, the two bring out new flavours.

“I’m giving three cooking demonstrations as I’d like to show people easy to reproduce recipes and show that whisky at the table is a great sensory experience. The people attending will of course taste the dishes: a seafood starter, mushroom risotto for the main and a quince jelly, pear and ricotta dessert.

“The festival helps visitors learn or develop an interest in whisky and the aim of my cookery sessions will be to harmoniously mix entertainment with education.”

Martine is also hosting a vintage dinner on Saturday, May 2 with Ronnie Cox from Glenrothes in Rothes House, as well as being part of the Victorian Picnic in the gardens of Glen Grant distillery on Sunday, May 3.

Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival runs from Thursday, April 30-Monday, May 4 2015. Check out www.spiritofspeyside.com for up-to-date news and follow the Festival at www.facebook.com/WhiskyFestival or www.twitter.com/spirit_speyside

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Hoteliers Donate £45,000 To Teenage Cancer Trust

Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, News No Responses »

Feb 052015

Chris McGuinness, Gary Cox, Abigail Cox, Dawn Cox, Sharon Sheridan, Brian Sheridan2

ACSHA chairman Chris McGuinness, Gary Cox, Abigail Cox and Dawn Cox hand over the cheque to Sharon Sheridan and Brian Sheridan. (L-R)

With thanks to Eoin Smith.

A group of hoteliers inspired by the bravery of an Aberdeenshire teenager who is battling cancer has smashed the target of a fund-raising campaign set up in her name.

Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels’ Association (ACSHA) has handed over £45,000 to the Teenage Cancer Trust – more than double the size of the donation that it had initially hoped to make.

ACHSA members rallied round for the charity after learning how it was supporting 18-year-old Abigail Cox – the daughter of hotelier and association member Gary Cox – while she is undergoing treatment for Ewing’s sarcoma.

Abigail has received treatment for her illness – a rare bone cancer affecting children and adolescents – at units run by the Teenage Cancer Trust in Glasgow and Edinburgh. She has now completed a course of chemotherapy and will undergo an operation later this week to remove bone where the tumour started.

ACHSA decided to embark on the fund-raising campaign to show their support for the Cox family from Inverurie, and to highlight the work being carried out the by the Trust. Members handed over the final tally at the Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Awards, and were joined by Abigail and her parents, who run The Northern Hotel in Aberdeen and Edward’s nightclub in Inverurie.

Abigail said:

“After a long and difficult year of treatments my life will soon be back to as normal as possible.

“The Teenage Cancer Unit at the Western General in Edinburgh really made my stay in hospital as easy and as comfortable as it could be. My year would have been so much more difficult and depressing without them, and I can’t thank them enough.

“You are surrounded by people your own age who can really relate and understand what you are going through and the nurses are always so friendly and positive. They help you to keep a smile on your face. Everyone involved in The Teenage Cancer Unit genuinely cares about you and your recovery.

“They treat you like a teenager and not just a cancer patient. The unit provided the best possible support for both me and my family.”

ACSHA chairman Chris McGuinness added:

“We thought that a £20,000 target was ambitious, so never in our wildest dreams did we consider that we would raise double that amount. I’m really proud of the way in which members have embraced this opportunity to support a charity which has been so instrumental in helping one of our own.

“The presentation was made all the more special by the fact that Abigail and her parents were able to join us on stage. It was great to see that Abigail has been responding well to her treatment, and I know that is in no small part down to the help she has been getting from the Teenage Cancer Trust.

“She has been receiving treatment in the south of Scotland, miles away from family and friends, and the fact that the Trust has been able to treat her in centres specifically for teenagers, alongside teenage patients, has helped her to remain positive.”

In addition to organising collections in hotels and setting up an online fund-raising page, hotel managers staged a Workathon in which they walked between member hotels and carried out tasks from serving drinks to cleaning floors at each venue. Some of the proceeds from ticket sales for the tourism awards was also donated to the cause.

Christine Jason, head of regional fund-raising (North) for the Teenage Cancer Trust, is full of praise for the work of ACHSA members and how they worked together.

She added:

“We have been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and energy of everyone involved and this has resulted not only in a significant level of funds being raised in the North East but also an increased awareness of our work. The Association has been instrumental in introducing our work to businesses in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.

“The money raised through the Association will go towards ensuring every young person with cancer has access to expert support. It will mean that they are treated in an age-appropriate environment and given the medical and emotional support that they need.”

Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels’ Association represents 43 independently operated hotels and conference venues. These hotels provide around 4,100 bedrooms in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. The Association is committed to improving the quality and standard of hotel services and to furthering the overall standards of excellence and hospitality within the region.

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Tourism Award Would Be Perfect Anniversary Present For Hotel

Aberdeenshire, Articles No Responses »

Jan 232015

With thanks to Eoin Smith.

When the current owners of the Banchory Lodge bought the Hotel three years ago, it was their dream to turn the stunning property into one of the region’s top hotels and restaurants. There would be no better way for the business partners to celebrate their third anniversary later this month than by picking up one the area’s top tourism accolades.

Banchory Lodge Hotel has been shortlisted for the title of best restaurant experience at the Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Awards, which will be announced at the end of this month.

Situated on the outskirts of the town, the hotel – a white Georgian mansion – first opened its doors to the public as a hotel in 1936. Almost 80 years later, it continues to operate as a hotel and has carved out a reputation as a top eatery.

Business has almost tripled since it was taken over by the consortium, and that is in no small part down their investment into a major refurbishment which has seen the hotel mix its classic Georgian features with well-placed modern touches.

Director Carol Fowler explains,

“When we first started the refurbishment nearly three years ago, we knew that regardless of our vision, we wanted to respect the original features of the Georgian house. We have managed to do exactly that while still giving the mansion a more contemporary touch.

“Although we are set in the countryside, we wanted to give the restaurant a city feel. In order to do this we travelled to some of the UK’s biggest cities including London and Edinburgh to get a feel for what makes a good city dining experience.

“All of our menus include quirky hand-drawn cartoons that represent the surrounding Deeside area and have proved a real hit with customers. We have a variety of menus to suit the particular type of dining experience that our customers are after, which include brunch, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner menus.

“Working in partnership with local suppliers and ensuring food is fresh and of high quality is extremely important to us and allows us to create dishes that will have customers wanting to come back for more.

“The end of January will mark three years since we bought the hotel and I cannot think of a better way to celebrate the occasion than with an Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism award win – it would be great recognition for our entire team at Banchory Lodge who have helped our vision become a reality.”

To entice the younger generation to visit the restaurant, the hotel has extended its bar and transformed it into a funky area where customers can enjoy a drink before dinner or dine from the main menu in slightly less formal surroundings.

In the main dining area, customers can also enjoy the main menu which has everything from a sharing platter of Cotê de Beouf to a classic beer battered haddock. The hotel has embraced the recent popularity of afternoon tea, but has added a touch that nowhere else can provide. Served between two and four, tea, sandwiches and cakes can be enjoyed on the terrace or down by the river.

Banchory Lodge Hotel faces competition from Ardoe House Hotel and Spa, situated in Blair’s, and Atlantis Restaurant housed in The Mariner hotel, located in Aberdeen City Centre, in the best restaurant experience category in the 2015 Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Awards (ACSTA).

Finalists will have to wait until January 30th to find out who the winners are. This will be revealed at a ceremony at Ardoe House Hotel and Spa in Aberdeen by the host for the evening, broadcaster & radio host, Tam Cowan. Further information about the awards is available at www.acsta.co.uk

NE Conference To Bring Together Local Tourism Business

Featured, Information, News No Responses »

Jan 082015

Dr Paul Redmond will speak at the Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Conference on 28 January 2015.

With thanks to Jo Milne, Tricker PR.

A world-renowned expert on generational behaviour will address 200 delegates at a tourism conference in the north east in early 2015. Dr Paul Redmond (pictured), a leading expert on generations and the graduate labour market from the University of Manchester, will deliver the keynote speech at the Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Conference on 28 January 2015.

Held in the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre, the conference follows a highly successful inaugural event in 2014 which saw tourism businesses from across the north east come together to discuss the region’s tourism offering.

The 2015 conference will feature speeches, interactive workshops and networking sessions in order to allow tourism operators the chance to learn the skills required to maximise their business potential.

Registration is now open for the Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Conference, which is being organised by the Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Partnership. Delegates pay just £55 (excluding VAT) to attend the full day conference, which will allow them access to industry experts from across the country. Online booking is available at www.regonline.com/aberdeentourism2015

Alongside Dr Redmond, a number of other speakers will address the delegates during the course of the conference. Alastair Dobson, chairman of VisitArran and managing director of Taste of Arran, will discuss the benefits of collaboration in business, and VisitScotland’s Chris McCoy will explain the steps required to make sure tourism businesses are accessible to all.

Representatives from event sponsors Aberdeen International Airport and Serco NorthLink Ferries will also reveal new developments in the area’s transport links.

In addition to speeches, delegates have the opportunity to choose two in-depth workshops from a programme covering a diverse range of topics including Online Bookings, Accessible Tourism, Social Media, Sustainability & Legislation, Google Analytics and Business Collaboration.

Tourism Partnership manager Elaine Booth says,

“The inaugural Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Conference was a great success, and we are excited to be bringing the event back in 2015 with an even more diverse range of speakers and workshops. Tourism in the north east of Scotland can sometimes be overlooked in favour of the energy industry, however the region has a lot to offer and we aim to help businesses capitalise on their potential.

“With a number of new hotel developments in the area, as well as constantly developing transport links and lower weekend rates, more and more travellers are considering Aberdeen and the surrounding area as a holiday destination. Tourism businesses need to grasp these opportunities and ensure that their customers are receiving world-class service. The aim of the conference is to provide local operators with the tools and skills required for them to take their tourism businesses to the next level.”

As well as offering the chance to learn from well-respected industry experts, the conference will also include opportunities for networking and visiting exhibitors.

Follow the Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Conference on Twitter @abdntourismconf and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/aberdeencityandshiretourismconference

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Swing In The New Year With Stonehaven’s Fiery Celebrations

Aberdeenshire, Articles No Responses »

Nov 282014

Stonehaven Fireballs - credit pic Paul Mitchell

In full swing; Stonehaven Fireballs – Credit: Paul Mitchell

With thanks to Stevie Brown, Account Manager, Tricker PR

Flaming balls of fire swing through the crowds while the sounds of legendary 80’s pop band The Human League soar through the air.

It can only be the world famous Stonehaven Hogmanay celebrations – taking place from 8.30pm on Wednesday 31st December 2014.

Over the years Stonehaven has achieved a legendary reputation as one of the top destinations to bring in the New Year.

The population of the tranquil seaside town of Stonehaven is set to more than double from 11,000 to over 25,000 as people from around the world descend on the area to attend the hugely anticipated events.

The Stonehaven Fireballs is a 105 year old tradition that sees a select group of ‘swingers’ make their way down the High Street in front of legions of spectators, whirling flaming balls of fire above their heads before throwing them into the harbour.

Fire has been used through the centuries as a symbol for destroying wicked spirits and purifying evil to make way for good fortune. And there is no better time to forget hardships and look forward to a bright future than New Year’s Eve. From the start of December the swingers begin to create their own fireballs from chicken wire, using various materials to fuel the flames. The spectacular sight is not to be missed and is set to delight the capacity crowd of 8,500 people.

Also taking place as part of Stonehaven’s Hogmanay celebrations is Open Air in the Square – an outdoor concert in the town centre which has featured music legends Simple Minds and The Red Hot Chili Pipers in the past. This year the event will feature 80’s pop band The Human League.

Securing a high profile band three years in a row is a huge coup for a small town like Stonehaven. The concert is attended by upwards of 6,000 and there is always a vibrant atmosphere. The evening will also include a performance from Scots folk band the Peatbog Faeries and another surprise guest is set to be announced soon.

With so much on offer it’s a fantastic place to visit and bring in 2015 – it’s definitely the hottest place to spend the Hogmanay.

Where to Stay: For those looking for a fuss free Hogmanay, Thistle Altens offers the Stonehaven Package from £99.00 per person.

This includes accommodation, wristbands to the event, transport to and from the hotel, stovies on return back at the hotel, New Year’s Day breakfast and a late checkout of 2pm.

To book or for more information please call 01224 244 603 or visit www.thistle.com/Christmas.

How to get there: Stagecoach bus runs a regular service to Stonehaven. Visit http://www.stagecoachbus.com/timetable-landing.aspx for timetables. Parking is available on the streets throughout the town – normal restrictions apply.

For more information about the Fireballs Ceremony visit http://www.stonehavenfireballs.co.uk. For more information about Open Air in the Square visit www.oaits.org. If you would like further information about Aberdeen then visit www.visitaberdeen.com.

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VisitAberdeen Executive Nominated For Tourism Award

Articles No Responses »

Nov 142014

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

Adelle Chessor, 24, Digital Marketing Executive at VisitAberdeen has been named as one of three nominees for the title of Young Ambassador in the Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Awards. The award, which will be announced at a ceremony in January 2015, recognises that young people are the essence of the future of the tourism industry.

Adelle joined VisitAberdeen in June 2013 with the remit to make VisitAberdeen the most digitally engaged destination marketing organisation (DMO) in the UK.

Her role involves ensuring that digital activity is at the core of all marketing of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.

Her work has resulted in the unique visitors to the VisitAberdeen website rising by more than 23,000 in less than a year; Facebook likes rising by nearly 10,000 and Twitter followers showing a five-fold increase in the same period.

The digital marketing of VisitAberdeen also includes the maintenance of Aberdeen’s most comprehensive website. Part of Adelle’s role is to create content which is dynamic and engaging to promote the city to leisure and business visitors. This has also included the creation of dedicated campaigns for specific events such as the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open which took place in the city in July 2014 and the creation of hashtag campaigns for Twitter.

When Aberdeen won the Scottish League Cup, the team created the hashtag #sheepdeals to share city promotions

Adelle says of her nomination:

“I’m flattered that I’ve been recognised in this way. I’m committed to showing that digital marketing can really deliver results for tourism businessesand recently I’ve been working to develop training materials for all levels to allow local tourism-related businesses to deliver real business benefits for them using extremely cost effective digital tools.”

The awards are supported by the Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels Association and take place at Ardoe House Hotel on Friday 30 January 2015. The awards celebrate and recognise excellence in the region’s hospitality and tourism sector. The Young Ambassador in Tourism award is sponsored by the Marcliffe Hotel and Spa. Stuart McPhee of Harding Ltd and Craig McDonald of Glen Tanar Estate are also nominated in the Young Ambassador category.

VisitAberdeen is a partnership between Aberdeen City Council and the industry including Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels Association and Aberdeen Inspired. For further information contact VisitAberdeen on 01224 900490 or visit www.visitaberdeen.com.

Airport Hotel Wins National Award

Aberdeen City, Featured, Information No Responses »

May 092014

With thanks to Beverley Tricker.

Thistle Aberdeen Airport Hotel has been crowned the regional Events Hotel of the Year at the Scottish Hotel Awards.

The annual awards ceremony, which highlights hospitality excellence, named Thistle Aberdeen Airport Hotel as Events Hotel of the Year for the north east region.

Judges visited the hotel earlier in the year and were impressed with the scope to hold different events, facilities and the professionalism of the events staff.

The award covers the full scope of hospitality events, from corporate meetings and conferences, to dinner dances and weddings.

Thistle Aberdeen Airport Hotel general manager Alison Christie (pictured) says that events is a fast-growing sector within the hotel.

She adds,

“It’s well known that hotels in Aberdeen are performing incredibly well because of the buoyant economy. While there is very high demand for rooms, there is also growing demand for meetings and event spaces.

“Firms in the north east are growing their workforces because of the strong economy and that has meant that additional office space for meetings is at a premium.

“Hotels that can provide well-organised events of all sizes, from meetings to conferences and corporate balls, are benefitting from that. We have built up a very strong track record in this area the hotel business.”

The hotel played host to 68 events in 2013, and is set to surpass that total this year with 76 events already booked. The hotel, a popular venue for weddings, will see 17 couples celebrate their big day this year, with 12 more already booked in for 2015.

“We always strive to offer our guests the best possible event experience, so have our efforts acknowledged with this award is absolutely fantastic. We won the Wedding Team of the Year in 2013, so it is fantastic that the team has been able to build on that success,” says Alison.

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