Tourism Archives - Page 9 of 18

Aberdeen Hotel Joins TripAdvisor Hall Of Fame

Aberdeen City, Featured, Information No Responses »

Jul 242015

Thistle Aberdeen Altens Hotel.
(Picture by Michal Wachucik/Newsline Media)

With thanks to Jennifer Kelly, Tricker PR.

Thistle Aberdeen Altens hotel has been inducted into the TripAdvisor Hall of Fame after securing the review site’s Certificate of Excellence for five years in a row.

And there have also been celebrations at the chain’s two other hotels in the Granite City – Thistle Aberdeen Airport and Caledonian by Thistle – after they were also awarded the Certificate of Excellence status after receiving consistently high reviews from guests.

The Certificate of Excellence is awarded by TripAdvisor – the world’s most renowned peer review website – and has been running for the past five years.

Recipients are identified by a TripAdvisor algorithm that factors in a variety of user generated content.

This content includes review ratings, overall rating and the quantity and frequency of reviews. Hotels must maintain a rating of at least four out of five, have a minimum number of views and have been listed on Trip Advisor for at least 12 months.

The Hall of Fame Award is a new initiative to mark the fifth anniversary of the Certificate of Excellence scheme, and is being presented to those hotels that have made the grade for five years running.

Thistle Aberdeen Altens manager Kris Manship says:

“This award shows that we are consistently providing an excellent experience for guests. It is testament to the hard work of the team in the hotel, who are very committed to ensuring that we not only provide great service but that the experience is the same for each and every guest.”

General manager at Thistle Aberdeen Airport Alison Christie says staff at the three hotels are delighted with the hat-trick. She adds,

“TripAdvisor is the world’s most influential review site. It puts the power into the hands of the consumer.

“Positive TripAdvisor ratings are hugely important and they recognise and promote the great service and experience which guests have at our three Aberdeen hotels. A Market Metris survey showed recently than 93% of global travellers say their decisions are influenced by online reviews. It’s ‘word of mouth’ via the keyboard or touch screen and reviews benchmark us against all our peers.

“All three of our hotels have received Certificates of Excellence for several years running and they are another element of our strong credentials to mark us out in a highly competitive market.”

President of TripAdvisor for Business, Marc Charron has previously said of the Certificate of Excellence scheme,

“By putting a spotlight on businesses that are focussed on delivering great service to customers, TripAdvisor not only helps drive an improvement to hospitality standards around the world but also gives businesses both large and small the ability to shine and stand out from the competition.”

Recent TripAdvisor comments about Thistle’s three Aberdeen hotels include:

“Staff very helpful and polite, choice at breakfast was 1st class. Pool was great.”
“This is an excellent hotel with first class service, friendly staff, great facilities.”
“The bar /restaurant staff were very polite and efficient. Nothing appeared to be too much trouble and they were certainly hard working.”
“I stay at this hotel once a month the experience begins when you walk through the door staff are friendly and helpful the decor is very good rooms are tasteful and quite large.”
“I stay in many hotels throughout the country and I can honestly say that this place is as good as it gets for what is a city centre location. The rooms are well appointed with everything you could want, parking is free (a rarity for a city) and breakfast is very good. The outstanding feature of the hotel for me is the staff.”

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

Over Two Million Visit City Centre Every Month

Aberdeen City, Articles No Responses »

Jul 032015

Gary Craig, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired

With thanks to Paul Smith, Citrus Mix.

Aberdeen city centre is averaging footfall of over two million per month according to figures collated by business organisation Aberdeen Inspired.

The data, garnered in partnership with specialist retail intelligence company Springboard, found that the heart of Aberdeen welcomed 2,005,958 visitors throughout the month of May.

April’s figure registered 2,022,501 while March saw a footfall figure of 2,705,660. February was 2,240,720 with January totalling 2,201,561.

The ongoing research, which uses a network of sensors to provide anonymous feedback on the movements of visitors to the area, is also finding that Union Street continues to be an integral part of the city centre, averaging a monthly footfall of 119,031 for 2015 so far.

The statistics also show that Market Street has an average footfall of 97,698; Upperkirkgate has 74,865 and Belmont Street 51,839.

Saturday has been the busiest day each month since the turn of the year, highlighting that it still remains the traditional day for shoppers to hit the high street.

The statistics follow Aberdeen Inspired’s recent announcement that it is to roll out an innovative wayshowing initiative which aims to improve orientation, navigation and journey planning for people visiting the city centre.

The first phase of the project involved the installation of four informative map totems at key locations on Broad Street, St Nicholas Street, on Schoolhill and outside the tourism office on Union Street.

Due to its success, the next stage of the initiative, which has been led by Aberdeen Inspired and jointly delivered with Aberdeen City Council, will involve the installation of 54 further map totems throughout the city centre. The project has now been given final approval by councillors, who agreed a 50% funding contribution to the scheme.

Gary Craig, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, said:

“The results that we’ve gained so far through the Springboard software has allowed us to begin to build up a picture of the city centre’s footfall and, perhaps more importantly, what areas are key in terms of numbers of visitors.

“To have over two million passing through the area on a monthly basis is quite an impressive statistic and the fact that the often maligned Union Street remains integral to the area is also pleasing.

“As an organisation, one of our main goals is to increase footfall within the BID (Business Improvement District) zone. The more information we have, the more able we are to make informed decisions on improvements and events that will breathe new life into the area.

“The statistics will really come into their own in 2016 when we have this year’s figures to compare and contrast with. However, as we move towards our re-ballot date for early next year, the statistics we have collated thus far are vitally important in helping us obtain a solid understanding of the area that, if we are successful, can be used to shape our next phase as an organisation.”

Retail specialist Springboard has also completed a recent vacancy rate survey of the city’s Union Street, with statistics from October 2014 finding that 6.1% of ground floor units on the thoroughfare are empty. This is over 4% less than the UK average which currently sits at 10.3%.

The survey also found that independent units make up 55% of Union Street’s offering, which again outperforms the UK average of 31.8%. The Scotland average currently sits at 29.8%.

Gary Craig added:

“You often hear quoted that Union Street has too many empty shops these days, but this is not true – actual figures show that the occupancy rate has stayed relatively stable over the last four years at around 94%. Hopefully with new office developments and some early improvements as part of the City Masterplan we will see this level steadily grow.”

Aberdeen Inspired is the banner under which the Aberdeen BID (Business Improvement District) operates. It is a business-led initiative within the city centre in which levy payers within the BID zone contribute. Proceeds are used to fund projects designed to improve the business district.

Further information on the work of Aberdeen Inspired is available at www.aberdeeninspired.com

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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 Digs Deep For Dementia

Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Information No Responses »

Jun 252015

With thanks to Eoin Smith, Tricker PR.

Hoteliers from across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire are banding together to launch a £20,000 fund-raising campaign to help thousands of local families affected by dementia.
Members of Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels’ Association (ACSHA) want to raise the cash for the region’s first dementia resource centre, which will open its doors in Aberdeen later this year.

The campaign is being spearheaded by Mike Edwards of the city’s Mariner Hotel.

The need to have a dedicated resource centre for people with dementia and their families is a cause particularly close to his own heart. His father, David, was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2008 – aged just 59.

David, who had a long and successful career in the hospitality sector, is one of almost 7,500 people in the north east who are currently living with some form of dementia.

Since his father’s diagnosis, Mike has discovered that many other people connected to ACSHA have also been touched by the condition in some way. He asked that Alzheimer Scotland be considered as ACSHA’s adopted charity for 2015, and found wholehearted support amongst his peers.

Mike explains,

“My father is very much respected in the hospitality community, having worked in many hotels in the city and in the shire, including The Tufted Duck in Fraserburgh and The Commodore before opening the popular Atlantis Restaurant in 1979.

“He ran the Mariner from 1995, right up until his forced retirement due to ill-health. So many people, including my fellow hoteliers, would ask after him and it was through talking to others that I discovered how many people I knew had also been touched by dementia.

“When I heard that Alzheimer Scotland was opening a new resource centre, I knew right away just how valuable something like this could be to so many families in desperate need of support and guidance as they adjust to living with the condition.

“We will be fund-raising throughout the year, and hope that we will be able to hand over £20,000 by the time we stage our next AGM in April. We’re still working on our plans, but I know that in the past my fellow hoteliers have been very inventive with ideas and generous in their support.”

Last year, ACSHA adopted the Teenage Cancer Trust as its nominated charity in recognition of the support it had given Inverurie teenager Abigail Cox – daughter of hotelier Gary Cox – as she battled against bone cancer. It set a £20,000 target but went on to generate £45,000 for the charity.

The new Aberdeen Dementia Resource Centre will be based in King Street and will formally open in September. It will serve as a drop-in for anyone seeking advice about dementia, a meeting place for people with dementia and their families and a base for Alzheimer Scotland staff.

There are currently around 90,000 people across Scotland who have been diagnosed with some form of dementia, including around 3,500 under the age of 65. In Aberdeen alone there are almost 300 people under the age of 65 living with dementia.

Aberdeen-based Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Advisor, Sarah Geoghegan is full of praise for the initiative being undertaken by ACSHA. She adds,

“Dementia affects many people and families across Aberdeen City and Shire. It affects everyday life and can be a great challenge to both those people affected and their loved ones. We want to support people with a diagnosis to live independently for as long as possible and maintain a full and active life.”

“The new resource centre will be a vital source of information and support for people with dementia and their families and I thank all those who are making this possible, including everyone at ACSHA. It is fantastic to have their support and we look forward to working with them in the months ahead.”

In addition to supporting the fund-raising, many ACSHA members are also adding their weight behind the Dementia Friends initiative. This is a scheme that aims to make all association venues more welcoming and hospitable for those with dementia and their carers.

A number of fund-raising events have already been arranged, including ACSHA’s participation in the annual Memory Walk at Hazelhead Park in Aberdeen on September 13. A fund-raising page has also been set up at www.justgiving.com/ACSHA

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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City Sells Itself Short As Tourist Attraction

Aberdeen City, Opinion 3 Responses »

Jun 112015

Aberdeen Train Station, May 2015, This may be the first view of the city to meet a visitor’s eye.

Victoria McAleer writes to Aberdeen Voice of her disappointment regarding how Aberdeen presents itself as a tourist destination.

I have lived in the city for 18 months now (after living in the shire for 8 years)and I’m well aware of it’s history and main focus on the oil and gas industry.

It seems the city has been buffered by the economic buoyancy that the oil and gas sector provided, compared to other cities in the UK.

I am also aware that at present there is a downturn in the sector and many people have been made redundant.

My native Liverpool, like many other cities, especially in the Northern half of the country was without such an industry and in the 80’s and 90’s unemployment was rife.

The city looked at what it had to offer and the groundwork was done to regenerate the Albert Dock area, spring boarding a total revamp of the city centre and more focus was paid to tourism and welcoming people to the city.

It’s proved invaluable. The city has gone from strength to strength and attracts people from all over the world.

Orrel Road Station Liverpool, May 2015. A cleaner, more welcoming environment.

It is of course helped by having attractions such as The Tate Gallery, The Beatles Museum, The Slavery Museum, The Walker Art Gallery, to name but a few and by other attractions such as the historic waterfront ferries and football.

This has all been achieved by hard work and the determination of people who were proud of their city, because, believe me it was not a place you would have spent a weekend in the 80’s.

It seems to me that Aberdeen tourism is a half hearted affair, probably because Aberdeen has never had to rely on anything else but oil and gas.

Which is a great shame.

The basics are already here. Great beaches and architecture.

What is missing though is a proper museum/gallery.

I know Aberdeen is of much smaller population than Liverpool, but this population is swelled greatly by all the oil and gas employees who live in the city during the week and use the resources, infrastructure and so forth.

Why couldn’t one of these multi billion pound companies sponsor a new museum/gallery and give something back to the people of Aberdeen from whom they have taken so much ?

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Ghostly Image Takes Centre Stage At Castle

Aberdeenshire, Featured, History No Responses »

May 292015

Alison Burke stands before ‘Gallowgate Lard’ by Ken Currie

With thanks to Esther Green.

As ancient buildings with intriguing pasts, castles have a reputation for being places where things go bump in the night and that raise unexpected goosebumps.
Visitors to Drum Castle at Drumoak could be forgiven for thinking they are coming face to face with a ghoulish spectre after an art display has brought a ghost-like presence to the historic venue.

The haunting image ‘Gallowgate Lard’ by Ken Currie is one of the significant pieces in the Aberdeenshire castle’s exhibition of key works on loan from Aberdeen Art Gallery, now closed for a £30m refurbishment.

It is one of 20 artworks loaned from the city gallery that form the opening display at the castle’s new exhibition area, which has seen an entire floor redeveloped to create a museum-standard exhibition space showcasing important artworks now and in years to come.

‘Human Presence’ explores how artists capture a human figurative presence where the approach may be aesthetic, witty, playful or sinister and brings mid to late 20th Century paintings and contemporary installation works to the historic setting.

Property manager Alison Burke says that artworks like ‘Gallowgate Lard’ look stunning in the castle environment.

She says:

“Drum is very much the people’s castle, and I don’t like to think of the castle as haunted as I work here in the evenings but there are sometimes some unexplained occurrences.

“Things like ladies’ laughter in the garden when there is no one there, servants’ bells suddenly ringing when there is no one upstairs, the temperature suddenly dropping in the green closet for no reason, but the oddest one was when I came in and found all the tankards had been swapped around on the dining room mantelpiece and categorically no one had been in the Castle from when I had closed it the night before.

“I am not a superstitious person and always look for the reasonable explanation, but that had me completely flummoxed!

“The nicest mysterious happening at Drum though, is when the fairy doors appeared all over the estate, and we think we caught a fairy on camera; a mysterious mist was photographed on our swallow-cam.

“Now that we have opened up the upper floor, we are curious to see if there are mysterious happenings up there as well!”

Drum Castle dates back to the 1300s and was the seat of the Irvines, a clan who supported the Stuarts during the Jacobite uprisings.

It became part of the National Trust for Scotland in 1975 and transforming the second floor manager’s accommodation into the gallery has opened up an area of the castle previously unseen by the public.

Other works on show include ‘Highly Sprung’ by Julia Douglas, a dress made from 12,000 clothes peg springs, and ‘Restraining Coat II (Female)’ by Julie Roberts, a painting which implies a human presence with no body in it.

Located 10 miles west of Aberdeen off the A93, Drum is set in extensive grounds with walks, picnic area, an historic rose garden, adventure play area, tearoom and shop. Normal castle admission charges apply.

More Info:

Drum Castle, Garden and Estate is owned and operated by the National Trust for Scotland and is one of more than 100 properties which the conservation charity promotes and conserves, for the benefit of the nation.

The building is part Jacobean mansion, with a 700 year old medieval tower attached. The castle has long connections with the Irvine family who maintain close links with the property and live nearby. It has a fine collection of art, music and provides a fascinating insight into the life of one of Aberdeenshire’s most historic families, their staff and a way of life which is now almost extinct. Drum also has extensive gardens, including a famous rose garden, woodland and walks.

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Football Legend Visits Speyside Whisky Festival

Articles, Featured, Information No Responses »

May 072015

With thanks to Eoin Smith, Tricker PR.

Visitors at Speyside Distillery surprised by Michael Owen

A former England footballer has experienced the world-famous Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival for himself – with a visit to a distillery that has taken part in the dram-fest for the first time this year.

As a global ambassador for SPEY whisky, Michael Owen called in on its spiritual home, Speyside Distillery, on the closing day of the 2015 festival.

Since retiring from professional football, the star – who played for Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Manchester United and Stoke City – has been the face of SPEY whisky in the Far East.

But while Michael is familiar with the deluxe malt, he is a newcomer to the whisky festival, just like the distillery itself.

It is the first year that the small, boutique distillery, has joined in the five day programme, sharing its secret by opening its doors to a series of exclusive tours hosted by distillery manager Sandy Jamieson.

Michael surprised visitors on Monday (4th May) by dropping in on the celebrations, during which dozens of whisky lovers have been able to get a rare glimpse behind the scenes of the distillery.

He says:

“It was great to be able to visit the distillery and be with my SPEY family as they celebrate being part of the Festival for the first time. There has been a real buzz about the distillery today and I have really enjoyed meeting people who have come from all over the world to visit the Festival.

“You can tell that these people are very passionate about whisky, and it has been a great experience to see them learn more about SPEY and the distillery where it is created.”

Patricia Dillon, Managing Director of Speyside Distillers Co. said:

“Michael has become a familiar Brand Ambassador for SPEY in Asia therefore I am delighted that Michael has joined us during the festival to raise awareness of the SPEY brand among lovers of whisky both in the UK and other parts of the world.”

Nosings and tastings from four specially selected single malt expressions with varying vintage and cask finishes have been led by Sandy, who has a wealth of experience in the whisky industry.

The distillery has also had Aviemore-based Joanna Miller who specialises in print making and screen painting as its artist in residence, and linked up with the nearby Strathspey Steam Railway to offer visitors on-board nosings and tastings served alongside afternoon tea over the festival weekend.

By joining this year’s programme, Speyside Distillery, located near Kingussie and set against the backdrop of the Cairngorm mountain range, has extended the reach of the festival, becoming the most southerly distillery in the region to take part.

Spirit of Speyside Whisky festival chairman James Campbell is delighted that Speyside Distillery has come on board this year and helped expand the mix of events and establish new partnerships.

James says:

“The continued success and appeal of the festival depends upon being innovative, creative and of course having support right across the industry in Speyside.

“We warmly welcome Speyside Distillery as a new partner this year and look forward to these friendships and links thriving in the future.”

John Harvey McDonough, CEO of Speyside Distillery, is confident that the distillery’s connections with the festival will develop and grow.

John says:

“We are thrilled that Michael, a true icon of international football as well as a great family man, is able to visit SPEY while the whisky festival is in full flow.

“We’re very pleased to be part of an internationally renowned festival that does so much to celebrate the industry and its heritage, its people and of course its produce.”

The 16th annual festival drew to a close on Monday, having featured a packed programme of over 400 events, with music, crafts, food activities running alongside a wide range of distillery tours and tastings. Some distilleries, like Speyside, have been open to the public for the first time in their history.

Speyside Distillery, home of the SPEY brand of malt whisky, has been in production since 1990 and is operated by Speyside Distillers Ltd.

While Speyside Distillery is not normally open to the public it may be familiar to the public as it appeared in the BBC television series Monarch of the Glen as Lagganmore Distillery.

For further information about Speyside Distillery, visit www.speysidedistillery.co.uk. Follow Speyside Distillery on Twitter @SpeySingleMalt and on Facebook at facebook.com/speysidedistillery

VisitAberdeen Wins Awards In Scotland And … China

Aberdeen City, Information No Responses »

May 012015

With thanks to Eoin Smith, Tricker PR.

The organisation which markets Aberdeen as a leisure and business destination – VisitAberdeen – has scooped two major awards for its performance.

VisitAberdeen won a marketing award from the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute (COTRI) for its Chinese language website, social media presence and attendance at trade fairs both in person and via its partner CBN.

The destination marketing organisation also won the accolade of “The Most Effective Stand For Doing Business” at VisitScotland’s recent Expo.

VisitAberdeen’s Tourism Executive Jenni Fraser was on hand in Bejing to pick up the Chinese Tourist Welcome Award in marketing at the COTRI awards, which coincided with the China Outbound Travel and Tourism Market (COTTM) Fair.

COTRI is the world’s leading independent research institute for information, training, quality assessment, research, and consultancy relating to the Chinese outbound tourism market.

VisitAberdeen’s chief executive Steve Harris (pictured) says,

“We launched a Chinese version of our website earlier this year in a bid to attract a share of the $128 billion China spends every year on overseas leisure and business tourism. We wanted to be ahead of the curve on targeting this highly lucrative market. The Chinese are the biggest overseas spenders in the world, spending on average 50% more than Americans when they are on vacation.

“With a total population of 1.357 billion, only 10m of China’s residents can speak English. With forecasts suggesting 500 million Chinese people will travel overseas in the next 15 years, we believe that it is critical to promote the city as a leisure and business destination to the Chinese in their native language. Receiving this award when we’ve only been working on this project for such a relatively short space of time is especially pleasing.”

The award for “The Most Effective Stand For Doing Business” was presented to VisitAberdeen at the recent VisitScotland Expo held in Aberdeen.

Expo provides a platform for companies and organisations with a Scottish tourism product to showcase products and services to potential global buyers from all sectors.

The Visit Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire Pavilion which was created in partnership with Aberdeenshire Council hosted over 525 prearranged business meetings with buyers from across the UK and abroad. The stand was made up of several local partners including Ardoe House Hotel, Banffshire Coast Tourism Partnership, Visit Royal Deeside, Thistle Hotels and Secret Malts of Aberdeenshire.

Steve Harris continues,

“Expo gave us a collective opportunity to create personal relationships with genuine buyers and decision makers, many of whom had a low level of knowledge of our area prior to Expo. Personal interaction and the chance to convey the passion of our partners for the beautiful area we live in leads to long lasting business connections, leading to positive business outcomes for all.

“The on stand meetings were just the start, we now need to follow up on these leads to bring more groups of travellers to Visit Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. Picking up this award shows we’re leading the way in maximising the business opportunities these types of trade shows bring for the area.”

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.

Aberdeen City And Shire Tourism Awards Returns

Aberdeenshire, Articles No Responses »

Apr 232015

With thanks to Beverly Tricker.

Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Awards (ACSTA) will return for an encore performance this year so that operators can fly the flag for the local area in Scotland’s national tourism accolades.
Those who pick up honours at ACSTA later this year will represent the north east at the Scottish Thistle Tourism Awards 2016, at which the nation’s best will be recognised.

ACSTA held its annual awards dinner in January this year but in order to meet the timeframe for next year’s Scottish Thistle Awards, another ceremony will take place on November 27th, 2015. Entries are now open for 14 different categories.

All of the categories are aligned with the Scottish Thistle Awards, and this year there will be new sections, including Tourism – Everyone’s Business, which is open to any organisation, from community groups and destination management bodies to transport providers and retail venues, that inspire best practice when it comes to looking after visitors.

Another new category is Hospitality Hero which is open anyone working on the front line and who is dedicated to providing a special experience to visitors.

The awards are once again being supported by the Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels’ Association, which is appealing for businesses of all sizes to submit entry forms and show the high quality tourism offering in the area.

The launch coincides with the arrival of the VisitScotland Expo – a business to business travel trade event – in Aberdeen this week. The event at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre will attract hundreds of international delegates.

ACSTA chairman Iain Watson says,

“With such a huge week for tourism in the north east we felt that it would be a very appropriate time to open ACSTA up for entries. Hundreds of delegates from all over the world will be attending Expo and seeing for themselves what this part of Scotland has to offer.

“We are in an unusual position of holding two awards ceremonies within a 12 month period, but we felt it was essential that we took steps to align ourselves with the Scottish Thistle Awards.

“This means that all of our winners will become regional winners of the Scottish Thistle Awards, and will go on to compete in the national final. They will be up against other tourism operators from all over Scotland, and will show the exceptionally high quality of what we have to offer here in the north east.

“We have had a fantastic response to ACSTA over the past two years, and I sincerely hope that individuals and businesses will continue to support an event that has fast become one of the key dates in the hospitality sector calendar.

“We urge them to get their entries in as soon as possible, and help us to show the rest of Scotland that we are in a league of our own when it comes to looking after our visitors.”

Entries for ACSTA will open at www.acsta.co.uk are now and will close on June 19, 2015. Three entries will be shortlisted for each category and the winners will be announced at a ceremony at the Ardoe House Hotel and Spa in Aberdeen on November 27, 2015.

The full list of awards categories is:

• Tourism – Everyone’s Business

• Best Informal Eating Experience

• Best Event/Festival

• Innovation Award

• Friendliest Pub/Bar

• Best Visitor Attraction

• Most Hospitable B&B Guest House

• Best Restaurant Experience

• Best Holiday Accommodation

• Most Hospitable Hotel

• Young Ambassador Award

• Ambassador

• Best Outdoor/Adventure Experience

• Hospitality Hero

Aberdeen City and Shire Hotels’ Association represents 46 independently operated hotels and conference venues. These hotels provide around 4,000 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.

Hotel Staff Clock Up Phenomenal Long Service Record

Aberdeen City, Information No Responses »

Apr 172015

With thanks to Eoin Smith, Tricker PR.

Jean Ryrie has worked at the Thistle Aberdeen Airport for 39 years.

The hospitality industry is notorious for high staff turnover; employees often flit from job to job without hesitation or loyalty. But Thistle hotels in Aberdeen are bucking the trend.
Thistle Aberdeen Airport hotel boasts an experienced team that have stuck together through thick and thin, including a core team that has over 260 years’ experience in the hotel – that’s 21 years longer than the United States of America has been in existence.

Leading the pack is executive head housekeeper Jean Ryrie, who has been a valued member of the team for 39 years.

Recently nominated for housekeeper of the year at the Scottish Hotel Awards, her passion for greeting colleagues and guests with a smile has never faltered.

Jean says,

“Working for Thistle is a fantastic experience. If it wasn’t, I would never have stayed so long. The staff here are like one big family, and we all get on really well. That sense of camaraderie really makes the working day fly by.”

Always willing to go the extra mile for those staying in the hotel, Jean has been known to go above and beyond to ensure her guests are safe and happy during their stay.

Jean remembers,

“One guest that sticks in my mind was a man who called the housekeeping office to ask for extra blankets. It’s not an unusual request so I brought some up, but when I arrived at his room I found him ill in bed with an awful temperature.

“I asked reception to call for a doctor, and kept an eye on him until one arrived.

“One time I visited his room and he had gotten so much worse that I couldn’t wait for the doctor any longer – I called for an ambulance, and he was rushed to hospital.”

The guest was later diagnosed with septicaemia, a severe form of blood poisoning that could have led to fatal complications had Jean not taken action.

She continues,

“I didn’t think twice about calling the ambulance. If a guest is in need, I always feel it is my duty to do whatever I can to help them, and I know my colleagues feel the same way.”

Jean’s caring nature is not just reserved for the hotel’s guests, meaning that she has a hard-working and dedicated team that have stayed with her during her career in the hotel. Ensuring that they are treated and trained well, Jean makes sure everyone in the housekeeping department feels a valued member of the team.

Alongside new recruits, Jean’s hard-working team includes Margaret Esson (31 years), Camilla Jones (26 years), Brenda Paterson (24 years), Emma Singer (24 years), Audrey Western (23 years) and Fiona Cruickshank (13 years).

General manager Alison Christie says,

“I am absolutely thrilled that so many of my colleagues have chosen to stay at the Thistle Aberdeen Airport for so long. Having such experienced staff means that everything in the hotel runs smoothly – there are very few situations they haven’t come across before. We really are a well-oiled machine.”

That dedication to the job is not just reserved for the housekeeping department, however, and many other teams in the hotel boast extremely experienced staff who have stayed at the hotel throughout their careers.

Food and beverage operator Christina Grant has been a member of the catering team for 34 years, working with breakfast supervisor Lesley Martin and kitchen assistant Ruby Henderson, who have been there for 30 and 29 years respectively. Head chef Richard Simpson has been overseeing the kitchen for a decade.

Alison adds,

“We often see guests returning to the Thistle Aberdeen Airport every time they visit the city. They enjoy seeing the same faces when they check in – it’s like coming to a home from home.

“The continuity guests get from visit to visit means that they always know that they’ll receive top quality service, and I am delighted that we are able to provide that.”

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.

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