VisitScotland's Business Tourism Unit (BTU) have been heavily involved recently in promoting Scotland as an attractive location for conferences and events.
Central in the City showcase
Business tourism was high on the agenda at VisitScotland’s latest regional showcase, Central in the City, which was held at the Caledonian Hilton on Thursday 6 March 2008. The event showcased 27 of the key conference and incentive suppliers in Angus & Dundee, Fife, Perthshire, Stirling, Argyll and the Forth Valley to over 80 incentive and event organisers.
The main aim of the event was to highlight the diversity of meeting venues and the range of hospitality available to those looking to host conferences, events or incentive, available within the Central region. With such a vast array of convention centres, centres of excellence, unconventional venues, exclusive use venues and some of the country’s top hotels and resorts, Central region is in a prime position to build on the substantial value of a vitally important market to Scotland’s economy.
International Confex 2008
VisitScotland’s Business Tourism Unit boasted one of the most impressive stands at this year’s International Confex held at Earls Court London, 12th-14th February. There were 16 Scottish partners ranging from small castle hotels to purpose-built conference centres and resort hotels.
Throughout the event BTU Staff were driving visitors to the stand by distributing branded mints and flyers inviting them to an afternoon whisky tasting and champagne reception with the opportunity to sample a selection of malt whiskies.
The Sheraton Grand hotel also provided two therapists from One Spa to ease aches and pains of visitors and on Thursday 14 February, Valentines Day heart-shaped shortbread with the VisitScotland thistle emblem were handed out to visitors.
Confex was a real success, attracting 219 leads and 7 enquiries with a potential value of £800,700.
Main Event Glasgow
VisitScotland BTU attended the Main Event at the SECC in Glasgow on 28 February, the first time an event of this type has been held in Scotland. The event showcased a wide cross-section of Scottish suppliers from AV companies to venues and catering companies. There were 3 enquiries to the VisitScotland stand with the potential value of £153,900 with another 30 leads interested in Business Tourism services.
Water Horse Highland Adventure
VisitScotland were delighted to host a group of meeting and incentive planners from across England on a ‘Water Horse Highland Adventure’ trip around the Highlands last week. The familiarisation trip was designed to highlight the variety of activities available and benefits of locating conferences and events in the Highlands.
The group of 11 arrived in Inverness on Tuesday for the action packed itinerary which gave them the opportunity to enjoy a range of outdoor activities, visit venues suitable for hosting business events and squeeze in a whisky tasting before departing on Thursday.
The programme started in the Rocpool Reserve with lunch followed by a show round Eden Court, whisky tasting at Brodie Castle and Glen Moray, dinner in Nairn and overnight stay at the Kingsmills Hotel. Then it was off to the new Culloden Centre, Culloden House, Rothiemurchus Estate and dinner at Ness Castle Lodges. The trip ended round Loch Ness with the Water Horse theme following VisitScotland’s partnership with Sony Pictures on the launch of the blockbuster film.
