VisitScotland expo 2008 - last chance to book
AECC
Organised by Scotland’s national tourism organisation VisitScotland, expo is Scotland’s only flagship business to business event for the travel trade that is entirely Scottish. expo 2008 takes place at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre on Tuesday 16 – Wednesday 17 April.
expo was last held in Aberdeen in 2005. The UK’s oil and gas capital is the ideal business venue, offering fantastic facilities for the event, as well as access to some of Scotland’s most beautiful coastal and mountain scenery. With famous whisky and castle trails on its doorstep, as well as world class golf courses and a vibrant cosmopolitan city, Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire has much to offer group visitors, as well as business and leisure visitors.
Now in its 28th year, VisitScotland expo is very much a commercial show, with plenty of opportunities to make new contacts and discuss business opportunities.
In 2007, over 900 buyers attended expo, and the official survey revealed that 71 per cent of UK buyers and 65 per cent of international buyers would be adding a new Scottish supplier to their existing programme. Furthermore, 74 per cent of exhibitors indicated that their attendance at expo in terms of return on investment was either ‘good’ or ‘excellent’.
This year, over 200 suppliers of tourism products from all over Scotland are exhibiting at expo, including hotels, transport operators, restaurants, and visitor attractions. Many exhibitors are returning to expo to capitalise on the huge return on investment trade fairs such as this offer.
Exhibitors for 2008 include visitor attractions and experiences such as Dewars World of Whisky, Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Jacobite – Experience Loch Ness, Castle of Mey and the Real Mary Kings Close. Accommodation providers large and small will be represented, with major hotel chains Hilton, Apex and Jury's Inn as well as boutique hotels including Poole House and Edinburgh’s Prestonfield.
Around 800 buyers from diverse markets throughout the world including Europe, the USA and the Far East, as well as the UK and Ireland are expected to attend VisitScotland expo.
The buyers and decision makers include these countries’ biggest tour operators as well as new niche and independent tour operators, key wholesalers, coach tour operators, group travel organisers, conference and event organisers, wedding planners, travel agents and travel writers. They are selected by VisitScotland specifically on the grounds that they will engage with Scottish suppliers of tourism products and go on to sell these within their programmes, promoting Scotland to their customers.
Networking opportunity
The annual expo networking event will take place at Aberdeen’s famous Cadona’s Amusement Park. The expo ‘shindig’ offers an evening of Scottish entertainment and a chance to network with buyers and exhibitors from the event.
Online appointments
expo offers an online appointments service on its website. Buyers attending expo can quickly search through the exhibitor database and make appointments directly with exhibiting companies and then, using their online diary, exhibitors and buyers will be able to manage and see at a glance their own meetings during what is always a busy two days.
Booking your Stand
This can be done online through the expo website www.visitscotlandexpo.com
The benefits to exhibitors include:
- exclusive access to the buyers’ database
- reduced price tickets access to the evening ‘shindig’ and the expo golf tournament at Murrayshall House Hotel, Perth
- priority to be included in buyers’ familiarisation visits itineraries
- a year’s free advertising on the expo website.
VisitScotland expo is open 9.30am - 4.30pm on Wednesday 16th April 2008 and 9.30am - 4.00pm on Thursday 17th April 2008. Attendance at the event is by invitation only.
For more information on expo, including exhibitor lists, go to www.visitscotlandexpo.com
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