Agenda item

With reference to article 14 of the minute of the meeting of Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure Committee of 31 May, 2010, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure which advised of the outcome of the recent review of the services provided by the Aberdeen Convention Bureau and recommended a way forward regarding future delivery of these services.  

The report provided an overview of the review of Aberdeen Convention Bureau which had been undertaken by Glamis Consultancy, and advised that the overall conclusion had been that the Convention Bureau had generally been successful in creating economic impacts through business tourism, and was a well regarded and respected organisation which received widespread support.   Despite this, it was highlighted that in the short term the Bureau must address issues of perceived value for money and communication with its partners.

The report advised of the current position of Aberdeen as a business tourism destination, as well as the future of business tourism in the area.   In terms of the future, it was advised that were a number of opportunities for Aberdeen to develop as a stronger business and leisure tourism destination.  The establishment of a Destination Marketing Organisation (DMO) would be essential to ensure that the city benefitted from a co-ordinated approach to development and marketing.   In line with this, opportunities existed to formally constitute the Aberdeen Convention Bureau in the short term to address concerns expressed over accountability and structure and to reinforce its role as the business tourism marketing organisation for the city.   Specifically, regarding DMO options, opinions were currently divided with no real focus amongst partners as to which form a DMO might take.   However, there was a general agreement that given current public funding cuts, the private sector would expect to take a lead role in establishing and supporting a DMO in the longer term.  

In light of the above, the report recommended retaining the services of the Bureau would be vital to sustaining the local economy by attracting large-scale conferences with significant economic impact to the city.   In particular, it was vital to the success of the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC), as it played a key role in attracting conferences suitable only for this venue.   In line with this, it was recommended that the link to the AECC be strengthened by the formation of a small group, led by the Council, to steer the future direction of the bureau.  This group would include representatives from the AECC, the Hotels Association, the City Centre Association and the Council.  This would allow for a united approach to securing future business for the city.   In addition, it was advised that the Manager of the Bureau was due to retire in May therefore it would be essential to recruit a new Manager and this group could oversee that process.   Finally, the group would also be in a position to assist the Council to move to a DMO, if an appropriate funding model could be agreed.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         to instruct officers to put in place measures to address accountability to and communication with members of the Bureau;

(ii)        to instruct officers to report back with developed proposals for a Destination Marketing Organisation, including how it would be funded;

(iii)       to appoint the Convener to participate in the small group being established to steer the future direction of the Bureau;  and

(iv)       to otherwise note the contents of the review.